This article first appeared on the Premier of Victoria, The Hon. Daniel Andrews MP website. You can view the full article by clicking here.

On Friday 6 May, Minister for Youth Affairs Jenny Mikakos joined more than 500 guests at the Awards Gala Presentation Dinner in Docklands to celebrate the achievements of young Victorians who are making a real difference in our community.

With a number of awards presented to recognise our outstanding young achievers, the 2016 Young Achiever of the Year went to Aimee Marks, a young entrepreneur and founder of TOM Organic - a range of feminine hygiene products using Australian Certified Organic cotton.

“Tonight we celebrated the young entrepreneurs, volunteers, scientists and artists who will play an important role in shaping our communities and state now and into the future”, Minister Jenny Mikakos shared.

ACS Victoria would like to congratulate all award recipients and wish them all the best with their future endeavours.

The winners of the 2016 Young Achievers Awards are:

• Victorian Young Achiever of the Year
  Aimee Marks, ST KILDA 

• The Victorian Government Group Achievement in the Community Award
  Unite Alliance Program of Dandenong, DANDENONG

• The Victorian Government Small Business Achievement Award
  Aimee Marks, ST KILDA

• CFA Young Volunteer Excellence Award
  Sarah Kenworthy, GEELONG

• Bart ‘N’ Print Health and Wellbeing Award
  Jeremy Samson, VERMONT

• Victoria University Research Impact Award
  Dr Francois Petitjean, CARNEGIE

• The Coffee Club Arts and Fashion Award
  Fablice Manirakiza, NOBLE PARK

• Saward Dawson Community Service and Social Impact Award
  Robert Gilies, CANTERBURY

• University of Melbourne Science and Technology Award
  Dr Julia Marchingo, SURREY HILLS

• AustralianSuper Career Kick Start Award
  Julia Truong, ST ALBANS

• Bartercard Online Achievement Award
  Ashley Davies, WHEELERS HILL

• First National Real Estate Leadership Award
  Sheree Rubinstein, ST KILDA EAST