HUGHES Primary School principal Kate Smith and Melrose High School science teacher Geoff McNamara have both won awards for excellence in teaching from the Australian Scholarship Group.

Ms Smith and Mr McNamara were among 12 winners in the national awards, chosen from 1550 nominees.

Eleven of the awards come with $5000 professional development grants and one also receives the $2000 Disability Inclusion Grant.

Along with her award, Ms Smith won a special one-off prize of a trip to Space Camp, at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama.  She said she was “over the moon” to win the unique prize, which involves a week of activities based around space history, astronaut training and simulated missions.

She was nominated by her school’s P&C for her strategic planning, creative initiatives, and sound resource management, which included investing in professional development for the teachers.

Mr McNamara was nominated by parents for a unique science program he developed, where students work on projects across various scientific fields, go on science tours, participate in science seminars and work with scientist mentors. This month he opened the ACE Science Education Centre at the school, which includes three teaching science labs for students.