Emma Husar (Lindsay, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to pray tribute to Mrs Robyn Connors, an educator who had a long history of service to New South Wales public schools. Robyn had been teaching since 1974. It is undoubtable that teaching has evolved considerably during the years, and Mrs Robyn Connors showed much aptitude to remain current to be able to teach across generations. Her career gave her the opportunity to travel as well as exposure to country and metropolitan schools, including Werrington Public School. Her husband, Max, also was a teacher, at nearby Londonderry Public School. Robyn had a love of teaching drama, music, science and choir. Like a lot of teachers, she did this during her lunchtimes and before and after school Robyn was a passionate educator, a global thinker and a woman of enormous warmth. While she had a love of teaching all students, her light shone brightest when she was working with girls in science, introducing them to a traditionally male-dominated subject. She had a passion for working with kids and engaging those ones who needed something a little extra, and this was her magic.

Robyn taught my own children at Little Blaxland Public and showed immense patience working with all children. Her enthusiasm for learning was contagious and inspirational. She was an activist and a campaigner standing up for the rights of all people, the community she loved and the kids she taught. It is a true reflection of her work that 20 of her former students, now high schoolers, gave up their Saturday to assemble as a choir to sing for Robyn one final time. The kids would be joined by more at her funeral service, where they farewelled Robyn to Over the rainbow. To Max, Tristan, Nathan and Melissa, thank you for the gift of sharing Robyn. Through you and all of the students' lives she touched, she lives, and her legacy will last for generations.