2025 Photo Competition — Winners
Congratulations to the winning entrants in this year’s Photo Competition!
Their photographs capture registered Queensland teachers at their schools and in a range of teaching environments: from art lessons to classroom conversations and outdoor learning.
Our judges selected the winning images based on their relevance to this year’s theme (‘Lessons through the lens’), their creativity, and their overall impact.
Thank you to all teachers who participated in this year’s competition.
View the winning and runner up images below.
First Prize
Photo Title: Trust
Description: This artwork is part of a collection of photographic portraits by Year 10 students, celebrating World Teacher’s Day, 2024. The subject is my Photography teacher, Ms Turner, and the portrait attempts to capture her love of teaching in The Arts and the ‘trust’ involved in letting go and getting outside of your comfort zone to experiment creatively. This portrait stands out because of the way it captures the relationship between learning and creativity in an environment of trust.
School: Smithfield State High School
Photographer: Emme Blackwell
Second Prize
Photo Title: Learning is fun in Prep
Description: At Ryan Catholic College, teachers and students work together to foster a rich, nurturing, and engaging learning environment where every student is supported to thrive and succeed.
School: Ryan Catholic College
Photographer: Cathy Friel
Third Prize
Photo Title: Lamp of Learning
Description: Led by Mr Thrum, Year 8 digital design students set out to create eco-friendly lamp
designs using recycled materials, with the goal of 'lighting the way' to a brighter, greener
future.
At Brigidine College, we draw inspiration from St Brigid’s “Lamp of Learning”, symbolising our
values of faith, learning and social justice. Mr Thrum used this task to embed these values,
encouraging students to reflect on how design and creation is an expression of what we value.
School: Brigidine College
Photographer: Elizabeth Howard
Runners up
Photo Title: Leading with a teacher’s heart
Description: Although she leads Eagle Junction State School as Principal, at heart, Amanda will always be a teacher. With over 35 years in education, her passion for engaging students in learning remains at the core of everything she does. This photo captures that teacher’s spirit in action—connecting with our youngest learners, guiding them with care, and seeing the world through a teacher’s lens.
School: Eagle Junction State High School
Photographer: Jessica Chia
Photo Title: The littlest learners
Description: This is one of our amazing Prep teachers, Mrs Merilyn Westrop, with some of our prep students. Mrs Westrop is the first teacher these little learners will have and has a big job in keeping them engaged at the beginning of their educational journey.
School: Fraser Coast Anglican College
Photographer: Karlie Holloway
Photo Title: By the Creek
Description: Mr Brimblecomb shares his passion for science with our young scientists in Flinders Primary Science Club. Students put on their biologist caps while observing the creek that traverses the College grounds identifying frogs, birds, lizards and plant life.
School: Matthew Flinders Anglican College
Photographer: Claire Haberfield
Photo Title: Connections
Description: A teacher leads students to connect with their faith.
School: St Matthew’s Catholic Primary Cornubia
Photographer: Catherine Snell
Photo Title: Elite Volleyball Program
Description: The photo depicts Year 7 boys from TGSHS's Elite Volleyball Program listening to coach’s instructions during a time out of their gold medal match at QLD Junior Volleyball Schools Cup. The boys are an incredibly tight group and went on to demonstrate elite character, commitment and competitiveness all throughout the tournaments, representing the program and school with pride.
School: The Gap State High School
Photographer: Katie Probin