Winning the Educator of the Year award from AUSactive 2024, following my Exercise NZ win in 2023, was a career highlight. But what really helped me win? As someone who has both won and judged awards, I’m here to share strategies to help you secure your own win.

1. Read the Question, Answer the Question—Thoroughly

It sounds simple, but it’s surprising how many people miss this. If the question is worth 10 marks, are you giving 10 clear answers or points?

When writing an award application, your main goal is to make it as easy as possible for the judges to see why you deserve the win.

The easiest way to do that is to directly address every part of the question:

• Use short paragraphs. This breaks up your response and makes it more digestible.
• Include line spaces between paragraphs. Judges are reading multiple applications back to back, and you want to keep your response easy on the eyes.
• Use dot points or numbered lists. If the question asks for multiple aspects of your work, break it down so each point is crystal clear.

Example: If the question asks how you’ve demonstrated leadership in education, your answer might look like this:

• Created courses specifically to address the “missing education” of women’s health.
• Mentored new trainers entering the industry.
• Hosted monthly webinars on women’s health topics.

This approach makes it visually easy for judges to see how you’ve hit each point.

2. Use the Full Word Count

If the application gives you a maximum word count, use it to your advantage. Don’t assume the judges already know your background or what you do. Spell it out. Use this opportunity to go into detail and highlight key aspects of your work.

Remember, it’s okay to repeat yourself in different ways. This isn’t about being redundant; it’s about reinforcing your message so that the judges understand your impact:

• You can mention a key achievement in one section and elaborate on it in another.
• If you’re proud of your teaching philosophy, reference it more than once and tie it into different aspects of the application.

Tip: Always remember, the judges might not know anything about you, so give them all the context they need to see why you’re deserving of the award.

3. Refine Your Teaching Philosophy

A strong teaching philosophy is essential for any Educator of the Year application. This is where you show how your values and beliefs shape your approach to teaching and how that translates into meaningful outcomes for your learners.

 For example, my teaching philosophy is influenced by my background as a primary school teacher, where I learned the power of simplifying complex topics. I believe that good teaching is about making hard things easy to understand, and that comes from empathy, connection and having clear and limited learning objectives.

 Whatever your philosophy, ensure it’s clear, consistent, and present throughout your application. You want the judges to understand how your philosophy impacts the way you teach, lead, and inspire others.

4. Make Your Work Visual

Judges are reading multiple applications back-to-back, so make yours stand out by including a visual representation of what you do. I created a video for my winning application that brought my work to life and demonstrated how I create and deliver education. This isn’t just about adding flair—it’s about giving the judges a more complete picture of who you are and what you do.

You could create:

• A video that showcases your teaching methods.
• A portfolio with visuals of your work in action.
• An infographic that highlights your key achievements.

This helps the judges connect with your work on another level, beyond just words on a page.

Here is the video I created to win Educator of the Year Award:

5. Use AI to Help, But Don’t Let It Replace Your Voice

AI can be a powerful tool to help refine your answers, get to the word count, or even ask you questions to tease out more detailed responses. However, it’s crucial to write your answers first in your own voice.

Use AI to:

• Clarify your message.
• Expand on ideas you’ve already written.
• Ask you questions to develop your thoughts further.

But avoid copying and pasting directly from AI’s first response. AI is a tool to strengthen your writing but is not a substitute for your voice. You want your application to sound like you, not a machine.

Some useful prompts to give AI might be:

• “Can you reword this for clarity?”
• “What questions would help me expand on this point?”
• “Can you suggest how I might tighten this up?”

Using AI as a refinement tool, you can ensure your application is polished, clear, and reads like you, not a robot.

Ready to Craft Your Award-Winning Application? Let’s Work Together

It’s never too early to start preparing for your next award application. Whether you’re aiming for Educator of the Year or another award, I can help you craft the best possible submission through mentoring.

If you’ve applied before and didn’t win, don’t worry—that’s where we’ll start. The questions don’t change much from year to year, so it’s about figuring out what needs improvement and refining your responses. Let’s work together to make sure your next application stands out.

Get started on creating an award-winning application that showcases your work in the best light.