A special STEM Award was given to Harrisdale Primary School for their efforts to incorporate STEM across all levels of education.
Science Minister Roger Cook recognised the recipients of the 2021 Governor’s School STEM Awards, with four public schools taking out the top honours.
One regional and three metropolitan public schools received prizes at a ceremony hosted by the Governor of Western Australia Kim Beazley, at Government House.
Harrisdale Primary School took out the Leadership Excellence Award in the primary school category for its whole-of-school, inquiry-based learning framework and the incorporation of technologies throughout their learning programs.
The school also displayed outstanding levels of engagement with external providers, parents and the community.
Recognising education and leadership teams that take a whole-of-school approach to STEM learning, the awards support the Western Australian Government’s STEM skills strategy, ‘Future jobs, future skills’, which aims to prepare Western Australians with the STEM skills needed for jobs in new and emerging industries.
The Awards are delivered in partnership with Scitech.
Mr Cook said the winners of this year’s Governor’s School STEM Awards have gone above and beyond to develop engaging and supportive STEM learning environments.
“The schools recognised are providing the next generation with skills for the jobs of the future,” he said.
“The awards form part of the McGowan Government’s efforts, through our State STEM skills strategy, to encourage student participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics at school and beyond.”
Minister for education Sue Ellery said it was fantastic to see four public schools take out the 2021 Governor’s School STEM Awards.
“Getting students to fully embrace STEM education takes strong leadership and teachers that spark inspiration,” she said.
“I congratulate the recipients of this year’s awards and hope they will encourage and inspire more schools to embed STEM as a core part of their culture.”
Member for Jandakot Yaz Mubarakai said the leadership award is a wonderful acknowledgement of the work that Harrisdale Primary School has been doing to build a culture of STEM in their school.
“With a pathway to the GATE program in Harrisdale Senior High School, students have amazing opportunities to thrive in STEM careers,” he said.
“It looks like the $25,000 that has been delivered to Harrisdale Primary School as part of the Primary Science Program has been put to great use.”
