The Altona City Rotary Club has recognised the best of the region’s teachers as part of the fifth annual Hobsons Bay Rotary Teacher Awards.
For the first time in three years, Rotarians recognised 15 teachers at an in-person event on Wednesday, October 12.
The club presented Williamstown High School’s ‘Warchild’ production team with a Team Award.
The ‘Warchild’ concert involved students and teachers performing to raise money for families affected by war.
Williamstown High School acting Pasco campus principal Daniel Pearce nominated the production team, which included Jamila Brogan, Lachlan Wyatt, Will Salisbury, Dean Commons, Richard Giles and Kathy Hinch.
“This incredible team drew upon the talents of Willi High students to produce an amazing evening with an audience of friends, family, students and teachers coming together to rock the Newport Substation,” he said.
“After the last few years, where live music has been a distant memory, the hard work of this that included hours of rehearsals, an 18-hour day to set up and pack up, costume design, make up, lighting and sound, it was mesmerising to see the final product.”
Bayside College’s Effie Hatzikosmidis received an Achievement Award for her efforts as a drama teacher and the school’s performing arts co-ordinator, including juggling roles on performance nights and even stepping into roles herself when students are unable to perform due to illness.
Bayside College teachers Camilla Bishop, Natalie Hammond, Samuel Levy and Darren Sutcliffe also received a Team Award for their leadership and collaboration with others to introduce a range of student assessments focusing on skills from Prep to Year 12.
Altona College’s Ashleigh Botica and Lachlan Christopher and Emmanuel College’s Paige Byrne and Kate Challen received Encouragement awards for achievements during the early parts of their teaching career.
Award founder and Rotarian Julie Mason said it has never been more important to recognise the efforts of the area’s teachers, as Hobsons Bay re-emerges from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
