Proud: Cobram Anglican Grammar School’s Gary Smith shows off his award.
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Cobram Anglican Grammar School’s VCE mathematics and physics classes have long been a source of inspiration and achievement, and much of that success can be attributed to the remarkable teaching prowess of Gary Smith.
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His dedication to the education industry and unwavering commitment to his students have earned him the prestigious title of Secondary School Teacher of the Year (Non-Government) at the 2023 Australian Education Awards.
The awards ceremony, held on Friday, August 11, was a celebratory gathering at The Fullerton Hotel in Sydney. Educators from around the country gathered to recognise and honour exceptional individuals who had made significant contributions to the field of education.
Mr Smith, a Barooga local, has been teaching for close to 38 years and has been a physics, specialist mathematics, maths methods and woodwork teacher at Cobram Anglican Grammar School since 2006.
Attending the special evening with his wife, Melonie, a fellow teacher at CAGS, Mr Smith described the moment his name was read out as a mixture of joy and chaos.
“Apparently I had a huge smile on my face but I don’t really remember walking up to the stage to collect the trophy, it was just a complete blur,” Mr Smith said.
While it would be easy to get swept up in the euphoria of winning a professional award of such prestige, Mr Smith was quick to acknowledge the team around him at CAGS.
“It is nice to be individually recognised for what you’re doing but at the end of the day I’m no different to most other teachers out there,” Mr Smith said.
“Everyone is plugging away doing the best they can in the limited time they have to prepare. I can only look good if there is a good team around me doing their job effectively.”
Mr Smith pointed to the groundwork Mrs Smith put in place teaching mathematics to the school’s lower secondary students to help prepare them for his VCE classes down the track, adding that without her support and teaching methods, this award would not have been possible.
“I wouldn’t get the students coming into my classes and getting some of the results they achieve without what happens in the years before that,” he said.
Invaluable support: Gary Smith with wife and fellow CAGS teacher Melonie Smith at a 2023 swimming carnival.
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Mr Smith was also quick to acknowledge the continued support he had received from CAGS school community, and described it as a unique workplace that had brought out the best in his teaching.
“This is a very unique school and we’ve got something pretty special here. The culture we have and some of the learning that takes place is amazing,” Mr Smith said.
“I was ready to quit teaching when I left my previous role but this job came along and 18 years later I’m still doing it.”
While Mr Smith described the award as nice recognition, his real love for teaching stems from being able to watch his former students prosper as they make headway in their careers.
“Seeing these kids grow up and go on to do great things is pretty special. There are some students I still keep in contact with who I taught many years ago and they’re doing really great, so it’s nice to know you gave them a bit of a helping hand to get there,” Mr Smith said.
CAGS principal Keith Willett expressed the school’s pride and delight in Mr Smith’s achievement, highlighting his positive impact on both students and colleagues alike.
“Gary has been an outstanding educator for many years and has had a profound impact on many students throughout his career,” Mr Willett said.
“To be the recipient of a national award of this significance is a testament to his ability to educate and inspire his students. Our school community is immensely proud of him.”
