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Four Morphett Vale East School Students Presented with Aussie of the Month Award by 2022 SA Local Hero

four students holding certificates with two adults

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Four students from Morphett Vale East School in South Australia were recognised as Aussies of the Month at the end of August.

Jimmy, Elana, Ruth and Penny were presented their award by Australian of the Year Awards’ 2022 SA Local Hero, Monique Bareham, with the school saving the announcement of all four recipients to coincide with Monique’s visit.

Students, who were dressed up for Book Week, were able to hear Monique’s inspiring story as a leading Australian Lymphoedema Patient Advocate.

​“I am delighted to pay a visit to Morphett Vale East today and present Penny, Ruth, Jimmy and Elana with the Aussie of the Month Awards for their impressive contribution to the school’s core values of respect, persistence, optimism and honesty. These important values form the foundation of building strong connections within community, foster understanding and inclusion and are at the heart of the work I do to improve the lives of those living with lymphoedema,” she said.

Year 2 students also showcased their plastic bottle designs for the Circular Champions Competition. They researched, designed and created unique ways to recycle more than 60 water bottles, creating innovative designs, including bird feeders, space machines, Ten pin bowling games and rain gauges.

Two exciting civics and citizenship days coming up

boy writing welcome letter to Australian citizen

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National Wattle Day and Australian Citizenship Day are coming up fast. These are exciting days in the curriculum calendar to explore civics and citizenship with primary schools students.

National Wattle Day is celebrated annually on 1 September. It is a day that unifies all Australians in a celebration of what it is to live in Australia and to be Australian. The date coincides with the first day of spring. See how your school can get involved.

Australian Citizenship Day is celebrated each year on 17 September. This is a day for Australians to celebrate their Australian citizenship, and reflect on the meaning and importance of Australian citizenship, and the responsibilities and privileges we have as citizens.

How can students take part in these days?

Students are invited to write welcome letters to new citizens. These messages are a great way to bring the celebration of Australian citizenship into classrooms, complement the current civics and citizenship curriculum, and support the Aussie of the Month values. You could even pass them onto your local government council to give to new citizens attending their citizenship ceremony! Click below to access Welcome Message templates from the Department of Home Affairs, plus more resources to recognise National Wattle Day and Australian Citizenship Day.

Find out more about Australian Citizenship Day

2023 WA Local Hero announces Aussie of the Month at Dianella Heights Primary School

kids at assembly

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Fair go, mateship, respect, inclusion. These are just some of the Australian values demonstrated by Year five student, Caitlyn, and Year three student, Mia, at Dianella Heights Primary School, who have been presented with the Aussie of the Month Award by 2023 WA Local Hero, Jimmy Murphy, founder of the Town Team Movement, a social enterprise dedicated to improving local communities.

During his visit, Jimmy spoke to the students about the different superheroes who make local communities better. Students then asked him questions on active citizeship including the impact of Town Team Movement, what inspired him, the challenge of making big decisions and who his own heroes are.

“I am delighted to pay a visit to Dianella Heights and present Caitlyn and Mia with the Aussie of the Month Award for their impressive contribution to the school’s core values of kindness, respect and integrity. Mateship, inclusion and creating a strong community are such important values – these have formed the foundation of the Town Team Movement and the work we do to improve local communities,” he said.

Year five students also showcased their entries for the Circular Champions competition, which will see 20 schools across Australia win a share of $20,000RRP of stationery from Pilot Pen Australia. The students researched, designed and created exciting ways to recycle 60 water bottles. The students were excited to share their creative ideas.

“The students worked incredibly hard to produce their entry and they have done such a great job whilst demonstrating how they worked together as a team and enacting our vision ‘Soaring to new heights in excellence, through unity.’  Thank you to Jimmy Murphy for coming in today to acknowledge Caitlyn and Mia, our Aussie of the Month winners, and demonstrating what a good role model can achieve.  We are proud to celebrate your achievement today and our partnership over many years,” said Dianella Heights Primary School Principal, Peter Jakimowiez.

Circular Champions entries open 22 July 2024 and close 20 September 2024. Find out more about the competition and how to enter here.

2024 WA Local Hero drops in on students at Rosalie Primary School to encourage Aussie values

man speaking to primary school children

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Just two weeks into the new school year, students at Rosalie Primary School heard straight from Nick Hudson about how he founded The Push-Up Challenge, experienced the Australian of the Year Awards in Canberra and visited the Prime Minister’s House.​

Nick closed the morning assembly by encouraging students to show mateship and inclusion, and think about who they want to nominate for Aussie of the Month!

“I am delighted to help students start the new school year in such a positive way,” said Nick. “Mental health affects so many kids, so it’s important we encourage values such as mateship and inclusion, so that students are actively supporting one another and creating a strong community within their school. It is an absolute joy to meet the schools and students who are making their community a better place.”

Following the visit, Rosalie Principal, Mrs Michelle Nash, said: “Rosalie Primary School is excited to be running the Aussie of the Month program again this year.

“We are proud to celebrate those amazing people who contribute to our community at Rosalie and hope to inspire more students to do the same. It is important to our school to highlight people who have shown personal endeavour whilst displaying both our Rosalie School and Aussie of the Month values of kindness, respect, responsibility and inclusion.”

Click here to register for the program and enquire about Australian of the Year Alumni visits.

WA Local Hero visits Rosalie Primary School to announce the Aussie of the Month

Man surrounded by children showing certificates

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Rosalie Primary School in Western Australia received a special visit from 2023 WA Local Hero, Jimmy Murphy, in October, to announce the Aussie of the Month at the school assembly.

Specially for the visit and to demonstrate active citizenship through the democratic voting process, the Aussie of the Month was selected by a preferential election, in which students and staff voted.

Jimmy, who co-founded Town Team Movement to help volunteers improve their local communities through placemaking, announced the Aussie of the Month recipient to be a group of eight students (pictured above with Jimmy) who jointly raised money for Perth Children’s Hospital.

During the assembly, Room 18 demonstrated the Aussie of the Month values of fair go (as the Matildas playing in the Women’s World Cup); mateship (as doctors working on the Covid-19 vaccine to protect others); respect (helping the environment); and inclusion (in the playground).

Jimmy then joined a Year 4 Health class, during which the students asked him about his Local Hero award, his inspiration and why he likes helping people. Jimmy described meeting Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, in Canberra.

This visit was made possible thanks to the support of Australian of the Year Awards and the Department of Home Affairs.​

Click here to register for the program and enquire about Australian of the Year Alumni visits.

Australia’s Local Hero visits schools in Northern Territory and Western Australia to announce Aussies of the Month

Adults with child holding certificate

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2023 Australia’s Local Hero, Amar Singh, has been travelling through the Northern Territory and Western Australia in July, visiting primary schools for Aussie of the Month! During his appearances, he helped to announce the recipients and inspired students to contribute to their community by volunteering and demonstrating the Aussie of the Month values of fair go, mateship, respect and inclusion – values he shows as founder of Turbans 4 Australia.

Amar visited Durack School NT and Woodroffe Primary School in NT, before heading to WA to meet the students at Dianella Heights Primary School and North Harrisdale Primary School. Amar was joined by representatives of the Australian Department of Home Affairs, proud partner of Aussie of the Month.

Local Hero visits are exclusive to Aussie of the Month schools thanks to the close alignment with the prestigious Australian of the Year Awards.

Click here to register for the program and enquire about Australian of the Year Alumni visits.