HEIA WA

HEIA WA is proud to announce the winner of the 2010 King and Amy O’Malley Scholarship winner as Louise O’Mahony.

Celebrations took place at Edith Cowan University amongst some of Louise’s close family, friends and peers in addition to representatives from the O’Malley Trust, Edith Cowan University  Education Faculty, past winners of the scholarship and HEIA WA Executive.

Upon winning the Scholarship Louise thanked her mentor teachers and hope to bring Home Economics to the fore front of education and looked forward to working in her area of passion.

2010 Scholarship Winner – Louise O’Mahony

Thanks Board members, teachers, family and friends

I thank you so much for being awarded this prestigious scholarship. It is such a great honour.

King and Amy O’Malley’s idea to improve the awareness and teaching of Home Economics was visionary. In this age of increasing obesity, diabetes and related problems. It is more important than ever that the next generation are taught good nutrition and life style habits. I feel very passionate about these issues.

I have had almost 4 wonderful years in uni learning my skills including a variety of practical experiences which were truly amazing and unforgettable. My prac’s were wide and varied, ranging from Girrawheen SHS to St Mark’s Anglican Community School, with Balcatta SHS in between. Wow! 3 Schools each with different challenges and each such a rewarding experience. I was also very blessed to have 3 incredible mentors, Joanne Bell, Sandy Menagh and Angela Robertson and I thank them for wanting a student teacher tagging behind, asking millions of questions and enabling me to grow into a confident teacher.

I have learnt so much that in the words of Jamie Oliver, I can’t wait to ‘ pass it on’. I am so looking forward to the next stage in my career being a fully fledged Home Teacher. I would like to thank everyone who has been apart of my incredible journey – especially Lyn Dymond, a true inspiration.

Past Winner – Kelly Johnson

A previously scholarship winner and now member of the HEIA WA Executive Kelly Johnson spoke on what it was like to be a Scholarship winner, not once but 3 times in 2007, 2008 and 2009; and how the application process deveoped her skills in applying for jobs in her field of Home Economicss.

Her speech from the celebration:

My name is Kelly Johnson and I won the scholarship for 2007, 2008 and 2009.  I have been asked to talk about what its like in the real world as a first year teacher and about how the scholarship helped me through my studies and assisted me in receiving my job.

I applied for the scholarship as a first year student, I am told that it is uncommon for first years to apply but I thought that it was worth giving a shot because it is such a generous scholarship.

I have no doubt that the scholarship application process, both the written element and the interview helped me in getting the job I have now as a Home Ec teacher at La Salle College.  I would encourage all students to apply for the scholarship, you have nothing to lose.  The application process is quite detailed but it allows you to assess why you are doing the course, what your goals are and practice some professional writing skills.  If you get through to the interview stage you have a great chance to practice for interviews which are an important part of getting a job.

If you are lucky enough to be awarded with a scholarship you aren’t limited with what you can do with the money so you can use it in a variety of ways, including enhancing your studies, joining the Home Ec Association, attending PD and paying your uni fees to reduce HECS debt.  I think joining the association and attending PD, including the national Home Economics Conference last year, that I was able to do with the scholarship, also helped me gain this position.  The presentations at the conference gave me knowledge, ideas and motivation for my teaching.  The conference had a social justice focus which is something I have looked at with my students already this year and something I am encouraging them to be passionate about.  The conference was an opportunity to meet other home economics teachers from all over Australia and to make some connections, it consolidated my learning as well as providing me with resources, ideas and motivation for my years ahead as a teacher.

Being out in the real world is a new challenge.  I am teaching lower school foods and childcare as well as Food Science and Technology and Children, Family and Community.  When I decided I wanted to be a Home Economics teacher, I was fairly confident that I wanted to be a foods teacher, but since teaching childcare subjects I have developed more of a keen interest in childcare.  I definitely think it’s a good idea to keep an open mind towards all home economics subjects because you never really know what you might be asked to teach and you might discover that it is an area that you actually really enjoy teaching.  We have 5 home ec teachers in our department at school, two of us teach childcare, one textiles and 2 foods based.  This year I have been involved in many different things with school including organising an Operation Christmas Child drive with my yr 11 CFC class, playgroups with my childcare classes, fundraising for care packages for people living below the poverty line in Perth, writing a yearlong year 9 childcare program, and modifying it to suit students with special needs.  My job is very busy but I am enjoying it, on Wednesday I leave with year 11 students to go on retreat which is a chance for me to get to know my students outside the classroom.  I have a number of challenging students but I have some beautiful students who never fail to surprise me with their work ethic and passion.