The VPA Study Award Program is an annual award that supports members to facilitate their continuing development. The winner of the Study Award receives $5,000 to support a research project relating to the theme of that year's award.
Below is a list of past winners. To apply for this year's award, please visit our current Study Award page.
If you are a VPA member and would like to see the research reports produced by previous winners, they are available to read here. You will need to log into the Members Portal using your VPA credentials to view the page.
2022 Study Award
Category: Promoting School and Community Links
Recipient: Simon McGlade, Principal of Mackellar Primary School.
Simon's research topic: Innovative Design Enhancing Achievement in Schools
Thanks to our 2022 Award Sponsor, Bank First.
2021 Study Award
Category: Promoting School and Community Links
Recipient: Jodie Bray, Principal, Clyde Creek Primary School
Jodie's research topic: Clyde Creek Community Matters
Thanks to our 2021 Award Sponsor, Bank First.
2020 Study Award
Category: Promoting Community Links
Recipient: Maria Giordano, Assistant Principal, Moreland Primary School
Maria's research topic: Building resilience in children to improve their mental health
Maria's project looked at positive psychology and how to best help young children to help themselves and build resilience.
As a result of her research, Maria has implemented many programs and services at Moreland Primary School to help improve the children’s mental health.
These include: hiring a mental health and wellbeing leader; starting several lunchtime clubs; implementing wellbeing days; practicing mindfulness; introducing gratitude journals, and more.
In summary, encouraging students to identify, explore, use, and develop their strengths is a powerful strategy of helping them thrive and flourish in the present and the future.
A positive and supportive learning environment will help to build connectedness or belonging to school and is a significant factor for children in helping to build their resilience. Amplifying student voice, student agency and student leadership contributes to improved student health, wellbeing and learning outcomes.
Thanks to our 2020 Award Sponsor, Bank First.
2019 Study Awards
In 2019, we were fortunate to be able to offer 3 Study Awards. A big thanks to our sponsors, Woods Furniture, Bank First, and Teachers Health for making it possible.
Award 1:
Category: Developing Others – Building Capacity
Recipient: Michelle Wilson, Principal, Sebastopol Primary School
Michelle's research topic: Walk Together with Courage; Indigenous Australia Study Tour
Ross Scannell, Client Manager at Woods Furniture; Michelle Wilson, 2019 Study Award Winner; Katy Haire, Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood and School Education, DET; and Anne-Maree Kliman, VPA President.
Michelle will create an Australian Study Tour with a focus on Indigenous Australia. The tour will centre on Indigenous Learning, Voice and Language, to encourage educational leaders to develop positive practices that foster genuine connection between Koorie and non-Koorie Victorians.
The first stage of this journey will take place at the newly declared World Heritage Site of Budj Bim, in Western Australia where the Gunditjmarra people created a significant aquaculture system over 6600 years ago.
Michelle intends to use the learning from this study tour in addition to the insights of the Marrung Document to build capacity of schools in the Central Highlands to explicitly teach Indigenous culture and language.
Thanks to Woods Furniture for sponsoring the category, "Developing Others – Building Capacity".
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Award 2:
Category: Promoting School and Community Links
Recipient: Donna Wright, Principal of Bandiana Primary School
Donna’s research topic: Aspirational Learning in Rural Victoria – Grades 5&6
Adrian Wilson, Business Development Manager at Bank First; Katy Haire, Deputy Secretary, Early Childhood and School Education, DET; a conference attendee accepting the award on behalf of Study Award winner Donna Wright; Anne-Maree Kliman, VPA President; and Deborah Grossek, VPA Board Member.
Donna's project looks at developing community and career pathways through the Primary School lens. The project looks to broaden children’s 'imagined future', by removing the restrictions of environment and experience that limit what a child dreams they can become. She poses the question: 'how do I know I can become a neuroscientist if I have never met one?
She intends to establish links with work educators, local universities, and local aspirational leaders within multiple industries to open a discussion with year 5&6 students about vocations and the multitude of pathways available to them.
With the support of this award, Donna wants to implement activities that will improve access to further study and new pathways for rural students - and ultimately help develop more aspirational children.
Thanks to Bank First for sponsoring the category, "Promoting School and Community Links".
Award 3:
Category: Principal Health and Wellbeing
Recipient: Ashley Graham, Principal, Myrrhee Primary School
Ashley’s research topic: Building a Culture of Support for the BMW (Benalla, Mansfield and Wangaratta) Network Principals.
VPA President Anne-Maree Kliman, Study Award Winner Ashley Graham, Sarah Kupsch from Teacher's Health, VPA Board Member Deborah Grossek, and VPA Treasurer Cheryle Osborne.
Ashley will learn more about Principal Health and Wellbeing practices, and build a plan of action that will support the wellbeing of a group of principals who are often quite isolated in their community.
Thanks to Teachers Health for sponsoring the category, "Principal Health and Wellbeing".
2018 Study Award Winners
In 2018, we were fortunate to be able to offer two Study Awards. A big thanks to our sponsors, Bank First and Teachers Health for making it possible.
Award 1:
Category: Promoting School and Community Links
Recipient: Dale Power and Kylie Nissen, Principal and Assistant Principal, Miners Rest Primary School
Dale and Kylie’s research topic: Targeted inclusiveness in early learning
VPA President Anne-Maree Kliman, Study Award Winners Dale Power and Kylie Nissen, Adrian Wilson from Bank First, and Secretary of DET Gill Gallister.
Dale and Kylie's project will look at targeted inclusiveness in early learning by reviewing and delivering a refined version of the Connect-Ed program, which will strengthen parent engagement and learning through interactive on-site sessions.
Thanks to Bank First for sponsoring the category, "Promoting School and Community Links".
Award 2:
Category: Principal Health and Wellbeing
Recipient: Mark McLay, Principal, Pleasant Street Primary School
Mark’s research topic: Thriving in the role of School Principal
Secretary of DET Gill Callister, Sarah Kupsch from Teacher's Health, Study Award Winner Mark McLay and VPA President Anne-Maree Kliman.
Mark McLay, Principal of Pleasant Street Primary School, won the 2018 VPA and Teachers Health Study Award for Principal Health and Wellbeing. Mark will produce a booklet that combines knowledge from wellness and happiness experts with effective case studies, to create a key resource that will empower Victorian principals to rebalance their lives.
Thanks to Teachers Health for sponsoring the category "Principal Health and Wellbeing".