- Premier's Anzac Prize recipients have started their First World War research journey at the State Library of Queensland.
- The secondary students will take in-depth Anzac knowledge back to their hometowns across the state.
- The group will attend the Anzac Day Dawn Service in Villers-Bretonneux in France later this year, and tour important memorial sites in the United Kingdom and Belgium with expert historians.
The Anzac legacy will remain as strong as ever with young Queenslanders as eight students from across the state embark on an epic research journey thanks to the Premier's annual Anzac Prize.
The recipients – eight secondary school students and two teacher chaperones – began by exploring First World War artefacts at the State Library of Queensland with the White Gloves Experience today.
These students and teachers will gain an in-depth understanding of the Anzac legacy and take this knowledge back to their hometowns across Queensland including regional areas such as Goondiwindi, Murgon and Proserpine.
In a few months this group will then travel to Europe to tour important memorial sites in the United Kingdom and on the Western Front (France and Belgium) with expert historians.
The trip also includes attending the Australian Government Anzac Day Dawn Service in the northern French village of Villers-Bretonneux where nearly 1,500 Australian diggers became casualties in fierce fighting 106 years ago.
Recipients will also research Australian war heroes, assist with fundraising activities for support services for returned servicemen, and help engage their communities to better honour all those who have served and sacrificed for our nation.
Today at the State Library of Queensland, the Prize winners viewed First World War artefacts including journals, trench art and letters.
They were accompanied by Acting Minister for Education Sam O'Connor, RSL Queensland President Major General Stephen Day, and State Librarian Vicki McDonald.
Acting Minister O'Connor said today's inaugural experience gave students a personal insight into the lives of Anzac soldiers, ahead of the students' and teachers' visit to these sacred sites in Europe.
"The Premier's Anzac Prize is a prestigious and competitive program, so I congratulate these young Queenslanders on being selected. They will be fantastic ambassadors for Queensland when they travel to the significant European battle grounds later this year," he said.
"I am sure today's hands-on history lesson will make the tour later this year even more meaningful for them.
"The experience they're embarking on will have a huge impact on them all personally, but also help them to develop lifelong connections and maintain the Anzac legacy and legend."
The Premier's Anzac Prize is delivered by the Queensland Government, in partnership with RSL Queensland.
It is awarded to Queensland high school students and teachers from both state and non-state schools.
Successful students learn about life on the frontlines and the history of Anzacs overseas during WWI.
Students attend a two-day workshop hosted by the State Library of Queensland, complete a research task, undertake a charity fundraising project, and give a presentation to a primary school.
The chosen participants then embark on a two-week tour of Europe, visiting key sites important to Australian war history.
