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Calrossy Anglican School has known for some time that Sharon Draper was an exceptional educator but now it has been acknowledged at the highest level. The dedicated teacher, with 22 years of service at Calrossy has been awarded the prestigious NSW Premier’s Teachers Scholarship in Economics.

The Scholarship is recognition of her commitment to education and passion for her subject areas. Mrs Draper who is currently the Head of HSIE (Human Society and its Environment) says the scholarship now gives her the opportunity to support other educators and promote the subjects she loves. She is currently teaching four Year 12 classes in Business and Legal Studies, and is trained in Economics and Society and Culture.

“This scholarship gives me the opportunity to investigate something I am passionate about – the teaching of economics! Through understanding economics, students become informed citizens able to contribute to economic and political discourse, not only benefitting them as individuals, but in turn providing benefits for society.”

Sponsored by the Reserve Bank of Australia, the Scholarship supports professional development for outstanding teachers and research into areas important to the Reserve Bank. Mrs Draper’s research proposal “The Right Market Conditions: The Survival of Economics in Regional and Rural High Schools” attracted particular interest, especially as the current Reserve Bank Governor Michelle Bullock spent her high school years in Armidale.

“My aim is to find out how to create the right environment in a school for an appreciation of the subject of economics. I am keen to identify strategies to expose students to economic ideas sooner in their schooling, to make the concepts accessible and relevant, and hopefully ignite their passion for further study.”

Early next year Mrs Draper will embark on a study tour across NSW, visiting schools, interviewing educators and students, and collaborating with economists. She envisages that an outcome of this project will be the creation of a teacher toolkit for establishing, promoting and sustaining the teaching of economics, with a particular focus on regional and rural schools.

Principal David Smith remarked, “We are incredibly proud of Sharon's achievement. Her dedication and innovative approach embody the values of Calrossy. This scholarship will benefit not only our school but also the broader educational community.”

Mrs Draper will present her findings to the Reserve Bank of Australia and professional associations, sharing strategies to boost economics education. In the meantime, she is at the business end of teaching, with around 70 anxious teenagers under her tutelage in the countdown to the 2024 HSC