Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack reads the entries for this year’s Anzac writing competition. Photo: Supplied.
Federal Member for Riverina Michael McCormack has received more than 650 entries for his 13th annual Anzac writing competition.
Primary and secondary students from about 30 schools across the Riverina electorate submitted stories for this year’s theme, ”Our Anzac Heroes in the Riverina and Central West”.
Mr McCormack said students from the Riverina and Central West were ensuring the bravery of our veterans and current serving defence force personnel continued to be honoured and remembered.
“The quality of writing from this year’s entrants is outstanding,” Mr McCormack said.
“From writing about Afghanistan veteran Nathanael Galagher, to writing from the perspective of a Waler warhorse on a rescue mission, to comparing and contrasting the life of a 12-year-old boy in 1914 to now, the winning students have written impressive and inspiring pieces very deserving of a book prize.
“We must never forget the service and sacrifice of those who have served and continue to serve in the military to uphold the democracy and freedoms our nation holds so dear.”
Mr McCormack thanked the students, teachers and parents for contributing to the competition, which was created so younger generations could directly participate in preserving and continuing to honour the service and sacrifice of defence personnel not only during World Wars I and II, but more recent military operations as well.
“Thank you to all students who submitted an entry this year and to the wonderful teachers and parents who have given their support,” he said.
The 16 winning entries will be published in Mr McCormak’s annual Anzac Day commemorative 52-page booklet and will also receive a book prize from the Australian War Memorial.
The booklet also contains articles on the extraordinary deeds of ordinary Riverina and Central West men and women who went to war, and all the Anzac Day service times from locations across the Riverina and Central West.
Every student who submitted an entry will receive a participation certificate featuring a watermark on the front cover of this year’s annual Anzac Day commemorative booklet, produced by Mr McCormack, which will arrive in letterboxes across the electorate in the coming weeks.
Entries were put into Primary and Secondary categories, with the Riverina electorate divided into north, south, east and west divisions.
Primary schools winning book prize recipients
Khristina Caputo, 11, year 6, Temora Public School
Lexie Finn, 10, year 5, Forbes North Public School
Amy Manwaring, 11, year 6, Jugiong Public School
Ceinwein Milton, 10, year 5, North Wagga Public School
Primary schools highly commended book prize recipients
Harriet Dowling, 10, year 5, Matong Public School
Keira O’Grady, 11, year 6, Sturt Public School, Wagga Wagga
Jasper Rui, 9, year 3, St Patrick’s Primary School, Gundagai
Samara Wood, 11, year 5, Parkes East Public School
Secondary schools winning book prize recipients
Cybele Hewitt, 16, year 11, Hennessy Catholic College, Young
Sam Koop, 14, year 9, West Wyalong High
Frank McMahon, 12, year 7, Red Bend Catholic College, Forbes
Alannah Smith, 12, year 7, Wagga Wagga High
Secondary schools highly commended book prize recipients
Charles Best, 15, year 10, Red Bend Catholic College, Forbes
Isabel Fairman, 13, year 8, St Anne’s Central School, Temora
Rylee Robb, 13, year 8, Gundagai High
Angus Tait, 13, year 7, Wagga Wagga Christian College.
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