Premier and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs announce recipients of Spirit of Anzac Prize 12 lucky students to tour Gallipoli, the Western Front and Lemnos in Greece Victorian Coalition Government keeping the spirit of Anzac alive in our younger generations
Twelve young Victorians will soon pack their bags for an overseas study tour of World War I battlefield sites after receiving the 2013-14 Premier’s Spirit of Anzac Prize.
Premier Denis Napthine today joined Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Hugh Delahunty at Parliament House to announce this year’s recipients, selected from a record number of almost 500 entries.
Dr Napthine congratulated this year’s recipients and commended all finalists for their outstanding entries which included poems, drawings, essays and songs on the relevance of the Anzac spirit to life in Australia today.
“There is a great interest in the history of Australia’s war heritage from young Victorians and the competition is getting more difficult to judge with so many impressive entries,” Dr Napthine said.
“This year we are pleased to offer two more places than previous years, providing 12 students with the opportunity to visit Gallipoli, the Western Front and, for the first time, Lemnos in Greece.”
The 12 recipients of the Prize were selected from a shortlist of 28 state finalists. The recipients are:
Laura Bishop, Westbourne Grammar School; Claire Fitzgerald, Clonard College; Charlotte Frost, St Brigid’s College; Bianca Gerrard, Beaufort Secondary College; Otis Heffernan-Wooden, Lilydale High School; Breanna Janson, Nagle College Bairnsdale; Michael Manoussakis, Marymede Catholic College; Samuel Penfold, St Kevin’s College Toorak; Travis Reid, Fountain Gate Secondary College; Stephanie Schwarz, Goulburn Valley Grammar School; Sanduni Thomas-Hewage, Pascoe Vale Girls College; and Lila Van Breugel, Trafalgar High School.

“The Premier’s Spirit of Anzac Prize encourages our young Victorians to think about the history of Anzac and what it means to us today,” Dr Napthine said.
“Entries are now open for the 2014-15 Prize and I encourage all eligible students to check www.veterans.vic.gov.au for details.”
Mr Delahunty said the Victorian Coalition Government was pleased to offer a competition that inspired younger generations to learn more about World War I.
“It seems particularly significant as we enter the Anzac Centenary period of 2014 to 2018 – a time when all Victorians are encouraged to commemorate World War I in personally meaningful ways,” Mr Delahunty said.
“This trip will be an important milestone for each of those 12 students and will ensure that the stories of our Anzacs are kept alive within the younger generations.”
The year nine and ten students will be chaperoned by two teachers from Warrnambool’s Emmanuel College and Geelong’s Sacred Heart College. The group will be guided by Professor Bruce Scates, an expert on World War I history

  2014 Premier’s Spirit, Anzac Prize recipients announced