Minyerri School teacher Claire Vogan has been recognised as one of Australia's most inspiring teachers in the 2022 Commonwealth Bank Teaching Awards.
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Ms Vogan was one of only 10 winners selected from a shortlist of more than 400 educators for the inaugural Early Careers Teaching Award.
After three years at the Minyerri School, Ms Vogan's success has been noticeable, having played a significant role in lifting attendance levels to the highest the school has ever seen.
As educational leader in the preschool, she introduced local excursions to increase engagement with elders and the community, created a newsletter and visual learning diary for parents to see their child's progress, and engaged with community events and families.
Ms Vogan's dedication to raising attendance at the school was best displayed through her commitment to personally collecting children in the school bus each morning.
A humbled Ms Vogan said she will continue to visit and engage with community members.
"I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to work with community here out bush," she said.
"To be able to advocate for rural and remote communities in Australia means so much to me."
As part of the award, Ms Vogan will receive $10,000 for professional development and mentoring.
Armed with the award, Ms Vogan said she plans to formally learn Roper River Kriol in an effort to further connect with the community.
"The grant from CBA and Schools Plus will help me to further pursue my mission to connect our communities."
The awards were delivered in partnership with Australian charity Schools Plus to celebrate educators who had demonstrated teaching excellence in helping address the education gap in schools around the country.
Head of Community Investment at Commonwealth Bank Luke Schepen said the awards recognised outstanding educators who went above and beyond to nurture young Australians.
"Teachers and educators play such a vital role in preparing the next generation to meet the demands of an evolving workforce, economy and society and we congratulate our 2022 Award recipients for their exceptional contribution to schools across the country," he said.
CEO at Schools Plus Rosemary Conn said the organisation was proud to support schools and teachers who had shown commitment to their students.
"We are delighted to celebrate these inspirational teachers, who share our commitment to addressing the education gap in areas of disadvantage, particularly over the past two challenging years."
