Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize

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The Premier’s Spirit of Anzac Prize 2020 is now open

The Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize provides 22 students with the opportunity to participate in an overseas study tour to sites where Australians have served in times of war and peacekeeping. In addition, 20 regional finalists will visit Canberra and be invited to attend the Premier's ANZAC Day Luncheon.

The Prize is open to students in Years 9 and 10 currently enrolled in all Victorian Government, Catholic and Independent Schools.

Competition closing date

• 5pm, Tuesday 8 October 2019 – early applications are encouraged

How to enter

Step 1: Check you’re eligible

• You have permission from a parent or guardian.
• You’re in Year 9 or Year 10 and enrolled in a Victorian registered school (Government, Catholic or Independent) in the year your entry is submitted.
• If your entry is shortlisted, you need to be available for a group interview in Melbourne in early December 2019. The interview is a mandatory part of the selection process.
• You’re an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia in the year of the study tour.
• Entry is largely your own work, without assistance from other students, teachers or family members.
• Your entry doesn’t break any copyright laws.
• Your entry is provided in Word or PDF format.
• Your entry can be used to promote the competition.
• You’re available to present to local schools and communities, if needed.
• You have or can apply for an Australian passport, which is valid for more than 6 months at the time of travel.

Step 2: Select a topic for the focus of your entry from the list below

Topic 1: Explore or represent the perspectives and experiences of Australians in war.

Topic 2: Explore or represent the ways Australia’s involvement in war changed the role of women in Australian society.

Topic 3: Explore or represent how communities commemorate and remember those who have fought for Australia.

You can select from WWI, WWII, the Vietnam War or more recent conflicts when responding to your chosen topic.

Step 3: Presenting your submission

You can present your entry as:

• an essay up to 1,000 words (word count doesn’t include references or footnotes)
• poem, short story or other literary form
• audio presentation (maximum 10 minutes)
• video presentation (maximum 10 minutes)
• musical composition – a song or instrumental
• web page
• artwork – painting, drawing, photograph, textile or other art forms

Step 4: Research your chosen topic

You can source materials from:

• interviews
• experiences of friends or relatives
• media sources
• online research
• local libraries, ex-service organisations such as the Returned and Services League (RSL) and historical societies

You need to acknowledge all sources and provide an annotated bibliography.

Step 5: Include an annotated bibliography listing reference material

You need to include a bibliography or listing for all entry types. Please provide in Word or PDF format, that doesn’t exceed 5MB.

• Preparing a bibliography (PDF, 1.6 MB)

Step 6: All entries (excluding essays) need to include a statement of intent

Your statement should be no more than 500 words and needs to cover:

• how you conducted your research
• why you choose your format
• how the format relates to the research and topic
• your conclusions on the topic

Please create your statement in Word or PDF format and check that it doesn’t exceed 5MB.

Step 7: Check your attachments are the right size and format

Before beginning the online application, check your attachments are in the right format.

Digital presentations

For a webpage, audio presentation, video or musical composition – upload to YouTube and include the URL in a Word or PDF attachment. Please check the document doesn’t exceed 5MB.

Artwork

Please provide an image of your artwork in PDF format, that doesn’t exceed 5MB. We’re unable to accept the original artworks.

Essay, short story or poem

Please provide in Word and PDF format, that doesn’t exceed 5MB.

Key dates

Competition closing date: 5pm, Tuesday 8 October 2019 – early applications are encouraged.

Student Group Interview Day: early December 2019

Premier’s announcement ceremony for recipients: early February 2020

Overseas study tour

• Travel dates: Term 1 holidays, 2020
• Tour of Australian military service and culturally significant sites

Canberra study tour

• Travel dates: Term 2 holidays, 2020
• Tour: 3-day tour of the Australian War Memorial and surrounding sites

Prize selection process

Step 1: A selection panel will judge your entry based on:

• relation to the theme: 35%
• quality of historical research: 35%
• presentation: 30%

Step 2: Finalists will be invited to an interview

If your application is shortlisted, you’ll be asked to attend a group interview day. The group interview is a mandatory part of being able to participate in the study tour. The group interview day will be held in early December 2019.

For the group interview, you need to prepare:

• a portfolio outlining your achievements and participation in school and community activities
• 3-minute presentation about your entry

More information

• Email: SOAP@dpc.vic.gov.au
• Phone: 9651 2036
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