Six Tasmanian students will have the unique experience of walking in the footsteps of our fallen during the centenary of ANZAC after winning the 2014-15 Frank MacDonald memorial Prize.
The Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize is named in honour of Tasmania's last surviving World War I veteran, and plays a vital role in ensuring our young remember the stories of our old, and gain an understanding of the ANZAC spirit.
Since the first competition in 2003, the year when Frank MacDonald died at the age of 107, more than 55 Tasmanian students have taken part in a study tour of the Western Front in France and Belgium taking in many of the areas where Frank MacDonald served.
Thousands more Tasmanian students who entered the competition have discovered more about Tasmania's military history and the spirit of those who left our shores for the war effort to protect those they were leaving behind.
Taking students to the battlegrounds of Europe provides an educational experience that no classroom could provide and is something they will always remember.
I congratulate the six winners and wish them the best as they embark on the journey of a life time. The winners are:
The students will be supported by two teachers; Margaret Bester from Calvin Christian School and David Boon from Albuera Street Primary School.
The study tour group will also include Mr Terry Roe JP representing the Returned and Services League, Adam Brooks MP Parliamentary Secretary for Small Business and Trade, and two officers from the Department of Premier and Cabinet as tour leaders.
The Centenary of ANZAC represents one of the most significant occasions for our nation, and it has never been so important that all Tasmanians recognise the service and sacrifice of Tasmania's servicemen and women.
More information about the competition and the study tour is available at www.education.tas.gov.au or www.facebook.com/macdonaldprize
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