Passion at the core of impressive career

Few people are more passionate about education in the South West than former Bunbury Senior High School mathematics teacher Tyril Houghton. Mrs Houghton, an advocate for the education of young girls in particular, formally retired from her role as head of mathematics at the school last month. After moving from Newton Moore Senior High School in 2013, Mrs Houghton was tasked with establishing the maths program within the school’s new gifted and talented program. “My job was to become head of mathematics and to institute a program of excellence so we could help these kids really fly,” she said. Mrs Houghton left her job at Craigie Senior High School in Perth’s northern suburbs and came to Bunbury in July 1989, after her husband relocated for work. Upon arrival she began her 23-year stint in the mathematics department at Newton Moore, during which she won a National Excellence in Teaching Award in 2011. The award led to what Mrs Houghton describes as a career highlight, a trip as Australia’s representative to NASA’s International Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. “It was really quite an awesome experience,” she said. “I was working with teachers from the 50 states of the USA, Finland and Hong Kong. “They were particularly looking at concepts of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” After 30 years involved in the Zonta Club of Bunbury, Mrs Houghton will now use her time to ramp up her role in the organisation, becoming the Area 3 director, responsible for the six member clubs in WA and South Australia. “I am a passionate advocate for girls and girls’ education,” she said. “From 2013 onwards, every year BSHS Year 9 students were achieving NAPLAN results above the Australian mean and I was very proud of that. Our staff worked very, very hard and were a wonderful group of people to work with.” After 48 years teaching, Mrs Houghton officially retired on June 19, departing as a highly regarded teacher and mentor for her students, but fully intending to continue to push for the education of girls.