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2018 Outstanding Contribution to School Community Award finalist

Gemma Whapham

Moranbah State High School
High school graduates are choosing to stay and work in a regional mining town in Central Queensland thanks to an inspirational teacher who is using her world experience to provide new career pathways and opportunities.

Moranbah State High School (MSHS) teacher Gemma Whapham, who teaches Home Economics and Vocational Education and Training subjects including Education Support, Hospitality and Tourism, is a finalist in the Queensland College of Teachers (QCT) Outstanding Contribution to School Community Award.
​
Ms Whapham said she had always wanted to be a teacher, but she graduated from school when she was 16 years old and didn’t feel mature enough to work with high school students, so she worked in childcare and travelled internationally, working in hospitality instead. She is now transferring the skills she learnt across the world to the classroom.
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“I am the Hospitality teacher at the school. The Certificate II students must complete work experience at some point, but I try to give them experiences where they are immersed into some sort of community event where it is about helping the community in terms of keeping their costs down, while also giving students the opportunities to develop their skills wherever they can,” Ms Whapham said.

“The big reason I think community involvement with the students is important is because we need as many people [as possible] to stay in the region and keep the businesses going,” she says.

Students do work experience as teacher aides at the primary schools, as trainees at the Bright Kids afternoon school care program – which could not run without the students’ help – in local businesses and at community events, including sporting events, high teas, the NAIDOC Dinner, Eat Street Markets and the Mental Health breakfast. They also run the Rhino Café on Fridays, delivering coffee to teachers.

Over the past 18 months MSHS graduates have taken up positions in childcare and in hospitality in the mines.
“We have a very good intake of students going into apprenticeships in the mines each year and I like now that it’s not just the typical electrician or diesel fitter, it’s now looking at other career paths including administration roles or hospitality,” she said.

Ms Whapham said she loved working in Moranbah due to the “great community feel” and encouraged anyone thinking of teaching to give regional and rural schools a go.
​“Some of the best opportunities that you can get are from working in rural communities,” she said.
​The QCT Excellence in Teaching Awards are the only state government awards which recognise teachers from all schooling sectors state-wide. Winners will be announced on October 25, on the eve of World Teachers’ Day celebrations in Australia.
Queensland College of Teachers
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​Toowong Qld 4066
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  • Home
  • TEACHX AWARDS
    • 2019 TEACHX Winners
    • 2019 TEACHX Finalists
    • 2019 TEACHX Nominees >
      • Beginning to Teach Award Nominees 2019
      • OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO SCHOOL COMMUNITY AWARD NOMINEES 2019
      • Excellence in Teaching Award Nominees 2019
      • Innovation in Teaching Award Nominees 2019
      • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award Nominees 2019
      • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award Nominees 2019
  • Teacher Stories
    • Teaching graduates meet tough standards
    • Rachel Downie
    • The importance of teachers
    • Marsden State High School has the answer to keeping beginning teachers in the classroom
    • Exceptional support for early career teachers in Far North Queensland
    • QBECT
    • 2018 Awards >
      • 2018 Winners
      • 2018 Finalists
      • 2018 Nominees >
        • Excellence in Beginning to Teach Award
        • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning Award
        • Excellence in Teaching Award
        • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching Award
        • Outstanding Contribution to School Community Award
    • 2017 Awards >
      • 2017 Winners
      • 2017finalists
      • 2017 nominees >
        • Excellence in Beginning to Teach
        • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning
        • Excellence in Teaching
        • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching
    • 2016 Awards >
      • Excellence in Beginning to Teach
      • Excellent Leadership in Teaching and Learning
      • Excellence in Teaching
      • Outstanding Contribution to Teaching
    • HAT and LT >
      • Meet the Assessors
      • Ruth Graham
      • Tracey Peden
      • Helen and Dwayne
      • Carly Sopronick
      • Jessica Roberts
      • Jessica Roth
    • OAM >
      • Kathryn George, OAM
      • Keith Graham, OAM
      • Dr Judith Grimes, OAM
      • Michael Goodwin, OAM
      • Steve Parle, OAM
      • Dr Lyn Bishop, OAM
      • Dr Catherine Day, OAM
    • Taryn Gollshewsky
    • Vanuatu
    • NAIDOC >
      • NAIDOC Week 2017
      • NAIDOC Week 2016
    • QLD Day >
      • Bundaberg East State School
      • St Catherine's Catholic College
      • Mornington Island State School
      • Queensland Week 2016
    • ANZAC
  • Anxiety and trauma―an expert’s advice