Last week, central highlands chief ranger Andrew Markwick presented four Beaconhills College students with a cheque for $4400 to help the group continue to campaign for the possum.

In 2009, the year 8 students - Ellie and Mollie Travica, Luke McConnell and Elly Robertson - formed the group HELP (Helping Endangered Leadbeater's Possums) and began their awareness campaign.

The plight of the tiny possum was first taken up by the students in an international education program called Future Problem Solving and they were crowned the grand national champions in November.

They then expanded their activities into fund-raising and awareness campaigns.

The group will now head overseas in June to showcase their work to other students. During the Black Saturday bushfires last year, much of the Leadbeater's possum habitat was burned out, with populations in the Lake Mountain district hit particularly hard.

Mr Markwick said the HELP team had made a direct and meaningful impact on the issues affecting the possum.

"It is wonderful to pay tribute to these wonderful role models, our next generation of conservation leaders and wildlife ambassadors," he said.

"Parks Victoria is very proud to be able to sponsor such a dynamic group of young Australians for a very worthy cause."