South Thornlie Primary School science teacher Larissa Waghorn has been celebrated as one of the best science teachers in the state.
Ms Waghorn, who has been with STPS for over 20 years, took home the Science Teachers Association of WA Primary Science award for outstanding contribution to Primary Science Teaching.
With a nursing science degree, Ms Waghorn, who lives in Lynwood, became a science specialist teacher 10 years ago, with teachers struggling to cover science in the classroom.
“Teaching science to primary school students is great, because they’re very curious and they want to find out how the world works,” she said.
“I was actually invited to nominate for the award by the chair of the STAWA’s Primary Science Committee.
“I’ve worked a lot with a science group through STAWA, so it’s nice to get an award like this, obviously you don’t go into teaching to win awards but it’s nice recognition.
“I think I’m just doing my job.”
While Ms Waghorn runs a broad range of science programs for the school, there are a few she is particularly proud of.
“I think I’m most proud of our robotics program, which runs after school.
“We have a junior and a senior team, and we participate in a competition called First Lego League.
“The juniors are in their second year – they don’t compete but they do an exhibition and present their work to their parents and the school board.
“The seniors have been doing it for six years, they compete against students from all across the state and they do quite well.”
