Meet our 2025 World Teachers' Day winners
31 October 2025
3
min read
They help shape our children's futures. And their impact can change lives. Celebrate with us as we reveal the winners of our World Teachers’ Day competition.
Teachers play a huge role in the lives of their students every day. They inspire curiosity, build confidence, and make a difference in classrooms and communities right across the nation.
We appreciate every moment teachers dedicate to helping the next generation.
That’s why every year for the past 8 years, we’ve said thank you to our Queensland teachers with a special competition that showcases their dedication.
Hundreds of inspiring stories
World Teachers’ Day takes place internationally on 5 October. But Queensland celebrates on the last Friday in October during State Education Week.
As part of the celebrations, we invited teachers from the 8 education regions across the state to enter our World Teachers’ Day competition by answering one question:
‘What’s been your best teaching experience?’
Hundreds of entries rolled in. From heartfelt stories of small victories to moments of lasting impact, they’re a testament to how Queensland teachers go above and beyond for their students.
Our 2025 winners
Our judging panel has picked 8 amazing educators who shared stories about the joys of teaching and their dedication to helping students learn and grow.
Each winner will get a $150 Coles Myer gift card, and their school will get a $1,000 Officeworks gift card. The total prize pack is valued at $1,150 each.
Congratulations to:
- Jennifer Jones – Kuranda District State College, Far North Queensland
- Arthur Henden – Heatley Secondary College, North Queensland
- Amanda Power – Clinton State School, Central Queensland
- Samantha Bollard – Coolum Primary School, North Coast
- Kara Keenan – Highfields State School, Darling Downs South West
- Misha Naik – Brisbane Central State School, Metropolitan North
- Lauren Wilson – Gumdale State School, Metropolitan South
- Katie Huggard – Gainsborough State School, South East
Read their stories
The winning entries revealed some special moments that matter in a teacher's day as well as unique – and often hilarious – insights into why they love their jobs. Here’s a summary of each:
Jennifer Jones
A young student with selective mutism had begun to speak a little. So, Jennifer took a chance and asked her to introduce the class carol. The child agreed – and there were tears of joy when the child’s mother heard her speak in public for the first time. Jennifer knew she'd made a difference.
Arthur Henden
Using pizza to teach fractions turned into an unexpectedly fun and rewarding lesson for Arthur. When one kid asked, ‘so, if I eat half, that’s math?’, another quipped, ‘I’m a math genius – I’ve been eating halves forever!’ Arthur had created a class of hungry mathematicians.
Amanda Power
Amanda says teaching prep is always full of surprises. Like the day a student complained about something in his shoe. Amanda expected a sock – not a frog! Screams, laughter and chaos ensued. The student just shrugged. ‘Guess he wanted to come to school,’ Amanda said.
Samantha Bollard
When the music stopped mid-performance, it didn’t deter Samantha’s young dancers. They finished their dance, earning the appreciation of the crowd and the Judges’ Choice Award. Samantha says it’s one of her favourite ‘goosebump’ moments.
Kara Keenan
To help a student who was feeling self-conscious about her scar, Kara gently led a class discussion about how our differences make us special. She also shared her own scar, helping the young girl feel proud of hers.
Misha Naik
During a spelling test, a student proudly wrote ‘hippopotamus’ correctly. But they misspelled their own name. When Misha pointed out the mistake, they said, ‘Well, my name’s not in the dictionary, so it’s trickier!’ The whole class erupted in giggles.
Lauren Wilson
When a science experiment exploded, Lauren’s students didn’t panic. Instead, they turned it into an investigation. ‘It reminded me that the best learning often comes from curiosity, laughter, and a little bit of chaos,’ she said.
Katie Huggard
Katie once taught a boy who lost his dad during the school year. Speaking with his sister years later, Katie learned he had become a teacher because, in that painful year, her classroom was his safe place. ‘This made me realise the quiet truth: teaching shapes lives, even when we don’t see it,’ Katie said.
Support that adds up
Our World Teachers' Day competition has been running since 2017. With many of our members working in the education sector, we’re proud to showcase the ways teachers help build brighter futures for our next generation.
It’s one of the many ways we give back to those who give so much to others.
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