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Australia’s Local Hero drops in on ACT school to announce Aussie of the Month

boy holding certificate and smiling with two women standing either side of him

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2025 Australia’s Local Hero, Hannah Costello, visited Islamic School of Canberra before the end of Term 3, to inspire students and announce the school’s Aussie of the Month.

As special guest for the assembly, Hannah shared her story and the impact of Café Stepping Stone, a Canberra-based social enterprise that provides pathways and community for migrant and refugee women, co-founded with fellow Australia’s Local Hero, Vanessa Brettell. For supporting women with employment, training and a sense of belonging, Hannah and Vanessa were recognised in the Australian of the Year Awards.

school assembly

Hannah addressed and engaged with students, before she announced student, Taseen, as Aussie of the Month, which was met with huge applause.

Hannah Costello holding microphone and speaking to young male student with other students sitting around him

Also in attendance was Nicole Harman and Georgie Priddis from the National Australia Day Council, the organisation that presents the Australian of the Year Awards, and Naheed Hafiz, Community Liaison Officer at the Department of Home Affairs, Aussie of the Month program partner.

Australian of the Year Alumni school visits are made possible due to the affiliation between the Australian of the Year Awards and Aussie of the Month, and so are exclusive to Aussie of the Month schools. To sign up to program, click here.

2025 Tasmania Local Hero, Keren Franks, visits North West Support School to celebrate Aussies of the Month

two photos of Keren Franks with Aussie of the Month recipient

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North West Support School in Tasmania received a special guest visit from 2025 Tasmania Local Hero, Keren Franks, on Friday 5 September, to celebrate students who show the Aussie of the Month values. During the morning, Keren, who is Founder and CEO of Young Leaders of Tasmania – a not-for-profit that fosters inclusion and acceptance for people living with a disability – visited both the Burnie Campus and Devonport Campus, to announce their respective Aussies of the Month.

Keren also spoke about how Young Leaders of Tasmania provides opportunities for young people through social role modelling and peer-to-peer interaction between students in support schools and mainstream schools.

The Local Hero visit to primary schools is made possible thanks to the affiliation between Aussie of the Month and the Australian of the Year Awards.

“It is an honour to join North West Support School to help recognise a student who positively contributes to their community,” said Keren. “I am incredibly passionate about encouraging inclusion and fair go among young Tasmanians, so to present an award to a student showing these values at a school that supports young people living with a disability is truly very special.”

Keren’s visit follows the launch of Young Leaders of Tasmania’s School Buddies program at North West Support School.

Aussie of the Month recognises and celebrates personal endeavour, achievement and contribution to community and reflects the values we share as Australians, such as a fair go, mateship, respect and inclusion.

“We are proud to present the Aussie of the Month award at North West Support School,” says Assistant Principal, Emma Lenarcic. “This award provides an opportunity for us to celebrate a student who positively contributes to our school community, showing important values such as mateship and inclusion.”

Schools can express their interest in a Local Hero in-person visit and gain access to a library of virtual visits that the schools can play when announcing their monthly recipient. Schools keen to take advantage of this initiative and hear from Australian of the Year Alumni need to sign up to the Aussie of the Month program at aussieofthemonth.org.au.

Aussie of the Month is delivered in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs and is supported by Pilot Pen Australia.

“Active citizenship is about getting involved in your local community and displaying values such as fair go, respect, inclusion and helping others,” says Melissa Kay, Regional Director Victoria and Tasmania at the Department of Home Affairs.

“The Department of Home Affairs is proud to support both the Local Hero category in the Australian of the Year Awards and Aussie of the Month, which recognise and celebrate the positive impact of community participation and active citizenship.”

Australia’s Local Heroes Vanessa Brettell & Hannah Costello Inspire Marrara Students to Lead with Kindness

primary school students sitting on the ground with two women in the middle and school staff in the background

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2025 Australia’s Local Heroes, Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello, travelled to the Northern Territory from the ACT in June to take part in a very special Tour of Honour, which included two Aussie of the Month school visits at Marrara Christian College and Henbury School. 

As co-founders of Café Stepping Stone, a Canberra-based social enterprise that provides employment and training for women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, Vanessa and Hannah shared their powerful story of building a business that puts compassion and inclusion at the centre. 

During the school assembly at Marrara Christian College, they helped announce the school’s very first Aussie of the Month recipient for 2025, recognising the student’s compassion, leadership, and commitment to helping others. A proud moment for both the recipient and the school community, their contribution aligned beautifully with the Aussie of the Month values of fair go, mateship, respect and inclusion. 

Staff at Marrara Christian College said Vanessa and Hannah’s visit left a lasting impression on students: 

“Their message of kindness, resilience and compassion truly inspired our students to make a difference in their own communities.” 

The visit to the Marrara Christian College was even more meaningful for Vanessa, who returned to the school she once attended as a primary student — a full-circle moment that brought personal significance to the day. 

Joining the visit were Anna McDonald, CEO of the Northern Territory Australia Day Council, and Nikolay Nikolaev from the Australian Department of Home Affairs, both proud supporters of the Aussie of the Month program and its mission to celebrate active citizenship and inclusion in schools across Australia. 

Local Hero school visits are an exclusive benefit for Aussie of the Month schools, made possible through the program’s close connection with the Australian of the Year Awards. 

To start presenting AOTM in your school, sign up now.

WA Local Hero and healer of smiles visits local school to celebrate student role models

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Rosalie Primary School welcomed 2025 WA Local Hero, Dr Jacinta Vu, on Friday, 6th June, to celebrate its Aussie of the Month recipient at the school assembly. Alongside announcing this month’s recipient, Jacinta shared her story as clinical director of Healing Smiles, a charity that restores the dignity and confidence of women who have experienced hardship through pro bono dental and oral care. 

Jacinta spoke about how she uses her skills as an oral medicine specialist to generously give back to others. Her empathy and desire to help vulnerable women rebuild their lives has driven substantial growth and impact of Healing Smiles. 

The Local Hero visit to primary schools is made possible thanks to the affiliation between Aussie of the Month and the Australian of the Year Awards. 

“I am delighted to join Rosalie Primary School to help celebrate their students who positively contribute to their community,” says Jacinta. “Compassion and respect are so important for all members of the community, and nothing’s too small to make a difference to someone. It’s wonderful to recognise these values at such a young age, so they can be role models for their peers.” 

Aussie of the Month recognises and celebrates personal endeavour, achievement and contribution to community and reflects the values we share as Australians, such as a fair go, mateship, respect and inclusion. 

“We are proud to present the Aussie of the Month award at Rosalie Primary School,” says Principal, Michelle Nash. “This is a highly regarded award in our school, by students, staff and parents alike, as it recognises a contribution that positively impacts our whole school community.” 

Primary schools can register for the Aussie of the Month program for free at any time during the year. Once registered, schools are provided with certificates, lapel pins and stationery gifts for monthly presentations within their school, and online guidelines and over-the-phone support on how to run the program in their school. 

Schools can express their interest in a Local Hero in-person visit and gain access to a library of virtual visits that the schools can play when announcing their monthly recipient. Schools keen to take advantage of this initiative and hear from Australian of the Year Alumni need to sign up to the Aussie of the Month program at aussieofthemonth.org.au. 

Aussie of the Month is delivered in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs and is supported by Pilot Pen Australia. 

“Active citizenship is about getting involved in your local community and displaying values such as fair go, inclusion and helping others,” says Ally Paolino, Regional Director WA at the Department of Home Affairs.  

“The Department of Home Affairs is proud to support both the Local Hero category in the Australian of the Year Awards and Aussie of the Month, which recognise and celebrate the positive impact of community participation and active citizenship.” 

Find out more about Local Hero school visits here

Celebrate Australia’s multicultural diversity this Harmony Week

illustration of hands with different skin colours

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Harmony Week is an annual initiative that encourages Australians to celebrate our multiculturalism, recognise the benefits of diversity, and learn from each other’s cultures and traditions.

For primary schools, Harmony Week provides an opportunity to teach students about our many cultures and the importance of unity and understanding, and encourage the values of respect, inclusion and mateship.

The message of Harmony Week is ‘Everyone Belongs’.

Educators can implement activities that incorporate Harmony Week in the classroom and inspire students to be inclusive and respectful. Find ideas and resources, including material from the Department of Home Affairs, here.

Harmony Week is also a great time to incorporate Aussie of the Month, by investigating inspiring Australians who have been recognised in the Australian of the Year Awards for promoting harmony and inclusion. You can also call for nominations of students who demonstrate these behaviours in your school, to be considered for the Aussie of the Month Award.

NEW for Harmony Week 2025, Australia’s Local Heroes, Vanessa Brettell and Hannah Costello, have recorded a special message for students, to be played just before the school’s Aussie of the Month is announced! To access the video, send an email to info@aussieofthemonth.org.au. This video message is exclusive to schools signed up to Aussie of the Month.

Harmony Week 2025 is 17 – 23 March (15 – 21 March in Western Australia).

Students across Australia recognised as ‘Circular Champions’ and win share of $20,000 prize in National Primary Schools’ Competition

students smiling to camera holding up stationery prizes

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Primary school students from across Australia have won their share of $20,000 worth of prizes in a national sustainability schools’ competition, ‘Circular Champions’, which invited them to work together to develop creative ways of re-using plastic bottles whilst demonstrating the Aussie values of fair go, respect, inclusion and mateship.

The competition is part of Aussie of the Month – a student recognition program that rewards the characteristics of personal endeavour, teamwork and contribution to community, and is the younger sibling to the prestigious Australian of the Year Awards.

Students brought their ideas to life, turning plastic bottles into bird feeders, planters, stationery holders and works of art including a Galapagos Tortoise.

collage of students with competition entries
Just some of the incredible competition entries using plastic bottles.

“The class focus was the Galapagos Tortoise as they’ve been studying the Galapagos Island for the past term,” explained Michelle Carr, who submitted the entry from Oran Park Public School, NSW. “With the Aussie of the Month Respect in mind, they have researched how we can help make a difference in these islands; they have chosen to use rubbish or a waste product for their art piece.”

The talented winners received a bumper prize pack of Pilot Pen classroom stationery, including Frixion erasable gel pens and highlighters, whiteboard markers, ballpoints, refills, and Sellotape safety dispensers. Jarrad Murray, Head of Marketing, Pilot Pen Australia, hand delivered the prize to Wakehurst Public School in NSW (pictured).

Jarrad said, “We were thrilled to see the excitement, imagination and enthusiasm the students brought to the Circular Champions Challenge. We have been a proud partner of the Aussie of the Month program for 20 years this year and we are keen to encourage people to refill their pens when the ink finishes as part of our commitment to a circular economy.”

Circular Champions

Balcatta Primary School, WA
Binya Public School, NSW
Dianella Heights Primary School, WA
Kingsgrove Public School, NSW
Morphett Vale East School, SA
Mount Egerton Primary School, VIC
Oran Park Public School, NSW
Our Lady Queen of Peace School, SA
Sacred Heart Primary School, VIC
St Mary’s College Seymour, VIC
Wakehurst Public School, NSW
Westmead Christian Grammar School, NSW
Wongan Hills District High School, WA

Aussie of the Month is free to join! To start presenting it in your school, sign up now.