Four Morphett Vale East School students honoured with award

Kindness, respect, inclusion: these are just some of the Australian values shown by Morphett Vale East School Year 6 students Jimmy Koller and Elana Brown, Year 5 student Ruth Kayee Smith and Reception student Penny Harder. The South Australian students were presented with the Aussie of the Month Award on August 30 by 2022 SA Local Hero and leading lymphoedema patient advocate Monique Bareham.

“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,” Ms Bareham said.

“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.

Aussie of the Month recognises primary students nationally and is the Australia Day Council’s junior Australian of the Year program. The program rewards personal endeavour, achievement and contribution to community, reflecting core Australian value like a fair go, mateship, respect and inclusion.

School principal Carolyn Mildrum, thanked Ms Bareham for demonstrating to the students “what a good role model can achieve”.

“We are proud to celebrate your achievement tody,” Ms Mildrum said.

The four students each received the Aussie of the Month certificate and a stationery gift.

CIRCULAR CHAMPIONS

It was a busy day for the school, with Year 2 students also showcasing sustainable solutions developed for the Circular Champions competition.

Open exclusively to registered Aussie of the Month schools, the initiative invites innovative alternatives for reusing plastic bottles.

Students researched, designed and created unique ways to recycle more than 60 water bottles, with designs including bird feeders, space machines, ten pin bowling games and rain gauges.

“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 commitment to programs that develop an understanding of sustainability and community connection,” Ms Mildrum said.

Presented in partnership with Pilot Pen Australia, which has provided Aussie of the Month recipients with stationery gifts for the past 20 years, Circular Champions has $20,000 worth of stationery up for grabs. Entries close on September 20.

Visit aussieofthemonth.org.au for more information and to enter.