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15 November, 2018 Community

Passion for equality: Cam Tregaskis announced as Junior Ambassador to the Fred Hollows Foundation

We are delighted to share the news that Year 6 Co-Captain of the School (K-6), Cam, was announced as the 2018 Victorian Junior Ambassador to The Fred Hollows Foundation at a ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall this week.

Passion for equality: Cam Tregaskis announced as Junior Ambassador to the Fred Hollows Foundation Cam and his brother, Jude

The Fred Hollows Humanity Award recognises Year 6 students who ‘follow in Fred’s footsteps by making a positive difference in their community’, and celebrates students who ‘show compassion, integrity and kindness in their everyday lives’.

Cam leads by example supporting and raising awareness for a number of community and charitable initiatives both within the School and out in the community, and was nominated for the Award by his Year 6 Teacher, Mr Emmet Nichols.

Mr Nichols said Cam’s passion for equality is inspiring and he has been deeply passionate about this issue from a young age.

“He leads the Community Action Team at St Michael’s and recently dressed up as the Disability Discrimination Commissioner for ‘What I Want to Be Day’,” said Mr Nichols.

“As Junior School Co-Captain, he speaks openly with his peers and juniors about the VIA Character Strengths, categorised as wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance and transcendence. What I admire most is that Cam is brave enough to expose himself by challenging behaviours of his peers that he feels are unjust.”

Passion for equality: Cam Tregaskis announced as Junior Ambassador to the Fred Hollows Foundation Cam and Mr Nichols at the Award Ceremony at the Melbourne Town Hall

On receiving the Award Cam said he felt really proud and that it was wonderful to be recognised.

“It was a big surprise, I didn’t even know I had been nominated when Mr Nichols announced the Award in class,” said Cam.

Displaying his initiative and willingness to put the needs of others before his own, Cam mentioned how winning a supply of cookies in a radio competition sparked his passion for charitable work.

“A radio program was giving away cookies and I won!” said Cam. “My friends and I then sold the cookies out the front of Coles and we made over $5000 which we donated to charity. What I enjoy most about volunteering is that I get to help people and give back to everyone who has helped me.”

Passion for equality: Cam Tregaskis announced as Junior Ambassador to the Fred Hollows Foundation Junior Ambassador, Cam, with Chair of The Fred Hollows Foundation, John Brumby and award recipients

As Junior Ambassador to the Fred Hollows Foundation, Cam was given the opportunity to allocate $5,000 to one of The Foundation’s programs to end avoidable blindness, choosing to support The Foundation’s Indonesia Program, which addresses childhood blindness in the Nusa Tenggara Barat Province.

We congratulate Cam on this well-deserved achievement and we are certain he will be a fantastic ambassador to the Foundation, just as he is a role model to his fellow students at the School.