Next April, she will spend five weeks traversing the territory observing how the hospitality industry is engaging young Aboriginal people, and immersing herself in the culture.

From Darwin to Katherine and Uluru, some of the highlights will include observing how the successful Ayres Rock Resort operates, private bush tucker tours with elders, and visiting Aboriginal centred hospitality schools.

The relieving deputy principal is well-known in the community for both her dedication to vocational education, and improving outcomes for Aboriginal students.

Her study “centres on finding improvements in the delivery of Hospitality VET to Aboriginal students, and the subsequent linkage to careers and further study”.

She hopes the experience will allow her to build on the progress the school has already made in terms of embedding Aboriginal culture across the curriculum. And, hopefully the 3000 word report Tracey will have to prepare at the end of the tour will see her ideas implemented at a higher level.

“From culture to food and the people, my objective is to soak up every bit of information I can. To engage and bring back, for the purposes of not just this school but others, so that Aboriginal kids feel they can be supported and embedded in the TAS area,” she explains.

All the attention that comes with being awarded the scholarship is not something the gifted educator is comfortable with as for her “it is all about the kids”.

Just like when she told a publisher they needed to produce a quality textbook to make it easier for students studying hospitality for their HSC.

“When I won the VET teacher of the year in 2004 I came across a publisher at the awards ceremony, and I told him we needed a really good textbook,” she says.

“So afterwards they contacted me and asked me to do a layout. I am in the midst of writing my fourth book.”