The importance of resilience – Olivia Luxford wins Docemus Award

Secondary school teacher Olivia Luxford from Good Counsel College, Innisfail, has been awarded the 2024 Early Career Teacher Docemus Award. NGS is proud to sponsor this award and recognise the passion and dedication of teachers like Olivia.

Olivia teaches PE and Science to students in years 7-11. In her first year as a teacher, she created an inclusive environment, going above and beyond to make students feel supported and help them thrive.

Connection through sport

As a PE teacher, Olivia works across the grades to teach and coach various teams outside of school hours, including netball, soccer, touch football, and athletics. While Olivia is passionate about the physical benefits of sports, she believes students can gain a lot of value from being part of a team, including building confidence and managing stress. “Sport is an excellent way for students to come together in a fun way to take a break from other parts of life,” said Olivia. “Sports may not be for everyone, but I try to encourage all students to give it a try. When I first started teaching, several female students weren’t participating because they felt shy and awkward. Changing this was really important to me. Sport isn’t always about skill level; it’s about trying new things and letting go of fears of being judged. Through gentle encouragement, the girls gradually came off the sideline and got involved. It’s been so rewarding to see their confidence grow and how much fun they’re having.”

Outside of school, Olivia gives her time freely. This year, she organised for a team to travel to Sydney to compete in the Marist Netball competition. After coaching the team for 9 months, they competed in a nationwide competition – and won a couple of games. Her efforts go beyond Good Counsel College, participating in community activities, including volunteering at the Christmas Street Fair, local community sports, and drama and music performances. In addition to the huge support she gives at these events, the students have come to see Olivia as someone who genuinely cares about their lives and achievements and supports them along the way.

Someone who listens

Olivia is dedicated to making sure she is available as much as she can for students who need extra help, whether it’s at break times or before and after school. She consistently communicates with parents, particularly those at risk of disengagement or failure. These relationships have resulted in higher achievement in her classes and a greater sense of pride among students.

“I know first-hand what it’s like to go through challenging times as a teen. I want to be a safe space for students and help them should they need it. I try to have compassion and patience and be a friendly face. Being a teen can be hard. I think it’s important for students to feel like they can come to school and feel supported. Sometimes, it might be that they simply want someone to listen to them, whether it's about life at school or things that are happening outside of school.”

Next steps for Olivia

Olivia has plans to become a well-being leader to further promote good physical and mental health. “It became obvious early on that teaching isn’t just about passing information onto students. It’s about creating relationships and environments where students can be themselves yet have the skills to deal with tricky times. I often think about the importance of resilience. Whether it’s my personal life, playing sports, learning something new, or making friends, learning to adapt to difficult situations and challenges is a great skill. I’d like to help as many young people as I can learn how to do that.”

Congratulations, Olivia. We wish you every success in your future studies and teaching.

Image L to R: 2023 Early Career Teacher winner Nathan Zahra, 2024 winner Olivia Luxford and NGS Head of Customer Engagement Ben Basedow