2018 Premier’s Anzac Prize tour winners announced

Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace today announced the eight students and two teacher chaperones selected for the 2018 Premier’s Anzac Prize, who will participate in historic centenary commemorations in France this year.

Ms Grace, representing Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk, met with the prize winners today at the State Library of Queensland at which students are participating in a two-day Young Historians’ Workshop to prepare for their trip to the site of the Western Front in April.

“These eight remarkable students, presented outstanding multimedia entries illustrating the Anzac spirit to be selected for this year’s Premier’s Anzac Prize,” Ms Grace said.

“This year marks 100 years since the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux on Anzac Day in 1918. The students will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the historic centenary commemorative dawn service at the Australian War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux.

“They also will be among the first visitors to the new Sir John Monash Centre Australian National Memorial, which has been established at Villers-Bretonneux as a lasting legacy of the Centenary of Anzac.

“Through the Premier’s Anzac Prize, students have the opportunity to honour the Anzac tradition in a personal way by researching and writing about service people from their local area, or who may have enlisted at the same age as they are.

“This award has effectively engaged our younger generation in understanding the Anzac tradition and how the Anzac spirit is instilled in the Australian way of life.”

Ms Grace said the Premier’s Anzac Prize had given more than 100 participants a life-changing experience since its inception in 2013.

“The program has had a profound influence on its participants and the wider community,” she said.

The judging panel for the Anzac Prize included representatives of the Australian Defence Force, Returned and Services League, history teachers and the Department of Education.

“I thank all members of the judging panel for their time and expertise and the two teacher chaperones for the part they will play in supporting students during their journey,” she said.

For further information including video and photo galleries of past tours go to www.education.qld.gov.au/anzac-prize.

Student winners of the 2018 Premier’s Anzac Prize: 

• Shana Coyle                       St Monica’s College, Cairns
• Tyla Craven-Griffiths           Kirwan State High School
• Jack Frey                           St Teresa’s Catholic College
• Isabelle Jardine                  Clayfield College
• Isaac Mabo-Edwards           Pimlico SHS
• Fenlan Miller                       All Saints Anglican School
• Harry Packwood                  Shalom College
• Lillian Ward                        Tannum Sands SHS

Teacher chaperones: 

• Jodi Pallett                           Tannum Sands SHS
• Tim McMahon                       Christian Outreach College Toowoomba

*Photograph attached at this link is of Education Minister Grace Grace (centre) Acting Director General Annette Whitehead (left of Min Grace) and six of the eight winners, who were at the workshop today at the State Library of Queensland.

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