BNIT awards outstanding mentors from schools across Queensland
Friday, 27 April 2012
Jenny Evans, Rebekah Stoneham, Emma Damrow, Catherine McCarten and Tim Byrne receive their awards.
School-based mentors from across Queensland have been recognised this week for their outstanding levels of commitment and support to Brisbane North Institute of TAFE (BNIT) Education Support students, at the Institute's inaugural Outstanding Mentor Awards.
Golden Beach State School teacher Tim Byrne, Narangba Valley State School teacher Rebekah Stoneham, Mueller College teacher Jenny Evans, St Andrews Catholic College teacher Emma Damrow, Salisbury State School teacher aide Catherine McCarten and Alloway State School Principal Brooke Clarke were the mentors honoured at a special ceremony at BNIT's Ithaca campus in Red Hill, Brisbane, on 16 April.
Nominated by the BNIT Certificate III in Education Support students on vocational placement at their schools, the six winning mentors were selected from a strong pool of nominees who have all been outstanding in helping BNIT's students to become excellent teacher aides to, in turn, better support school students.
The six mentors were awarded for going above and beyond to ensure BNIT's students were fully supported; providing freely of their time, sourcing additional information and encouraging the students' to pursue their career goals.
BNIT's Director Lynne Foley presented the awards, underlining their importance in recognising the significant contribution these mentors have made to lifelong education.
"Teacher aides are a very important component of our education system and by supporting our students these mentors enrich the learning experience of students in schools," Ms Foley said.
"Mentors are fundamental to the success of the Education Support program as they help to heighten the professionalism of our students, so making them job-ready. They can then go straight into the school system and start helping to educate our young people for the future.
"Through their support and dedication teacher aides provide better outcomes for students in schools and through this mentor program we are educating adults for their future.
"The response to these awards and the fact that a number of nominees travelled from afar demonstrates the importance of recognising these fabulous people's contribution to lifelong learning," she said.
The success of the awards mark the first steps to making the process an annual event on the BNIT calendar.
The BNIT Certificate III in Education Support trains people to be job-ready teacher aides and includes vocational placement in schools. Study is undertaken at the student's own pace and the course has been embraced across many regional and rural areas in Queensland with placements as far afield as Cairns, Mt Isa and Charleville.