Teachers, principals, parents and family members nominate hundreds of Year 6 students every year for the prestigious Fred Hollows Humanity Award. Eight Junior Ambassadors are named each year - scroll down to be inspired by their stories.
 
If you would like to nominate your student or child, please click here.
 
 

ACT - Jazmine Sherwood

Jazmine Sherwood with Gabi Hollows AO (left) and ACT Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry MLA (right)

Jazmine was nominated by her teacher, Shannon, for giving up her time to be part of the Mini Vinnies program at her school for the past three years. She has selflessly raised awareness and money for charity through various appeals. She gave up many of her break times to be an Energy Warrior, monitoring classrooms for energy usage. She has also distinguished herself as a fantastic school leader, often going out of her way to help younger students as well as teachers.

Jazmine chose to direct her $5,000 award to The Foundation's Empowering Women and Children in Bangladesh project. This project will reach a total population of 130,000 with comprehensive eye care coverage, including 8,000 children and 50,000 women at risk of developing refractive error, 12,000 pregnant women at risk of developing diabetes and 20,000 elderly women at risk of developing a cataract.
 

NSW - Jett Martin

Jett Martin with the Hon Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Education (left) and Gabi Hollows AO (right)

Jett was nominated by his teacher, Mark, for initiating a fundraising activity to support the students of a penpal school in Kenya. Jett, having learned that the students in Kenya had to walk up to 13 kilometres twice a day to collect water, decided to take action. He sought approval from his school Principal to set up an event and then created the registration and sponsor forms. The event involved Jett's classmates repeatedly walking the one kilometre cross-country course whilst carrying 2-4 litre containers of water. This activity emulated the difficulties of the Kenyan students and was a huge success - raising over $1,200.

Jett chose to direct his $5,000 towards The Foundation's Northern Territory Integrated Eye Care project. This project will screen 3,320 people for eye health issues. It will enable 155 cataract operations and 140 treatments for diabetes as well as the distribution of 1,700 pairs of glasses. Additionally, 200 community members and school children will be educated in eye health.
 

NT - Eliza Emmett

Eliza Emmett with the Hon Gerry McCarthy MP, Minister for Community Development (left), Gabi Hollows AO (centre) and Ms Ngaree Ah Kit, Member for Karama (right)

Eliza was nominated by her teacher, Judy, for participating in the Leukemia Foundation's 'World's Greatest Shave', through which she singlehandedly raised $500 from family and friends. Eliza wants to make a positive different in the world and has committed to the #StrawNoMore movement. At school she is consistently helpful and kind, exemplifying this quality when she supported a classmate with autism who was struggling with the transition to middle school. She was inclusive and welcoming towards him even when others were not.

Eliza chose to direct her $5,000 towards The Foundation's Northern Territory Integrated Eye Care project. This project will screen 3,320 people for eye health issues. It will enable 155 cataract operations and 140 treatments for diabetes as well as the distribution of 1,700 pairs of glasses. Additionally, 200 community members and school children will be educated in eye health.
 

QLD - Freya Woodman

Freya Woodman with her parents (centre), FHF Ambassador and former Olympian Susie O'Neill (left) and Assistant Minister of State Jennifer Howard MP (right)

Freya was nominated by her teacher, Kate, for cutting off 36 centimetres of her hair and donating it to Hair With Heart (an initiative of the Variety Children's Charity) in a display of support for her classmate who had been diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma for the third time at only 12 years of age. In addition to donating her hair to be made into a wig, Freya also raised over $5,000 for Variety.

Freya chose to direct her $5,000 towards The Foundation's Northern Territory Integrated Eye Care project. This project will screen 3,320 people for eye health issues. It will enable 155 cataract operations and 140 treatments for diabetes as well as the distribution of 1,700 pairs of glasses. Additionally, 200 community members and school children will be educated in eye health.
 

SA - Samuel Weavers

Samuel Weavers with Gabi Hollows AO (left), His Excellency Hieu Van Le, Governor of South Australia (centre) and The Hon Rob Lucas MLC, Treasurer of South Australia (right)

Samuel was nominated for developing and operating his own online popcorn business - www.samspopcorn.com. Samuel wanted to raise money to help kids with cancer, but even more importantly he wanted to provide a method for other kids to easily get involved in fundraising. Samuel has partnered with the Childhood Cancer Association (CCA) to raise money for the fight against cancer by selling his popcorn in schools. Students sell tubs of Samuel's popcorn and he donates 40% of the sales price to the CCA. He hopes to one day expand his program to every school in Australia.

Samuel chose to direct his $5,000 towards The Foundation's Vietnam Child Eye Care project. This project will train medical staff and community members in eye health, provide glasses and subsidised cataract surgeries to those who need them, provide ophthalmic equipment to facilities in need and produce eye care awareness materials for teachers.
 

TAS - Chloe Payne

Chloe Payne with Gabi Hollows AO (left) and the Hon Jacquie Petrusma MP, Member for Franklin & Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (right)

Chloe was nominated by her mother, Allie, for making and selling friendship bands in order to raise over $1,000 for a local fundraiser, 'Rally for Rhys'. Rhys was a family friend of Chloe's who tragically passed away in his sleep at only two years of age. After the fundraiser ended Choe still wanted to help, so she has continued to make her friendship bands, which are sent directly to bereaved children to remind them they are not alone and in the hope of bringing a smile to their face. Chloe has made roughly 250 friendship bands in total which have been sent all over Australia and even overseas. She sends the bands out of the goodness of her heart, expecting nothing in return. More information about Chloe's cause can be found on her Facebook page.

Chloe chose to direct her $5,000 towards The Foundation's Northern Territory Integrated Eye Care project. This project will screen 3,320 people for eye health issues. It will enable 155 cataract operations and 140 treatments for diabetes as well as the distribution of 1,700 pairs of glasses. Additionally, 200 community members and school children will be educated in eye health.
 

VIC - Cam Tregaskis

Cam Tregaskis with Chairman of The Fred Hollows Foundation, John Brumby AO

Cam was nominated by his teacher, Emmet, for being an inspiring young leader. He has a heavily disabled brother and as such has been deeply passionate about equality from a young age. He leads the Community Action Team at his school and he recently dressed up as the Disability Discrimination Commissoner for "What I Want To Be Day". As the Junior School Co-Captain, Cam speaks openly to his peers about how to be of good character and help others. In May of 2018 he also took part in the World's Greatest Shave, raising over $2,000 for the cause.

Cam chose to direct his $5,000 towards The Foundation's Addressing Child Blindness in Indonesia project. This project will introduce eye health education to 937 schools, train one teacher at each school to perform eye screenings, train 194 nurses in eye health information and establish a vision centre in Mataram City to provide over 7,400 pairs of glasses to children.
 

WA - Ari McKay

Ari McKay with his family

Ari was nominated by his teacher, Julie, for starting his own YouTube channel and website to raise awareness about different social issues. After learning about immigration, refugees, asylum seekers and other humanitarian issues in class, Ari was inspired. His first video discussed the problem of homelessness and subsequent video topics have ranged from palm oil to pollution. Ari plans to donate any money he earns to different charities. Ari's YouTube can be found here and his website can be found here.

Ari chose to direct his $5,000 towards The Foundation's Addressing Child Blindness in Indonesia project. This project will introduce eye health education to 937 schools, train one teacher at each school to perform eye screenings, train 194 nurses in eye health information and establish a vision centre in Mataram City to provide over 7,400 pairs of glasses to children.

 
Click here to nominate your student or child for the Fred Hollows Humanity Award


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