School STEM awards

A PROGRAM helping students overcome adversity to study STEM subjects has won an award for the 15 Lismore schools that created it.

The STEMming the Divide program received a Secretary’s Award for an Outstanding School Initiative at the 2024 Public Education Awards.

The program fosters equity and addresses regional disparities to provide opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for underrepresented groups, including female, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and those from low socio-economic groups.

The awards at Sydney Town Hall celebrated 132 outstanding individual achievements, breakthrough school initiatives, community partnerships and major contributions to school communities.

The schools that created the STEMming the Divide program are: Albert Park Public School, Blakebrook Public School, Caniaba Public School, Corndale Public School, Dunoon Public School, Goonellabah Public School, Lismore Heights Public School, Lismore South Public School, Modanville Public School, The Channon Public School, The Rivers Secondary College – Kadina High Campus, Lismore High Campus, and Richmond River High Campus, Wyrallah Public School, and Wyrallah Road Public School.

Rivers Academy of STEM Excellence, Project Officer Karen Ramsay received a Secretary’s Award for Excellent Service for spearheading a transformation in STEM learning and teaching in rural northern NSW.

Ms Ramsay leads STEM programs across the network of 15 schools. Her work on the STEM initiatives has led to improved teacher learning and collaboration, which helped the school and students still recovering from the 2022 floods.

Along with their contribution to program, Albert Park Public School received a Secretary’s Award for School Achievement for STEM Savvy, a resilience-building program that develops problem-solving skills, encourages collaboration and has increased student attendance across the school.

The school says the STEM Savvy journey has been “instrumental in sparking creativity and building resilience”, enabling students to participate more constructively and achieve important skills for future learning.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car congratulated those receiving awards.

“The Public Education Awards are an important opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the amazing work of our teachers, school communities and other staff who each day work together to bring out the best in our students,” Minister Car said.