Hear from past recipients of the Premier's Spirit of Anzac Prize
2024 Prize recipients
In August 2024, 12 students were awarded the prize and selected to tour significant commemorative sites in Türkiye.
- Sophie Birrell – Goulburn Valley Grammar School
- Benjamin Bolton – Kings' College Warrnambool
- Chloe Lawson – Bass Coast College
- Owen McCoughtry – Saint Ignatius College Geelong
- Carys Murray – Gippsland Grammar
- William Muhlhauser – Haileybury College
- Ruby Pearce – Marian College
- Bai Yang Sascha Peter Pogos-Hill – John Monash Science School (Clayton Campus)
- Mahdia Qasimi – Hampton Park Secondary College
- Freshta Watanyar – Marian College
- George Whitford – Myrtleford P12 College
- Kylinda Zhang – Nossal High School
2023 Prize recipients
In November 2023, 12 students were awarded the prize and will embark on a trip to Türkiye to retrace the steps of the Anzacs.
- Baylasan Almosa – Mount Ridley P-12 College
- Devansh Attrey – Caroline Chisholm Catholic College
- Disha Awasthi – East Doncaster Secondary College
- Lauren Baker – Mullauna College
- Vedat Can Bozkurt – Ilim College of Australia
- Olivia Campbell - Presbyterian Ladies' College
- Alexander Large – Mentone Grammar School
- Cassie Lenné – Catholic College Sale
- Bayden Matthews – Swan Hill College
- Zachary Melvaine – Mill Park Secondary College
- Kirwan Schoenborn – Wesley College Melbourne
- Roman Young – Oxley Christian College
2022 and 2021 Prize recipients
In December 2021, 40 secondary school students across Victoria were awarded with scholarships of $2,500 to support their education goals.
- Claire Paterson - Brentwood Secondary College
- Emily Turner - Carey Baptist Grammar School
- Abby Ogden - FCJ College Benalla
- Molly Close - FCJ College Benalla
- Zanthe Newham - FCJ College Benalla
- Grace Green - Haileybury
- Krish Gupta - Haileybury
- Ishi Jajpura - Haileybury
- Syazwani Saifudin - Hoppers Crossing Secondary College
- Matilda Seckold - Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School
- Zarin Zoha - John Monash Science School
- Jasmine Hamit- Killester College
- Aimee Norris - Lilydale Heights College
- Savannah Shamon - Marymede Catholic College
- Alexandra Conroy-Ryan - Melbourne Girls Grammar
- Jake Newman - Mentone Grammar School
- Sofia Ghidinelli-Matheson - Mildura Senior College
- Denisse Lopez Garza - Mount Lilydale Mercy College
- Mia Brice - Norwood Secondary College
- Layla Kiefte - Norwood Secondary College
- Joshua Palmer - Oberon High School
- Aiyanna Fernandopulle - Padua College
- Alice Roberts - Parkdale Secondary College
- Brian Lim - Parkdale Secondary College
- Jack Ojaimi - Parkdale Secondary College
- Leila Tebb - Parkdale Secondary College
- Xinran Zhang - Peninsula Grammar
- Meg Paton - Peninsula Grammar
- Yehansa Malagala - Presbyterian Ladies' College
- Ankita Patel - Ringwood Secondary College
- Marco Baker-Athanassiou - Rowville Secondary College
- Cindy Jin - Ruyton Girls' School
- Keelee Smith - St Augustine's College Kyabram
- Ethan Malcolm - St Helena Secondary College
- Alexa Grant - Sunbury College
- Likitha Kujala - Suzanne Cory High School
- Henry McCasland-Strachan - Templestowe College
- Macklin Spicer - The Kilmore International School
- Sophie Edis - Vermont Secondary College
- Jeremy Firman - Vermont Secondary College
2020 Prize scholarships
In November 2020, 24 students were awarded scholarships to support their education goals.
View the video of the Spirit of Anzac Prize 2020 Awards Ceremony
Regional Scholarship recipients
- Ashlee Eacott - Parkdale Secondary College
- Brianna Murgana - Fountain Gate Secondary College
- Casey Grimsted - Nagle College
- Chelsea Filmer - Nagle College
- Ella Thomson - Baimbridge College
- Fletcher Chandler - Auburn High School
- Jax Scaife - Keilor Downs College
- Oliver Ferguson - Huntingtower School
- Oliver Warwick - Ballarat Grammar
- Olivia Kiefte - Norwood College
- Sotir Stojanovic - Warrandyte High School
- Stella Mackay - Sacred Heart College Geelong
Major Scholarship recipients
- Cameron Ross - The Knox School
- Cliona Ingram - Goulburn Valley Grammar
- Ebony Brice - Norwood Secondary College
- Ella Battista - Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar
- Kaitlyn Bulmer - Echuca College
- Lleyton Row - St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School Traralgon
- Macklin Spicer - The Kilmore International School
- Maeve Winter - Westbourne Grammar School
- Paramita Sharma - Coburg High School
- Samuel Ball - Norwood College
- Stephanie McKie - Parkdale Secondary College
- Tristan Clonan - Damascus College
2019 Prize study tour - Vietnam and Singapore
In April 2019, prize recipients participated in an overseas study tour, exploring sites of military and historical significance in Vietnam and Singapore.
Highlights
- Cu Chi Tunnels, Vietnam
- War Remnants Museum, Vietnam
- Long Tan Cross, Vietnam
- Nui Dat, Vietnam
- Wreath-laying ceremony at the Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore
Prize recipients
- Jorja Brown - Swan Hill College
- Sian Cadogan-Cowper - Catholic Ladies College
- Elizabeth Day - St Margaret's School
- Nicole Formaran - St Pauls Lavalla Catholic College
- Rachel Grimaud - Overnewton College
- Angus Hatty - Goulburn Valley Grammar School
- Jasmine Hofen - Elisabeth Murdoch College
- Carissa Hughes - St Pauls Anglican Grammar School
- Isambard Knox-Johnson - Huntingtower School
- Hannah Lilford - Braemar College
- Hannah Martin - Nagle College
- Tom McKenzie - Ballarat Grammar School
- Elly Miechel - Goulburn Valley Grammar School
- Gemma Miralles - Norwood Secondary College
- Mustafa Muhammad - Rosehill Secondary College
- Logan Ratnarajah - Huntingtower School
- Tiernan Sharkey - Melbourne High School
- Byron Singleton - Coburg High School
- Renee Thomas - Good News Lutheran College
- Matteo Vavala - Westbourne Grammar School
- Megan Willey - Ballarat Grammar School
- Benjamin Wright - Damascus College
Teacher chaperones
- Brendan Bawden - Damascus College
- Joanne Dryden - St Mary’s of the Angels Secondary College
- Kara Taylor - Irymple Secondary College
2019 Prize study tour - Canberra tour
In July 2019, regional finalists participated in a 3-day study tour of Canberra and attended the Premier’s Anzac Luncheon on 17 April 2019.
Highlights
- Australian War Memorial and laying a wreath at the Last Post Ceremony
- Parliament House
- National Film and Sound Archive
- Canberra Glassworks
Regional finalists
- Mohammed Alsayer - Auburn High School
- Matthew Bannon - Princess Hill Secondary College
- Lola Derrick-Wright - The Academy of Mary Immaculate
- Martin Grozev - Huntingtower School
- Hamish Hall - Ballarat Grammar School
- Rosie Hyett - Methodist Ladies College
- Joshua Jinu - Westbourne Grammar School
- Neve Joseland - Westbourne Grammar School
- Sarah McCulloch - St Pauls Anglican Grammar school
- Jasmine Ngo - Huntingtower School
- Winston Nguyen - Keysborough College
- Madison Nicol - Overnewton College
- Charlotte Thoolen - Swan Hill College
- Max Walton Briggs - Berwick Grammar School
- Isabella Watts - St Pauls Anglican Grammar School
Teacher chaperones
- Kylie Moroney - The Alpine School
- Mitchell Poole - Keysborough College
2018 Prize study tour - Darwin and Singapore tour
In April 2018, 22 prize recipients participated in an overseas study tour of WWII sites in Darwin and Singapore.
Highlights
- Commemorative service at the Darwin Cenotaph
- Darwin Aviation Museum
- Darwin Military Museum
- Defence of Darwin Experience.
- The Old Ford Factory, Singapore
- The Battle Box, Singapore
- Changi Museum, Singapore
Prize recipients
- Charlotte Baker - Swan Hill College
- Hollie Bugeja - St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School
- Noah Esmonde - Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School
- Alice Hepburn - Princes Hill Secondary College
- Tara Hoopman - Camberwell Girls Grammar School
- Lincoln Ingravalle - Lavalla Catholic College
- Zac Legge - Yarra Valley Grammar School
- Jacinda Luttrell - Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School
- Maliat Monir - Lavalla Catholic College
- Charity Nguyen - Lalor Secondary College
- William Penfold - St Kevin’s College
- Charlie Pickett - Auburn High School
- Fran Pini - Nagle College
- Emma Rahman - Vermont Secondary College
- Patrick Ryan - Mercy Regional College
- Laura Stedman - Loreto College
- Jesse Stevens - Kyabram P-12 College
- Olivia Suddick - Canterbury Girls Secondary College
- Christine Teoxon - Good News Lutheran College
- Sarah Trewick - Rochester Secondary College
- Anna Whelan - Pakenham Secondary College
- Larissa Zanardo - Sacred Heart College
Teacher chaperones
- Justine Garcia - Overnewton Anglican Community College
- Rebecca McClure - Irymple Secondary College
- Gary Serpell - Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
2018 Prize study tour - Canberra tour
In July 2018, 20 regional finalists participated in a 3-day study tour of Canberra and attended the Premier’s Anzac Luncheon on 19 April.
Highlights
- Visiting the Australian War Memorial and laying a wreath at the Last Post Ceremony
- Guided walking tour of ANZAC Parade
- Exploring the National Film and Sound Archive
Regional finalists
- Jeremy Aked - Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School
- Macy Austin - St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School
- Tahlia Barry - St Mary’s MacKillop College
- Kelsey Cuttriss - Nagle College
- Caitlin Dorrian - Lalor Secondary College
- Emily Gardiner - Alkira Secondary College
- Declan Hovenden - Marist College
- Ana Krsteska - Lalor Secondary College
- Erin McLean - Mercy Regional College
- Zahra Mozaffari - John Monash Science School
- Una Nawai - Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School
- Kimberly Nguyen - Lalor Secondary College
- Matthew O’Neill - Lavalla Catholic College
- Isabella Phillips - Overnewton Anglican Community College
- Willow Plex - Benalla P-12 College
- Resi Santosa - Gleneagles Secondary College
- Melanie Stretton - Benalla P-12 College
- Liam Thornton - St Mary MacKillop College
- Adam Van Donk - Ballarat and Queen’s Anglican Grammar School
- Alexandra Van Loon - Lavalla Catholic College
Teacher chaperones
- Nicole Case - Echuca College
- Bill Gilpin - Shrine of Remembrance
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