This year, Reservoir resident Rossella D’Arienzo was recognised by her entire community for doing just that.
On the eve of Australia Day, Darebin Council held its annual Australia Day Awards at Preston City Hall.
Presided over by Darebin Mayor, Cr Kim Le Cerf and Darebin Australia Day Ambassador, Deepak Vinayak, the ceremony saw hundreds of locals gather to celebrate the achievements of individuals and groups who had contributed to the area in their own unique way.
Rossella took out the major award for the evening, Darebin Citizen of the Year 2017, for her commitment to St Gabriel’s Primary School in Reservoir, where she has volunteered her time on a daily basis for 17 years.
The humble recipient was overwhelmed by the recognition, stating that she was in complete shock and “never expected any of it”.
“I’ve received so many letters from parents, staff and all of the children,” she said.
“To know that they see me like that is a real eye-opener, because I’ve never seen myself in the same way.”
Rossella’s relationship with St Gabriel’s began over a decade ago, when her oldest daughter began attending the school.
Eager to become involved in some way, Rossella participated in a program run by the school to teach parents how to help in the classroom.
She began by assisting with the reading program, where her natural ability to bring the best out in students was noted by the teachers.
Rossella then became involved in the organisation of a literacy room, and her presence in the classroom gradually grew.
By the time her second daughter began at St Gabriel’s, Rossella was spending more or less a working week at the school.
To this day, Rossella spends most of her time between the school’s office and classrooms, doing “a little bit of everything”, from helping children with reading and writing to assisting with class preparation and communicating with parents.
She is also particularly close to students who are learning English as a second language, and has had a significant influence on their ability to overcome this hurdle in the classroom.
Rossella’s busy schedule is the result of none other than a warm heart and a willingness to ensure that the school is an enjoyable space for everyone.
“I don’t expect anything in return,” she says.
“As long as I know that the children are happy, which in turn makes the parents happy, and that everyone is comfortable, then I’m happy.”
Having migrated from Conegliano in Treviso with her family as a child, Rossella understands how important it is to foster a warm and inviting environment within schools and communities at large.
“I didn’t speak English when I started school, so I was scared,” she recalls.
“Then when I started to understand English I was picked on because my shoes weren’t right and my lunch wasn’t the same as everybody else’s. I was different.”
Reservoir is a flourishing township boasting a diverse array of cultures, and St Gabriel’s has welcomed many new arrivals in recent years, from Syrian refugees to Italian migrants.
Rossella strives to make sure that each and every member of the school is treated with respect and dignity, and that no student or parent ever feels like the “outsider” that she once did.
“I want people to feel comfortable in the school environment because if they can do that, then they’re happy everywhere else.”
Rossella now owns a dazzling trophy to symbolise the immense impact that she has had on hundreds of students, parents and staff, both past and present, over the last 17 years.
For the humble mother, one thing is sure: the smile on a child’s face is worth a thousand trophies.
