NORTHERN Tablelands MP Adam Marshall is encouraging students currently in Years 9 or 10 to apply for the 2016 Premier’s ANZAC Memorial Scholarship, for the opportunity to travel to historic battlefields in which Australian Diggers fought.
The scholarship program will provide students with the ability to visit the Western Front to commemorate the Centenary of ANZAC.
In urging local schools to participate in the program, Mr Marshall it was a terrific opportunity for students to represent their school and community overseas and learn more about the nation’s military history.
“The scholarships will enable students to learn about the history of our ANZACs and share their experience with the community when they return,” Mr Marshall said.
“The scholars’ pilgrimage to the Western Front will enable the stories of sacrifice and courage by the ANZACs to be passed on to our younger generations.
“I think it’s very important that Australian service men and women are remembered in their local communities.”
Mr Marshall said that each year under the Premier’s ANZAC Memorial Scholarship up to 20 scholarships would be provided to NSW students, offering them with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the key battlefields and memorials associated with the Centenary of ANZAC.
In July next year students will be visiting France and Belgium to commemorate the Anzacs who fought on the Western Front during the First World War.
In the past, students have visited a range of battlefields and memorials associated with Australia’s ANZAC legacy including South Korea, Turkey, the Western Front, Vietnam and Singapore.
Applications for 2016 will be assessed by a committee including NSW RSL, Veterans’ Affairs and the Department of Education.
Students and teachers should apply by visiting the Veterans Affairs’ website at www.veterans.nsw.gov.au and clicking on the education tab, or contact (02) 9228 4710.