Former Mulwaree High School student Courtney Flack returns as teacher with Headfort School Prize

Ms Flack is a student turned teacher at Mulwaree High School and recently graduated from the University of Sydney.

The 23-year-old received the Headfort School Prize for coming first in her final education subject.

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Ms Flack credited her own high school teacher for inspiring her to study education.

"The reason I went into education was because of a teacher named Michelle McAleer," she said.

"She taught me Advanced English, Extension English and Drama."

Having double majored in English and History, now Ms Flack hopes to inspire her own students.

"I would love to be that for future students," she said.

"I think that's why we all go into education, to inspire the next generation."

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Ms Flack grew up in Goulburn and attended Goulburn West Public School and Mulwaree High School.

She has been teaching at Mulwaree High School since May last year after completing her final prac at the school.

"The school is different now, there are new teachers and it's really nice being back," Ms Flack said.

"I can't speak highly enough of all the teachers there and the students are lovely, I think I've built a pretty good rapport with them which is quite nice."

Ms Flack said while it can be hard to "crack into the big universities" when you grow up in a regional town, she wanted to encourage her students to aim high.

"The teachers that I had inspired me and hopefully I can do that for another kid," she said.

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The freshly graduated teacher enters the profession at a somewhat turbulent time with major strike action occurring around the country.

However, she remains positive about the future noting the changes to teaching that have come with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think there are definitely a lot of new things to come to terms with, especially after the pandemic," Ms Flack said.

"The focus has sort of shifted away from studying at home to students appreciating their friends and their teachers, and spending as much time as they can getting to know people."

While Ms Flack no longer lives in Goulburn she said she's happy to make the commute from her home near Picton.

"I commute down there every day, I wouldn't commute if I didn't like it so much," she said.

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