Students give new life to an old story

By Megan Cunneen

    When the St Francis Xavier students sang Red Gum’s popular Vietnam War song, ‘I was only 19’, the realities of war really hit home.
     At the recent 54th Newcastle Combined Schools ANZAC Service, students presented the ANZAC day message with performance and song to more than 1400 of their fellow primary and secondary school students.
     Charlestown East Public School student Taylor Hudson-Osborn was impressed with the presentation. “It was very informative and really interesting,” she said.
This year’s theme was Vietnam: Australia’s longest war and the presentation gave the student audience an understanding of Australia's role in the Vietnam War and focused on the veterans from the Newcastle area.
     Mick Henrys served in the Fifth Battalion Royal Australian Regiment and thoroughly enjoyed the students’ presentation. “I think the real credit goes to the people who decided a few years ago to hand over the organisation and structure of this day to the students – it has changed the whole approach,” he said. “It was very different to the old story told again and again.”
     Mr. Henrys agreed that young people should be well informed about ANZAC’s history and about Australia’s colourful history. “I think learning about history is important – learning history gives you a great approach to life and this is just a significant part of our history,” he said.
     Newcastle and Hunter Region Vietnam Veterans Inc. also assisted the production by providing invaluable information and support to the students.
Event co-coordinator James Mackay said the service was unique and highly regarded as it brought together each of the city's three school communities, public, catholic and private. “The philosophy behind this is that students are better to explain the ANZAC story to their peers than just adults. This has proved to be a successful approach with more than 1450 students involved in this year's event," he said.