School Sport Victoria has recognised the contribution of Wangaratta District Specialist School's Rowan Barrow with an 'outstanding teacher contribution award'.

She was one of three teachers - and the sole specialist school teacher - to receive the gongs, which were presented at a state awards night held at the MCG last month.

Barrow was recognised for "making sport fun and fair for everyone, guiding swimming, athletics and cross country events for all abilities".

Her players, turned para-athletes, compete at state, national and international levels, and she mentors staff and works hard to build community partnerships, helping to create a strong, inclusive culture that inspires every athlete to do their best.

Three of Barrow's charges are currently competing in the Australian Athletics Junior National Championships in Brisbane, which continue until Sunday.

She is coaching two of them, Dylan Vescio (past WDSS student) and Victoria Waddell Laing, who competed at the Athletics Victoria Championships last month to be selected in the Victorian Athletics Victoria team as under 20 para athletes.

To qualify for nationals, Victoria finished first in both the female P20 discus (19.68, PB) and P20 shot put (5.89, PB), in which she's competing at nationals, as well as javelin and long jump, in which she's not competing at nationals.

Dylan finished first in the male P20 100m and 200m, and is competing in both events at nationals.

Lara Pearson, another WDSS student who has been guided by Barrow, competed in the Athletics Victoria Junior State Championships the previous month, under the coaching of Albury Athletics Club's Jason Anderson.

She took first place in the female P17 100m (13.04), female P17 long jump (4.15), female P17 400m (1.04.25), and female P17 200m (27.28), and is competing at nationals in all four events.

Lara also recently heard that she has won a VIS Scholarship Accelerate program with the new VIS Para Unit opened last year as part of the Nationwide Para Uplift in preparation for the 2032 Paralympics.