SA Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize

   A deeper connection to my great-grandpa by Kenzie King My favourite part of the trip was being able to develop a deeper connection to my great-grandpa Aza Lenden King. It was extremely special to be a 2022 Premier’s Anzac Spirit Prize Awardee after telling Aza’s story and ending up travelling to Darwin to visit some of the places he served in during WWII. I had also never been to Darwin before, so this was a new experience for me. Aza witnessed the first plane to be shot down, a US Kitty Hawk, during the bombing of Darwin in 1942, which was surreal as we went to Darwin Harbour and were lucky enough to go on a Darwin Bombing Cruise. Touring around the harbour and learning exactly where it all happened, was a unique and one-of-a-kind experience I will never forget. It allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of what it was like for Aza and others serving at the time in Darwin, which was extremely special. Another highlight I will cherish actually happened after the trip. It was e

  Oh, The Places We Went  by Alexandra Seal There were many aspects of the Premier’s Anzac Spirit School Prize Darwin Trip, which were unforgettable and surreal. Visiting the graves of the Bald Family and the places of their final moments was an incredibly eye-opening experience. I reflected on their courage and Anzac spirit throughout the trip as well as my own personal journey as we hiked in Kakadu. I often walked at the back of the group, taking the time to appreciate the journey and the adventure it became to arrive at the gorgeous destinations. I learnt that by taking it slow and not rushing the long journey to the waterfalls, I could appreciate the beauty of the Northern Territory and be even more grateful for the opportunity I had been given. By learning to slow down a usually fast-paced journey, which we call life, I was able to catch beautiful glimpses of Australia’s ecosystems at work. From seeing lizards lounging in the sun to listening to Aaron explain the flora and fauna s

  Brushstrokes of History by Emma Choi   The historical study tour to Darwin and the Top End of Australia, as part of the Anzac Spirit School Prize , was an experience I will remain forever profoundly grateful for – I left Adelaide Airport , subsequent to the ten days of the trip, having acutely cultivated my passion for history , ruminated upon my personal identity and values, and materialised close-knit bonds with some of the most intelligent, ardently investigative individuals I will ever have the pleasure to meet.      With this opportunity, I would like to share a quote that I believe summarises the emotions I felt on the trip: “We are not makers of history. We are made by history.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. As such, I was continually reminded that in the grand tapestry of human existence, each of our lives are intricately entwined with those that came before us; and an experience that particularly enforced this, was observing Indigenous Australian rock art sites.      This

  We weren’t that far away from home, yet everything was so different by Tovie Hallion Being accepted as a winner of the 2022 Premiers Anzac Spirit Award was honourable and thrilling. Not only was I given the pride of winning a title that meant so much to me, but also the experience of spending ten days with nineteen other individuals in a place filled with history. Being in Darwin surrounded by people with the same passion for history was something special, and a forever memory. One of my favourite memories of the trip was swimming in the waterfalls, especially Florence Falls. This was special for me as I haven’t had the opportunity to swim in a waterfall before. At Florence Falls I felt grounded in its nature, from the sound of the crashing water to the luscious thick plants that grew alongside the rocks. Being in the presence of Darwin’s scenery it was a strange thought that we weren’t that far away from home, yet everything was so different. Swimming in the falls, I appreciated

  I felt so simple and small, in contrast to the great structures that surrounded me by Vinka Lakic History is the product of one man’s determination to defy the economic and political pressures that consume the world around him; and the greatness to inspire millions after him. If I were asked to articulate the lesson I have learnt from this entire trip, I would reply: neither celebrated nor seldom heeded historical events should deter us from acknowledging the significance of every historical event. Reflecting on the trip, a highlight of mine certainly lies in the Nit Nit Dreaming Cruise in Nitmilik (Katherine) Gorge; this experience was beautiful and scenic, capturing the authentic beauty of the environment and the fauna and flora that inhibits it. As I absorbed the picturesque views, I felt as if I had been transported to another realm, believing that I would never have felt so in awe of nature; and ironically, amid my thoughts, I felt so simple and small, in contrast to the gr

  I became aware of how history surrounds us by Sahib Kaur One of my favourite parts of the trip was when we visited Parliament House. This wasn’t originally part of the plan for the trip but I am glad we visited it. I am someone who is intrigued and interested in the overlap between politics and history, so this was such an memorable experience. When we saw the original post office wall and the plaque, I had a moment where I became aware of how history surrounds us. It all became incredibly real in my head during this moment and I connected the stories of the post office workers that we previously shared, to the wall. I had a few moments of awareness during the trip where I realised it was a real historical event and not just something we read about, but this was by far the most intense. Other than the rich history we were exposed to in the Northern Territory, I made new friends and had so many enjoyable moments. I loved the little moments like when I plaited Ella’s hair and Amel

Connection by William Sims I chose to write about this photo as I felt a great connection to it. This photo shows a plaque commemorating Merchant Navy service people and the sacrifice they made. This photo is really special to me as the person I researched after being awarded the prize, Master William Michie, is listed on this plaque. At first when we were told we needed to research a person that lost their life during the Bombing of Darwin, I had no idea who I was going to write about. I ended up choosing a William as it was only fitting, as I am a William and the original entry, I wrote was on William Charles Kenwrick, my great-grandfather. I soon became really connected to William Michie and his story and felt a part of his story. Seeing his name at the Adelaide River War Cemetery was surreal. I stood at this plaque and read the story I had written on William Michie aloud, multiple times feeling like I had not quite read it right. I then placed a poppy on the headstone and thought a

  The best way to have concluded the best trip  by Ned Uren   Anzac Day away in Darwin felt like the best way we could have concluded our trip. A day centred on commemoration, sacrifice, respect felt so special while being on the Anzac Spirit School Prize study tour. As the trip begun in Darwin talking about the bombing of Darwin and the Territories strong military involvement, I had learnt that the city of Darwin’s character was built on the foundations of actions by the brave people of Darwin during the bombing and throughout. Hearing stories of the soldiers brave enough to man anti-aircraft guns with nothing more than a towel to clothe them or the brave actions by the hospital ship the Manunda. These stories all came to life for me on the morning of the 25 th of April. The dawn service as highlighted in the photo above was an extremely powerful service that made me feel almost indebted to those who have served for our country. As the Dawn Service continued and the sun began to ro

  Best Friends who I now called my new family - by Olivia Brook The first night at Stokes Hill Wharf was one of the most significant memories for me. During my research of nurse, Margaret Augusta De Mestre, I was able to find the approximate location where the hospital ship Manunda was moored from Stokes Hill Wharf. This is where Margaret unfortunately lost her life during the Bombing of Darwin. This first night was so special to me as I looked out over Darwin Harbour, seeing the stunning sunset and visualising Margaret’s story.   I imagined the Manunda peacefully moored to the southwest around 2.5 km off Stokes Hill Wharf and then coming under fire on that terrible day. With a heavy heart, I felt for Margaret and the crew members who lost their lives, sacrificing everything to keep our country safe and heal the wounded. I was looked out onto the Harbour with compassion and sadness, then I turned my head to see the long table, filled with a group of special people that I conne

My Favourite night – By Emily McPherson It was around day 5 when I had one of the best moments on the trip. We had just spent more than a few hours on the bus together when we arrived in Katherine. Everyone was exhausted by this point and we had a couple hours before dinner so we all went back to our rooms to shower and relax. Some of us called our parents to give them the daily run down of our day, others of us had showers. Slowly, a few girls at a time started making their way into Sahib and Amelie and my room. We started by talking about some really deep topics, but the more people who came into our room, the sillier the topics became and the louder the room got. Right before dinner when most of the girls had found our room, we were cracking each other up by telling childhood stories and struggling to hear because other’s conversations were so loud. Now, after that night, I can tell you things from some of the girls’ childhoods that are personal and hilarious and that I would pro

I sat at his memorial and read his story to him  by Lara Braithwaite Prior to entering the ANZAC Spirit, despite my love for war history, I never felt a true emotional connection to the people I was learning about. It wasn’t until I began researching my great-grandpa Bill that I realised although these events took place decades ago, they still bare grief today. My great grandpa did return home from war, but it would later take him from his wife and 2 children who believed he never healed from his wounds. The family, that would later become mine, have lived their whole lives without their father/husband. This is where I began to feel the true affects of war. Although, weeks before we left for Darwin as I was researching Eric Pollard, I felt the same as before the competition. I felt as if I was just reading a story, it didn’t feel real. Until day 4 of the trip when we visited Adelaide River War Cemetery. Eric’s name is placed on a plaque in the centre of the cemetery, along with his

Th is lady I had been researching, was a real person   by Annabel Geater-Johnson Being at Adelaide River War Cemetery was a significant and emotional moment for me. Whilst we were at the Adelaide River War Cemetery, I sat at Emily Florence Young's grave to thank her for her bravery and sacrifice. Being at the grave was a moment of realisation that this lady I had been researching, was a real person and so where all the other people who were killed. It made me emotional thinking how scared she must have been seeing and hearing the 188 Japanese aircraft heading towards Darwin. I was terrified when watching the virtual reality experience at the Royal Flying Doctors Museum and to think that was reality for so many people was heart-breaking. Walking around the graves was an eye-opening experience. Reading the ages and messages on the plaques was incredibly sad. There were plaques for people as young as 16 which was so surreal to me considering that is around my age. I couldn’t help but

  If I was in Darwin on the 19th of February 1942 by Charlotte Lockwood Throughout the trip I would think of questions as to if I was in Darwin on the 19th of February 1942. How I would have felt if I were there? How would I have felt if I were on the Neptuna as I was getting bombed? How would I have felt if I saw the enemy planes flying over and bombs falling from the sky? How would I have felt if one of my family members was lost in the bombing? On the final night, we went to the gun from the Peary and looked out over the harbour. This moment had a large impact on me because it signified how much we had learnt on the trip. On the first day, we did the same thing stood at the gun and looked over the harbour, but it wasn’t very impacting because we didn’t know much. That final night looking out I was able to answer so many of the questions I had thought to myself throughout. How would I have felt if I was there? I would have been terrified. Seeing the bombs falling, shrapnel flying

  Friendship by Aston Joshy Friendship. From the day I got to the airport and saw all the other 19 faces I knew the butterflies in my stomach would never fly away. I was scared to be honest and the fact that I was going to live with them for the next ten days made me feel worse. I said goodbye to my parents and started talking to the first boy I saw; it was pretty awkward, and I couldn’t talk about anything we had in common. We got on the plane and turbulence hit like crazy along with a squeal form my throat that cracked up the two other kids laughing beside me. Finally, we had something in common and that was our laughter. That was the moment that I started talking to everyone else. We were all so different, but I guess that’s what brought us together. Sharing bus rides for several hours, to everyone sipping off the one slushy I bought, to jumping in the river and commemorating the ANZAC soldiers at the harbour together. The friendship that I made on this trip; meeting all these amazi

  Hi Premier's Anzac Spirit School prize students Congratulations on being a magnificent group in Darwin this trip. Your co-operation, inquisitiveness and general interest in all aspects of the trip was amazing - as teachers, we congratulate you. We hope you enjoyed the trip as much as we did.  We also encourage you to think about entering the  Governor's Civics Awards for Schools program in 202 3.  A brief video about the awards is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO91nkPap6c and the brochure at  https://www.education.sa.gov.au/docs/curriculum/governor-civics/governors_civics_awards_program_secondary.pdf The interest you showed about civics when you visited the Northern Territory Parliament indicated your interest in the area of civics and citizenship. Think about entering and having a go at being presented with this prestigious award in 2023.   Those among you who are in Year 10 in a Department of Education school should also think about entering the Minister's Eden Pr