WINNERS OF 12th ANNUAL ANZAC WRITING COMPETITION ANNOUNCED

An amazing array of writing talent has been uncovered across the Riverina and Central West in Riverina MP Michael McCormack’s 12th annual ANZAC writing competition.

More than 700 entries were received for this year’s competition, showcasing creative writing prowess as well as honing researching skills as they interpreted the “Keeping the ANZAC spirit alive in the Riverina and Central West” theme.

Mr McCormack said the entries this year were as good as any from previous years and he credited the students and teachers for their hard work.

“I started this writing competition as a way to help younger generations appreciate the service and sacrifice of our soldiers during a time of great turmoil in the world,” Mr McCormack said.

“I am continually impressed at the quality of the writing – from students imagining putting their boots on and fighting in the trenches, to the empathy shown as they write a touching piece about a family left behind – each piece offers something unique which contributes to keeping the ANZAC spirit alive in the Riverina and Central West for generations to come.

“Thank you to every student who submitted an entry this year and also to the many hundreds of students who have entered in the past 11 iterations of the competition. You have all helped to ensure we never forget the sacrifices our forebears made so that we can live in relative freedom and democracy.

“My gratitude, also, to the teachers who supported the students – without their support this competition could not take place.”

Every student who submitted an entry will receive a participation certificate featuring a watermark of 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.

Each of the 16 winning and highly commended entries will be published in the 52-page booklet, which also contains fascinating articles of the extraordinary deeds of ordinary Riverina and Central West men and women who went to war.

Primary schools winning book prize recipients

Finn Brown, 11, Year 6, St Mary’s War Memorial School, West Wyalong

James Callander, 12, Year 6, Sturt Public School, Wagga Wagga

Hunter Maxwell, 8, Year 3, Bedgerabong Public School

Grace Wheaton, 10 , Year 5, Gundagai Public School

Primary schools highly commended book prize recipients

Sam Chisholm, 11, Year 6, St Joseph’s Primary School, Junee

Michael Martin-Henry, 11, Year 6, Matong Public School

Kasey Morgan, 12, Year 6, Parkes East Public School

Sieanna Slater, 12, Year 6, EA Southee Public School, Cootamundra

Secondary schools winning book prize recipients

Cailee Anderson, 14, Year 9, Cowra High School

Holly Bennett, 14, Year 9, The Riverina Anglican College, Wagga Wagga

Ava Curr, 15, Year 10, Red Bend Catholic College, Forbes

Charlie Schneeberger, 15, Year 10, West Wyalong High School

Secondary schools highly commended book prize recipients

Alana Folau, 15, Year 10, Red Bend Catholic College, Forbes

Cybele Hewitt, 15, Year 10, Hennessy Catholic College, Young

Jett Nguyen, 13, Year 8, St Anne’s Central School, Temora

Archie Wheaton, 13, Year 8, Gundagai High School

Shane Manning