MEDOWIE Christian School commerce teacher and careers advisor Kristin Bell has been honoured as one of Australia's best educators.
Ms Bell is one of only six from NSW to be recognised in the Futurity Investment Group's National Excellence in Teaching Awards.
"I'm honoured, excited, proud - I'm speechless still," she said.
"It's crazy to be rewarded for doing something I love doing anyway."
Ms Bell studied business and worked in the corporate sector for a decade before she started teaching.
She has used her real-world practical experience to drive several initiatives to foster her students' financial literacy and entrepreneurial thinking, skills she said students would use in adult life but were not taught widely enough at school.
This includes the $20 Boss program, in which student teams use $20 to create business ventures.
She has also secured four Australian Securities and Investments Commission grants for programs, including a joint project between commerce and agriculture students where they designed and installed a chicken coop and sold eggs, as well as helping repurpose a caravan to be a student-operated canteen.
"The kids respond so well to it and just seeing them have those lightbulb moments and seeing them absolutely thrive in something is just the best feeling."
Ms Bell received a trophy, gift hamper and $5000 for professional development.
She will oversee St Philip's Christian College Cessnock's Young Entrepreneurship Scheme from next year.
