Australia Day Hero Award 2022

Australia Day Hero Award 2022  

Early in 2021 our Year 6 students at Wheelers Hills Junior Campus embarked on a venture to help provide shelter and dignity for homeless people in Australia. They chose to partner with Backpack Bed for Homeless Australia and pledged to hold a Winter Sleepout to raise much-needed funding for backpack beds and sleeping bags.  

Fund-raising began, but continued lockdowns throughout Winter prolonged the event. By Term 4 2021, Spring had arrived. The students were passionate about completing their venture and had continued to raise a significant amount of money throughout the remote learning period. It was time for action.  

The Spring Lockdown Sleepout @ Home was a huge success. Students set up a range of different challenges for themselves including backyard tents, lounge room cubby forts, cardboard boxes outside on verandahs, and under porches. There were BBQs and campfires, and photos, videos and stories were shared with the School community.

An incredible $11,450 was raised for Backpack Bed for Homeless Australia. 

Then some exciting news arrived at the beginning of 2022 – Caulfield Grammar School’s Wheelers Hill Campus had been selected as a recipient of an Australia Day Hero Award for its commitment to service and helping others. The students received a beautiful letter from Tony Clarke, CEO of Backpack Beds for the Homeless, and an impressive wall plaque.  

A huge congratulations to these current Year 7s, who are so proud and honoured to be recognised for their action and remain passionate about ongoing action in the future.