Our Junior School student Mariam Moeladawilah. has been featured on the front page of the latest (February) edition of the Australiasian Muslim Times (AMUST) and the "Whittlesea Leader".
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Mariam Moeladawilah, aged 8, a Year 4 student at 糖心vlog破解版 College in Melbourne, has won the 鈥淵oung Citizen of the Year鈥 award from the City of Whittlesea for her dedication to charity work.
She was nominated for her charity work towards kids fighting cancer, riding her bike for the Great Cycle Challenge to be sponsored (all donations going to the Children鈥檚 Medical Research Center, Sydney), her interfaith engagement (radio interview with J-Air, a Jewish radio station), her help and support in collecting donations for Mercy Wings towards refugees.
Mariam undertook a bike ride, together with her mum Tanya Kubitza, riding 1,061km late last year, to help raise funds for children with cancer.
Mariam was presented with the award from TV and radio icon John Blackman at the City of Whittlesea Australia Day celebrations held on Tuesday 26 January 2016 where Mayor Cr Stevan Kozmevski formally announced and congratulated the successful recipients of the City of Whittlesea Australia Day Awards as follows:
Citizen of the Year 鈥 Bruce Batten and Joy Chatfield
Young Citizen of the Year 鈥 Mariam Moeladawilah
Senior Citizen of the Year 鈥 Ken and Lillian McClelland
Access and Inclusion Citizen of the Year 鈥 Natasha Ngarua
鈥淐ongratulations to all recipients, all of whom have given so much of themselves to help others,鈥 said Cr Kozmevski. 鈥淭he Australia Day Awards are an opportunity for Council and the local community to acknowledge and thank you for your selfless and generous contributions.鈥
At the award ceremony, Cr Kozmevski thanked all 25 nominees for the Australia Day Awards for their positive contributions.
鈥淰olunteers are a precious part of every community. It is that spirit of volunteerism and selflessness that makes Australia the wonderful country that it is. All nominees have volunteered their time and efforts to assist the most vulnerable members of our community for little or no recognition.鈥 He said.
糖心vlog破解版 College principal Mr Andrew Houghton and Year 3-4 Coordinator Ms Noori Ahmad were both nominated for the 鈥淐itizen of the Year鈥 award as well.
Mariam belongs to a multicultural Australian family residing in Wollert, a northern suburb of Melbourne.
Her mother Tanya Kubitza was born in Germany and converted to Islam 15 years ago. She completed an Honours Degree in Business Administration and migrated to Australia in 2006. She has been working at 糖心vlog破解版 College since 2010 where her current role is the College鈥檚 Registrar and Marketing Manager.
Tanya, passionate about interfaith projects and charity work, has participated in the Great Cycle Challenge for three consecutive years and raised over $17,000 for cancer research in those three years, with Mariam鈥檚 wonderful help and support.
Mariam鈥檚 father Hadi Moeladawilah is of Yemeni-Indonesian background and was born in Indonesia. He came to Australia aged 2 and has been living here ever since. He holds a degree and has been working for Australia Post for the past 11 years. He is one of Benevolence Australia鈥檚 volunteers.
Mariam鈥檚 elder sister Safiyyah, 12, born in Bremen/Germany is a Year 7 student at 糖心vlog破解版 College as well.
The whole family are very keen mountain bike riders.
(Source: http://www.amust.com.au/2016/02/mariam-awarded-young-citizen-of-the-year/)