"I think it's nice to treat others as you want to be treated yourself," says Femke Sissingh Meijer.
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This compassionate attitude has helped the year 6 student from Giralang Primary School make a big impression on her school community in a very short space of time.
Femke was announced as the ACT Junior Ambassador on Friday. She only arrived in Australia in August last year and started attending Giralang the following month.
"I was really surprised when I heard it and I was really proud of myself," Femke said.
The young school captain was among 29 ACT primary school students who were recognised for their community citizenship and compassion through the Fred Hollows Humanity Awards.
Femke has been given the opportunity to allocate $2500 to one of the Fred Hollows Foundation's programs to end avoidable blindness.
She is originally from Holland and despite English being her second language, has shown language is no barrier to showing compassion to others.
Femke also credited her school for encouraging her to look out for the needs of those around her.
"At our school we have caring, co-operation and courtesy that are our values and I think that really inspired me too."
Femke was nominated by her school principal Belinda Love, who was inspired and impressed by her caring nature.
Ms Love says it did not take long for Femke to leave her mark on the school community.
"Femke made such an enormous impact on our student body so quickly through her compassion and her caring ways that she was voted school captain very easily," Ms Love said.
She praised Femke for her efforts to care for other students, particularly those from other countries.
"She really goes out of her way in those break times during recess and lunchtime to make sure they're feeling safe and happy on the playground and also have the ability to join in with their peers no matter what the language barrier might be."
Femke has also used her interest in drama and the arts to contribute to the school's culture.
"Femke was very proactive in talking to the senior executive of the school about getting the performing arts up and going," Ms Love said.
Her initiative led to a drama group being formed who were then able to perform in the Step into the Limelight gala performance earlier this year.
"Femke made it cool for other senior students to be a part of that group but also that it was a multi-age group as well."
Fred Hollows Foundation founding director Gabi Hollows was impressed to see ACT students making a positive difference in their communities.
"The ideas and endless energy that young people have continue to inspire me. Fred would have been incredibly proud that the foundation has inspired young students to dream big and help others," she said.
