Personal Anzac stories win national award

Research into Bunbury's Anzacs has culminated in Bunbury Senior High School receiving a highly commended Federal Government award.

Forrest MHR Nola Marino presented the award, which acknowledged work done by Year 9 students in the lead-up to the centenary Anzac Day in April, at a special school assembly on Monday.

All 124 Bunbury soldiers from World War I were researched by at least one student and their personal stories told in a project Mrs Marino described as "adding to the history of Australia".

"This makes it real for some kids for the first time, realising these people are not just a name on a monument," she said.

"It's great that young people are doing this research, not just the older generation or families of those involved. For some young people, this is a life-changing experience."

Mrs Marino thanked the Year 9 students at the assembly for their "time and effort to find out more" and told them many of the stories had never been shared before.

She also said the students were helping to record an essential part of Australia's history and she was "really proud" to present the school with the award.

Principal Craige Pettit acknowledged the increasing interest from young people in the whole Anzac story and likened their research to a renowned Holocaust museum he had visited, where personal stories of those impacted were told.

Students spent about a month researching the soldiers and produced posters that were displayed around the school and included in an Anzac Day ceremony.