Aussie of the Month, the free program recognising primary school students who demonstrate great civics and citizenship contribution to their community, is now being delivered in every state and territory of Australia.
Following the official endorsement to roll-out in schools in the Northern Territory with the support of the Minister and Northern Territory Department of Education, this significant step means that Aussie of the Month is now a national awards program. The highly regarded program has more than 1,300 schools participating, reaching 400,000+ students nationwide.
Delivered by the same network running the Australian of the Year Awards, Aussie of the Month recognises outstanding contribution to the school community and broader society and rewards students who display values such as respect, inclusion, mateship and a fair go for all.
Aussie of the Month runs from February to November each year and is accessible to regional and remote areas. Children are recognised at their school assembly and presented with an Aussie of the Month certificate, badge, pen set and bookmark.
“Aussie of the Month is such a great way to recognise children of all abilities, as it’s focused on contribution to community rather than academic or sporting achievements,” says Karlie Brand, CEO of National Australia Day Council. “It’s particularly fulfilling to see how much the recognition means to students and parents, as we regularly receive comments on how special it is to receive and how prestigious it is to be recognised as part of the program that is aligned to the Australian of the Year.”
Aussie of the Month is delivered by the Australia Day Council national network 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 Australian values such as compassion, respect, inclusion and helping others,” says Anne Leo, Assistant Secretary, Citizenship Program Delivery Branch at the Department of Home Affairs “The Department is proud to encourage and recognise young Australians who exemplify these values through our sponsorship of this program.”
Primary schools can register for the Aussie of the Month program at any time during the year via www.aussieofthemonth.org.au
