Inspiring young scientists win state award
Media releaseScience is part of the DNA at Warrnambool East Primary School and it is evolving into an award-winning trait.
The school's 'Inspiring Young Scientists' program developed in conjunction with Deakin University has won a major state award.
The school's science teachers who lead the program, Nadine Frankel and Kerry McCarthy, on Friday night in Melbourne won the Herald Sun Outstanding Curriculum Innovation Award at the Victorian Education Excellence Awards.
The award is worth $20,000 to allow the school to continue its science program.
Inspiring Young Scientists is a school-wide science program that has demonstrated significant positive impacts on student engagement and achievement.
Students do weekly science lessons with the help of university students and regularly go on excursions to study marine life in the local area.
The program involves classroom creatures and a marine touch tank, specialised science equipment and learning space, a focus on local environments supported by a partnership with Deakin University academic staff and undergraduates, and community environmental projects such as the Fluker Post Schools Project with Victoria University and Deakin University, and Seal the Loop with Melbourne Zoo.
The program was established in 2012.
As part of the program Deakin undergraduates gain hands-on experience of working with children and the community, building their skills as science and environmental educators. The primary school students and teachers benefit from access to specialist science expertise.
Deakin University student Melanie Wells and Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Arts & Education Dr Julianne Lynch also attended the award ceremony at the Crown Palladium.