School Sport Victoria will honour the memory of Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG and achievements by awarding the Cpl Cameron Baird VC MG medal to the captain of the School Sport Victoria 12 years and under Australian Football team. The team captain will also be presented with the number 4 jumper each year, being the jumper number worn by Cameron in 1993.

Award recipients

2019: Lucius White

2018: Nash King

2017: Kristian Ferronato

2016: Devlin Webb

2015: Finn O’Callaghan

2014: Darby Hipwell

Lucius White (2019 Winner) with Doug Baird O.A.M

Doug Baird, Nash King (2018 Winner) & Jonathan Brown (Former Brisbane Lions Great)

The Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG Memorial Awards were established by Hume City Council to recognise the legacy of Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG, a Hume local and national hero who passed away in 2013.They are intended to encourage young people to be like Corporal Cameron Baird to strive to be the best they can be. This is a bi-annual award.

2019 Winners

At a special awards ceremony on 30 April 2019, 11 finalists were acknowledged for their outstanding applications, and four winners were awarded a share in $5,000. The Award encourages young people in Hume to follow their dreams and to strive to be the best they can be.

Gaining Ground Encouragement Award winners

Adam Marguglio

Adam attends Sunbury College where he is heavily involved in the VCE music program. Adam’s love of creative arts, including writing songs and playing the piano, has seen him become a leader in his school’s music department. Adam regularly encourages other students in the school to perform and is contributing to a strong music culture within the school. He plans to use the award money to purchase new equipment to further his understanding of music.

Tamanna Qarar

Tamanna came to Australia in 2013 where she quickly found a love for numbers. Her excellent mathematical ability saw her become a volunteer maths tutor, which led to volunteer teaching at the Dari Language school at Hume Afghan Association. She also became a member of an advisory group for the Centre for Multicultural Youth. Now she is undertaking her Bachelor of Civil Engineering at RMIT.

She is passionate about helping young people, especially young students and young refugees, to reach their full potential. Tamanna is planning to use the award money to support disadvantaged women and girls in Afghanistan to develop sustainable employment.

Leading From the Front Achievement Award winners

Isobel Symeoy

After many years of extensive volunteer and community work, Isobel quickly realised she wanted to spend her life helping others. At 13, she followed in her dad’s footsteps, and joined the Junior CFA at Craigieburn Fire Station. From there, her time is filled with other selfless acts such as shaving off her hair to donate it to children with cancer, raising money for the Good Friday Appeal, and becoming a member and assisting the Craigieburn War Memorial and Remembrance Committee.

Isobel is working towards becoming a paramedic and intends to use her award money to keep helping the community.

Rihan Rofaeel

Rihan is a highly engaged young person in our local community thanks to her faith, volunteer work, and social justice efforts.

Her leadership achievements to date are remarkable. She also aims to meet the needs of others through volunteering with Christmas on the Streets and actively working towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of ‘Zero Hunger’.

Rihan plans to use the funds at a grass roots level to try and work with local grocery stores, bakeries and produce providers to reduce food wastage that could be going to a better place. Part of this also includes teaching people how to prepare healthy, quick and affordable food.

https://www.hume.vic.gov.au/About_Us_Contact_Details/Grants_and_Awards/Corporal_Cameron_Baird_VC_MG_Memorial_Award

2017 Winners

Masad Alfayadh won the Leading from the Front Achievement Award – where her achievements in sports, community, art, employment and education were recognised.

Masad launched a local charity, Happy Brain, to support and mentor young people. In the first 12 months, Happy Brain helped 350 students in Broadmeadows, Roxburgh Park, Craigieburn and surrounding suburbs. The classes are run at Youth Central on Sundays.

Masad has been extensively involved in other volunteering programs:

•         Mental health retreats for youth
•         Gratitude and positive thinking
•         Sexual health workshops for newly arrived refugees
•         Curriculum development and teaching programs at AustralianMADE
•         Queensland floods and several fundraising events for the East African famine

Furthermore Masad has volunteered internationally in Uganda at a rural clinic in January 2015.

In January 2017, she volunteered at Al Zaatari refugee camp, a refugee camp for Syrian refugees located in the northern part of Jordan, stating that these experiences were very eye opening

Baan Sako won the Gaining ground Encouragement Award winner – where her commitment to an area of interest was recognised.

Baan finds motivation through her love for sport, especially soccer. Baan’s passion led her to undertake a Bachelor of Exercise Science degree.

Studies and personal experiences provided her with the opportunity to work to be a role model for women and girls in Hume. She volunteered at various not-for-profit organisations in Hume:

• Baan is currently volunteering in a community project – Good People Act Now (GPAN) at Banksia Gardens Community Services.
• She runs education programs, forums, videos, performances, presentations and many other community based activities to promote gender equality and prevention of violence against women.
• Along with volunteering, Baan works at Kenley Court Community Services/Meadow Heights Primary School as a soccer coach to the young school girl
• Baan also volunteers as a U11 Girls Soccer Coach at Roxburgh Park United and is facilitating workshops for young people in sporting clubs in Hume with the support of Dianella Health and GPAN. The workshops educate boys and girls ages 15-18 to be more inclusive in their clubs through their actions, language and attitudes within and outside their sporting clubs. Educating and guiding 20+ young leaders gave Baan the reassurance of the importance to be persistent with her goals of promoting gender equality and preventing violence against women through sports engagement.
• Baan ended her application with a quote from Billie Jean King: “Champions keep playing until they get it right.”

Baan Sako, Mayor Cr Drew & Masad Alfayadh

For more details visit – Hume City Council – Cpl Cameron Baird VC MG Memorial Awards

2015 Winners

The two winners of the inaugural awards were announced at a formal ceremony on Wednesday 22 April 2015.

The caliber of the nominations received set a high standard and remind us of the amazing talent, drive and community commitment that young Hume people have.

Sarah Mackin

Sarah has been described as someone who is inspired by those that have overcome obstacles in their own lives to achieve amazing things.

Sarah is passionate about her local community and is an avid volunteer – particularly through Hume Whittlesea Local Learning and Employment Network and the Kangan Youth Foyer.

Sarah strives to make every day count, and has a passion to catalyze change in community development.

She will soon commence in a volunteer mentor role to a young person in need through the Big Brother/Big Sister program.

Since experiencing a period of homelessness, Sarah decided that it was up to her to improve her life chances. Her dream is to work alongside young people in a voluntary capacity overseas.

The award will assist with costs associated with the international volunteering opportunity, supporting travel costs such as flights, accommodation and a small stipend for living expenses.

Angela Atonio

Angela has been described as someone who is passionate about change and for making a difference in the community, particularly with young people.

Earlier this year, she was named Hume Young Citizen of the Year at Council’s 2015 Australia Day Awards.

She is also highly active member of the community and has played a leading role in the delivery of community events, including the 2014 Change it Up Youth Forum, RUOK Campaign and White Ribbon Day activities.

She is a strong role model, with admirable leadership skills.

Angela will use the award to attend the 2016 Youth Summit in Canberra and to take two other young Hume leaders with her to gain more experience and knowledge from other leaders.

Award winners Angela Atonio (second left) and Sarah Mackin with Cameron Baird’s parents Doug and Kaye.

For further information please see Hume City Council – Cpl Cameron Baird VC MG Memorial Awards

Award Selection Panel

To assist us in our deliberations, an assessment panel was established to review all submitted nominations. The selection panel, included:

• Mr Ken Thompson, former Principal of the Gladstone Park Secondary College;
• Mr Chris Dyer, childhood friend of Cameron’s who also acted as a family representative;
• Lieutenant Colonel Peter Baxter, Commander of the Maygar Barracks;
• Hume Mayor Cr Adem Atmaca
• Council Officers

Adam Marguglio, Rihan Rofaeel, CR Carly Moore, Tamanna Qarar and Isobel Symeoy

Corporal Baird was an excellent junior footballer with aspirations of one day playing AFL for his beloved Carlton Football Club like his father Doug had done before him.

During his football career, Cameron was a well respected member of the Calder Cannons Football Club, playing along side future AFL premiership champions Jude Bolton and Paul Chapman among others.

In honour of one of the clubs most admired past players, the Calder Cannons struck the Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG medal to be awarded to the most courageous player.

Award recipients

2014: James Lathan

2015: Mitch Conn

2017: Brad Bernacki

2018: John Roumeliotis

In March 2015, the CPL Cameron Baird VC Scholarship was announced by the Tasmanian Liberal Government. The Scholarship, which will increase students’ awareness and learning about Corporal Baird VC and his service and sacrifice, will be in the sum of $1,000 and offered annually to a student in Year 12.

The selection committee will be seeking a student who:

• is enrolled in a government school in the North-West of Tasmania.
• intends to study at the Australian Defence Force academy (ADFA).
• is of good charachter.
• has contributed in a positive way to his/her local community.

Students will be asked to complete a written application that includes testimonials from their school principal and members of the local community.

The selection committee will include a representative  of the Returned Services League of Australia (RSL).

The inaugural Corporal Cameron Baird VC Scholarship was awarded on Wednesday 27th January, 2015 to Newstead College student Ethan McArthur.

The Minister for Education and Training, Jeremy Rockliff said that Ethan was chosen as the recipient of the award based on his predicted Year 12 results and his passion and commitment for the Australian Defence Force. (click here for Media Release)

For more informatoin contact Learning Services Northern Region on 03 6478 4329 or email learning.services.nr@education.tas.gov.au.