Pre-Service Teacher Award

This award recognises the significant contribution made by a Queensland pre-service teacher who completed outstanding and consistent professional experiences/s, as well as the promotion of active and healthy lifestyles to the school or wider community.

Honorary Mention: Isaiah Kuchel, Queensland University of Technology 

Isaiah Kuchel is an exemplary final year Health and Physical Education (HPE) pre-service teacher who has engaged in extensive local and international volunteer service work; and demonstrated strong professional and academic achievement.
Professional experience reports from teacher supervisors in Education Queensland schools have acknowledged his outstanding professional conduct, enthusiasm and innovative thinking. Isaiah provides a supportive and inclusive learning environment and is a deeply reflective practitioner. He has a strong growth mindset, actively seeking feedback from a range of sources, and has utilised it well to continue refining his professional knowledge and skills during the four years of his course. Supervising teachers have also acknowledged his effort to engage in co-curricular activities, enabling greater opportunities for school students to participate in physical activity. 
His professional development also highlights a strong commitment to academic study in teacher education and HPE, as reflected by his receipt of a 2020 QUT Faculty of Education Executive Dean's Scholar award and a commendable course GPA exceeding 6.5/7.0. A highly accomplished university student, Isaiah also provides a contribution back to the university community through his role as a volunteer peer mentor within the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at QUT.   

Isaiah has contributed to the ACHPER community through his appointed role as a pre-service teacher representative for the state board and student volunteer for ACHPER Queensland events such as the Brisbane HPE Conference. Service to school communities has included Senior Physical Education teaching assistance and co-curricular sport assistance and coaching in Water Polo, Basketball, Cross Country, Swimming and Triathlon at Grace Lutheran College. He has also contributed in an extra-curricular capacity to partnerships between QUT and Kelvin Grove State College in HPE and sport. Isaiah has sought a range of voluntary international experiences including HPE teaching and co-curricular sport coaching at HOPE International School, Cambodia informed by Self-Determination Theory and a Constraints-Led Approach; year 1 teaching and adolescent home school tutoring in Malawi; and the design and facilitation of Children's Ministry workshops in the Solomon Islands. Further service-learning contributions which have occurred at the local level include Children's Ministry Leader, Youth Ministry Leader, Children's Holiday Program volunteer and High School Youth event volunteer for Bridgeman Baptist Community Church. Through these roles, Isaiah has utilised physical activity as an engagement strategy and supported the mental health and personal growth of children and adolescents. Local community service has also included a period coaching at Aspley Little Athletics Club.
Isaiah is a dedicated, enthusiastic, altruistic and accomplished pre-service teacher. He has made a significant contribution to the promotion of active and healthy lifestyles for youth within local and international contexts.