[MC - David Howes, Deputy Secretary, Schools and Regional Services, Department of Education]
The warmest of warm welcomes to the 2025 Victorian Education Excellence Awards.
[Natalie Vercoe, Wendouree Primary School, Winner Outstanding Education Support Team]
The Victorian Education Excellence Awards have been amazing tonight. Through the whole process, it's been really incredible and rewarding. It's been really wonderful.
[Brian Walker, Koorie Emerging Leaders in Schools – Bayside Peninsula Network, Winner Outstanding Koorie Education Team Award]
The students are at the heart of this work, that's why we do what we do, all of us in this room.
Seeing them step into the strength, their power, it is truly inspiring. As one student said, "It's important for young indigenous kids to be in a space where they are accepted and feel culturally safe."
[Stephanie Raike, Koorie Emerging Leaders in Schools – Bayside Peninsula Network.
Winner Outstanding Koorie Education Team Award)]
Celebrating excellence means that we are looking at what we're doing well, we are looking at what we can continue to do well, and taking a moment to celebrate the hard work that people put in to achieve what we can across the state of Victoria.
[Felicity Jenkins, Box Hill North Primary School, Winner Outstanding Early Career Primary Teacher]
Educators work so hard and so many go above and beyond, so I think it's really wonderful to have the opportunity to come together and celebrate all the excellent work that educators are doing.
[Chufeng Liu, Suzanne Cory High School, Winner Outstanding Early Career Secondary Teacher and Lindsay Thompson Award]
This award definitely gives me the motivation and the continuous encouragement to commit in Victoria Public Education.
[Tony Bates, PSM Secretary, Department of Education]
And every finalist tonight deserves our congratulations. You have all gone above and beyond your normal duties to achieve something outstanding. If you are here tonight, it's because you are an educator or an administrator of the highest calibre. The work you are doing is making a big difference, not just to your individual students, but to entire families and communities.
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