'Becoming a teacher was never my plan. Then one moment changed everything.'

Thanks to our brand partner, Commonwealth Bank

When Holly Wedd finished high school, she waved goodbye to her teachers, thinking she'd never see them again. 

Three years later, she walked back through those same school gates, only this time, she was on her way to becoming one of them. 

Between kissing highschool farewell and starting university, Holly had a pivotal realisation.

"I found a joy in seeing that moment of understanding… that little spark where you can almost see a kid's brain click, and you think, 'Oh, they actually understand what I've just taught them'," she told Mamamia.

"Every single day that makes me feel an extra layer of excitement and happiness."

Over the past seven years, Holly's career has shifted, but that passion has never wavered. 

Today, she's the head mathematics teacher at Orara High School in NSW, where she's revolutionised the way the subject is taught and turned maths into something exciting, engaging and most importantly, accessible.

It's exactly this kind of impact that's caught the attention of the Schools Plus Teaching Awards, supported by Commonwealth Bank, who shine a spotlight on exceptional educators like Holly who are changing lives in classrooms.

Each of the 12 winners receives a $20,000 prize — including $10,000 to design their own high-impact school visit program and an exclusive spot in a year-long Teaching Fellowship. It's the kind of recognition that actually makes a difference.

Schools Plus was established in 2014 after the 2011 Gonski Review highlighted education inequities across Australia. The national not-for-profit works with schools, governments and philanthropy across five key areas: learning gaps, wellbeing, rural and regional communities, First Nations education and crisis and climate resilience — all grounded in the belief that every child deserves every opportunity to thrive.

And Holly? She's been living this philosophy long before any awards came her way.

Early in her career, she recognised an opportunity: "I realised there were so many amazing resources out there and so many different ways to engage students in learning maths that I wanted to share," she said.

Image: Supplied.

"Maths didn't need to be a class that students dragged their feet walking to. It could be fun."

So Holly dived into it all, from maths escape rooms and murder mysteries to engaging tasks that developed students' thinking skills.

Holly then started working with the ASA Institute of Higher Education, teaching other educators how to engage students in mathematics in a way different from the typical textbook.

Now, she leads a faculty that thrives on innovation, finding ways not just to get students in the door to learn mathematics, but to have them say: "I want to be here. I want to learn this. I can see the value of it in my everyday life."

Orara High School's multicultural community — 23 per cent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and 18 per cent English as additional language students — presented the perfect challenge.

"It is a very multicultural, very supportive environment for some really challenging students who are coming from some really complex backgrounds," Holly said.

"I could see a gap in students choosing advanced and extension mathematics — not because they didn't understand the numbers (one plus one equals two, no matter your language) — but because the English language around mathematics was holding many students back from progressing to higher levels in senior studies."

So Holly and fellow teacher Kate Twigg created an extension program to mentor students, helping them connect the numbers with the language concepts that were holding them back.

It was a hit. Her usual class of 10 Year 11 advanced maths students jumped to 24 this year. Extension maths had a similar result: 14 students up from the standard five. 

"I walked in on the very first day of this year to my class of 24 students. Standing at the front, I welled up — my heart so full knowing these students felt confident enough to choose such a challenging course for their senior studies," Holly said.

It takes a special type of person to be a teacher, this much Holly knows.

"We're the ones who see those students for hours every day. We're role models, the people they can turn to when they need someone and that extra layer of safety, protection and support that helps them grow into who they want to be."

"Teaching is one of the hardest and most rewarding careers that you could choose," she said. "You've got to be in it for the kids."

The profession's challenges make those wins, whether classroom achievements or accolades, all the more rewarding.

Holly said it was overwhelming and humbling to be one of the winners.

"It really feels like not just recognition of my work, but the collective effort of so many students, staff and communities who've been a part of my journey since the very beginning," she said.

"I think it's incredibly important to recognise all of the unsung heroes. Our teachers, the ones who are recognised in these awards and those who aren't, work incredibly hard to provide a wonderful education for so many students across Australia."

Read about the 12 recipients of the 2025 Schools Plus Teaching Awards, supported by Commonwealth Bank.

Feature Image: Supplied.

The Schools Plus Teaching Awards supported by Commonwealth Bank were launched in 2016 to recognise and reward 12 outstanding teachers and school leaders across Australia for the profound impact they have on children and their communities.
Read the stories of the 2025 winners at schoolsplus.org.au/teachingawards