Hard work, dedication and passion on display at NT Education and Care Awards

The Territory’s most outstanding early childhood educators have been celebrated for their dedicated, hard work and commitment at the NT Education and Care Awards.

From remote preschools to Top End early learning centres, the best of the Territory’s childhood educators were on display at a major awards this week.

The NT Education and Care Awards celebrated outstanding achievements of early childhood and outside school hours care educators, services and programs.

Goodstart Bakewell’s Chelsea East began her journey into education began when she was 20 years old after a friend asked her to help volunteer at a childcare centre.

“I walked in and I see all these children running around play, educators are smiling and laughing and I was like, this actually looks like fun,” she said.

“I spent the day with them, and that next week I signed up for my Cert III.”

Chelsea East is a finalist in Early Childhood education awards. Picture: (A)manda Parkinson

A decade on, Ms East was named a finalist for Outstanding Educator this week.

One of the most important parts about education for Ms East is the relationship between her students and their families.

“If you don’t have a relationship with the child, they’re not going to want to spend time with you. They’re not going to feel safe. If you don’t feel safe, you’re not going learn,” she said.

“We’re there to educate children but we’re there to support the families as well, because those first five years are the most important for the children’s brain.”

Ms East’s passion for early childhood is enduring, with the educator currently studying a Bachelor degree. She plans to do a Masters and then a PhD.

“The more you learn, the more passionate you get and the more important it becomes,” she said.

Other finalists include Larapinta Preschool’s Katie Hannah for Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher and Families as First Teachers in Wadeye for Outstanding Early Childhood Program.

FULL LIST OF FINALISTS

Outstanding Educator – sponsored by Industry Skills Advisory Council NT

Daniel Nicholson – Haileybury Rendall Early Learning Centre

Chelsea East – Goodstart Bakewell

Danielle Barlow – Mother Teresa Early Learning Centre

Outstanding Aboriginal Educator – sponsored by the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education

Sonia Munyarryun – Moulden Early Learning Centre

Andrea Norman – Indy Kindy Borroloola

o Seraine Namundja – Gunbalanya Preschool

Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher – sponsored by Kentish Lifelong Learning & Care

Arnie Reyes – Haileybury Rendall Preschool

Hup Lye – Mother Teresa Early Learning Centre

Katie Hannah – Larapinta Preschool

Outstanding Leader – sponsored by GTNT

Renee Donaldson – Nightcliff Community Early Learning Centre

Anna Latz – Anula Primary School

Cherry Grant – Mother Teresa Early Learning Centre

Outstanding Early Childhood Program (theme “communication”) – sponsored by Catholic Education NT

Families as First Teachers Wadeye

Haileybury Rendall Early Learning Centre

Malak Preschool