Full list: Gold Coast State Secondary Excellence Awards finalists 2025
More than 60 school staff and teachers have been nominated in this year’s Gold Coast State Secondary Excellence Awards. SEE THE FULL LIST
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Gold Coast mum Danijela Rigby always dreamt of being a teacher but when she was fresh out of high school, her boss talked her out of it.
“I was working as a supervisor at Australia’s Wonderland (a theme park in NSW) and my boss there said I had potential in management and marketing,” she said.
“I was young and impressionable so I listened and went to university to study marketing for 18 months and hated it.
“I left and became a sales representative and loved talking to customers but my heart was still not in it and I knew I had to go back and study teaching.”
Ms Rigby has now been a teacher for almost 13 years and worked at Southport State High School in the English department since 2019.
She said it “felt like home” when she got in front of a class to teach her first lesson while on placement for her university degree.
“There is something electric about being in the classroom,” she said.
“I have three daughters who love the performing arts and love being on stage and they always say it’s such a rush … that’s what it feels like when I’m in front of the class.”
When she was a student at school, Ms Rigby described herself as “that kid” who was always getting in trouble for talking and seen as a disruption.
“I had a handful of teachers who saw my potential, not just academically but socially as well, and that is what I wanted to do,” she said.
“Early on, I knew I wanted to be the kind of teacher that saw every student.
“I wanted to make sure that I could advocate for all the kids who felt unheard and needed a safe space.”
For Ms Rigby, the most rewarding part of her job was watching her students grow their confidence and belief in themselves.
“You’re only part of a small chapter in their journey but boy, it’s an amazing journey,” she said.
“They keep you young as well, I’m getting older so they keep me young with their lingo.”
Ms Ridgy is a finalist at this year’s Gold Coast State Secondary Excellence Awards.
She said she felt “truly blessed” to be named among more than 60 finalists.
“I stand on the shoulders of the most amazing people that I work with, the best teachers and the best support staff,” Ms Rigby said.
“I wouldn’t be where I am today if I wasn’t constantly learning from them.”
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Gold Coast Convention Centre on June 21.
SEE THE FULL LIST OF FINALISTS
Excellence in Education Support finalists
Denise Ward, Enrolments Officer at Benowa State High School
Kayla McCaa, HPE Sports Coordinator at Coombabah State High School
Regina Kidd, Diverse Learning Teacher Aide at Elanora State High School
Karen Barnaby, Teaching Assistant at Foxwell State Secondary College
Nat Green, Teacher Aide at Helensvale State High School
Lynelle Potter, Facilities Manager at Merrimac State High School
Rachelle Hart, Industry and Vocational Training Officer at Miami State High School
Natalie Garcia, Teacher Aide at Nerang State High School
Leeanne Carter, WSIM Administration Officer at Ormeau Woods State High School
Marybel Dickens, Teacher Aide at Pacific Pines State High School
Thomas Flood, Teacher Aide at Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
Jack Macqueen, IT Services Officer at Pimpama State Secondary College
Miyoun Beakley, Administration Officer at Queensland Academies Health Sciences Campus
Alina Pilich, Community Engagement Officer at Robina State High School
Catherine Murphy, Youth Support Coordinator at Southport State High School
Carol Harris, College Support Officer at Upper Coomera State College
Tegan McPherson, Industry Liaison Officer at Varsity College
Excellence in Secondary Education Leaderships finalists
Dwayne Scicluna, HOD Technologies at Benowa State High School
Zachariah McConnell, HOD Student Engagement at Coombabah State High School
Adam Quirk, HOD Digital Pedagogies and Positive Culture at Elanora State High School
Bryce Berrell, HOD Year 11 and 12 Student Wellbeing, Engagement and Learning at Foxwell State Secondary College
Chelle Krosby, HOD English and Helensvale State High School
Samantha Blake, HOD Senior School at Merrimac State High School
Julie-Anne Grant, HOD The Arts, Miami State High School.
Kelly Copolov, HOD Food & Service Industries, Nerang State High School.
Tanya Capra, HOD Languages, International and Academy Programs, Ormeau Woods State High School
Nicole Gilmore, HOD Junior Maths and Science at Pacific Pines State High School
Lee-Anne Bramley, HOD Science and Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
Ethan White, HOD Technologies at Pimpama State Secondary College
Dion Obst, HOD Global Connect at Queensland Academies, Health Sciences
Skye Rodgers, HOD Humanities & Business at Robina State High School
Trudi Whittaker, HOD Wellbeing and Engagement at Southport State High School
Ryan Baldwin, HOD Science, HPE and STEM at Upper Coomera State College
Karla Reid, HOD Digital Pedagogy and QLearn at Varsity College
Excellence in Secondary Teaching finalists
Nanette Richert, English & EAL/D Teacher at Benowa State High School
Fiona Watson, Senior Experienced Teacher - Inclusion at Coombabah State High School
Kasey Nicholas, HPE Teacher at Elanora State High School
Hannah Jones, Physical World Teacher at Foxwell State Secondary College
Joshua Corbett, STEM Teacher at Helensvale State High School
Gavin Koltermann, Experienced Teacher II - English and Humanities at Merrimac State High School
Jessica Roe, Experienced Senior Teacher - Health at Miami State High School
Elizabeth Taylor, Science Teacher at Nerang State High School
Rebecca Wallace, Maths and Science Teacher at Ormeau Woods State High School
Janine Victor, Experienced Senior Teacher - Inclusion at Pacific Pines State High School
Shane Robinson, Experienced Senior Teacher and Biology and Football Excellence at Palm Beach Currumbin State High School.
Jade Tendolle, Quality Teaching Specialist Leader - Humanities at Pimpama State Secondary College
Christine Hammerton, Experienced Senior Teacher - Psychology at Queensland Academies Health Sciences
Lucinda Gannon, English Teacher at Robina State High School
Danijela Rigby, English Teacher at Southport State High School
Bradley Crichton, STEM Teacher at Upper Coomera State College
Christine Cochrane, Drama Teacher at Varsity College
Excellence in Innovation finalists
The WEB - Social Emotional Learning Program at Benowa State High School
The C’Bah Muggera Indigenous Program at Coombabah State High School
The eSTEM Academy Program at Elanora State High School
The Learning Communities for the Whole Child Program at Helensvale State High School
The PLC Facilitators Team at Merrimac State High School
The New and Beginning Teacher Program at Miami State High School
The WSIT / WSIM Team at Ormeau Woods State High School.
The Trade Futures Program at Pacific Pines State High School
The Droning and Aviation Innovation Program at Palm Beach Currumbin State High School
The Cultural Connections Program at Pimpama State Secondary College.
The MyQA Team at Queensland Academies Health Sciences.
The Junior Secondary - A Distinct Approach Team at Robina State High School.
The IDT Department at Southport State High School.
The Flexispace Program at Upper Coomera State College.
The Future Pathways: MedDent Program / Future Teachers at Varsity College
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Originally published as Full list: Gold Coast State Secondary Excellence Awards finalists 2025
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