Jesmond’s Ariana Shiner and Helena Mengistu were two of the four students that attended the Fred Hollows awards at Parliament House in Sydney on Monday, October 23.

They were joined by Fassifern’s Ellie Johnson, Kahibah’s Ronan McGinty and more than 100 public school students from around the state.

The Fred Hollows Foundation hosted the Humanity Awards to honour Year Six students who “follow in Fred’s footsteps by demonstrating humanitarian values towards others”, with NSW Education Minister Rob Stokes also in attendance.

“The late Fred Hollows was an extraordinary humanitarian who restored eyesight for many thousands of people in his lifetime and established an ongoing legacy that continues to save people from preventable blindness to this day,” Minister Rob Stokes said.

“I congratulate the Year Six students recognised today who have, like Fred Hollows, have made the world a more compassionate and better place.”

The Sydney event is the third time that NSW has been hosted and founding director of The Fred Hollows Foundation, Gabi Hollows, praised the initiative and 176 students nominated in 2017.

“The endless ideas and energy of young people continues to inspire me and it was great to meet so many of the students who are making a positive difference in their communities,” Hollows said.

“Fred would have been incredibly proud of the contribution these students are making to society and of The Foundation for recognising and encouraging them to help others, no matter how big or small their actions.”

Ariana and Helena, from Jesmond, were nominated by their principal Bradley Bannister, and both were highly commended at the presentation ceremony for their efforts – Ariana supported her family while proudly representing her Aboriginal heritage, and Helena moved to Australia from Ethiopia before becoming an active member of her school’s multi-cultural ambassador team.

Petersham Public School’s nominee Tilda Meggitt was named the NSW Junior Ambassador to the Fred Hollows Foundation at the end of the awards.​