AUSTRALIAN history classes are still a really relevant part of school curriculum, says Ballarat High School student Laura Benney. The year 11 finds delving into our nation’s history helps us understand who we are, how we fit in a global context and the sacrifices and achievements of those before us.
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“I definitely think history is an important subject – there’s so much to learn,” Ms Benney said. “It’s not just about war. History is about humanity and what it means to be an Australian.”
Ms Benney is set for a whirlwind study tour of Gallipoli and the Western Front in the term one school holidays, joining Ballarat Christian College’s Edwina Blachford and Damascus College’s Imogen Coles. The trio are among 22 students receiving the Premier’s Spirit of Anzac award.
The tour will allow Ms Benney a chance to make a small speech and commemoration to her great-great grandfather Horace Potter, who fought in Pozières in northern France. Ms Benney has partnered with Ms Blachford for a commemorative piece on the tour.
“I’m really, really excited and really honoured,” Ms Benney said. “I am the first person in my family to go to World War I battlegrounds.”
Ms Benney’s father, a history buff, was in the army reserves and her uncle was in the navy.
Candidates were to address what the Anzac spirit means in today’s diverse and multicultural society. Ms Benney tried a few mediums before writing a poem to convey the experience of those who worked with Anzac troops and those who fought against them.
Ms Cole, who hails from New Zealand, filmed a documentary on her journey from Ballarat to Auckland to discover her family’s war contribution. The year 10 student learned the legacy of her great-great uncle Lieutenant-Commander William Edward Sanders. He is the only New Zealander serving in the navy to win a Victoria Cross, for gallantry in the face of the enemy.
A visit to Auckland War Memorial Museum allowed Ms Cole a chance to hold the Victoria Cross and her great-great uncle’s other awards and precious war artifacts.
“Seeing and holding the actual Victoria Cross and other artifacts was a surreal experience,” Ms Cole said. “It made me appreciate so much more what others had given up for the freedom we enjoy today.”
Meanwhile, Ms Blachfield will have a busy year. She is also selected for a United Nations Australia exploratory tour of East Timor.
The Victorian government boosted student places from 12 to 22 for this year’s Anzac tour, which visits key WWI settings at Lemnos (Greece), Gallipoli and Western Front.
