Collie Senior High School student Ebony Whitney one of 10 students selected for 2023 Premier’s Anzac tour

A Collie Senior High School student is set to take a special opportunity to learn more about Australia’s storied military history in a unique study tour. Year 11 student Ebony Whitney was recently announced as one of 10 high school students that will be taking part in the 2023 Premier’s Anzac Student Tour, which will see them travel to Sydney and New Zealand on a 10-day tour from April 16. Miss Whitney is the sole student from a South West school that will be participating in the tour and one of six regional students taking part. The Anzac Student Tour is an annual competition open for all WA students in Years 8 to 11, which has seen almost 250 students take part since its inception in 2004. The unique program will give students an opportunity to investigate the Anzac legacy and commemorate the men and women who served in the armed forces, as well as the 78th anniversary of the end of World War II. Miss Whitney said she was excited to have been one of the students selected to go on the tour, which will mark her first overseas trip. “I was actually coming out of an exam when I found out I had been selected,” she said. “It was fantastic and I hadn’t been that excited for ages. “I came to the office and Ms Miller was jumping around and I was jumping around, it was crazy. “I have never travelled overseas before either so it’s very exciting to be able to learn about not just Australia’s history but New Zealand’s history as well.” Miss Whitney said she had always had an interest in Australia’s military history, particularly due to her family connections to the Australian Defence Force. “My grandma’s uncle went and fought and we’ve always been learning more about him and finding out more about him,” she said. “We’ve even got some of the letters that he sent home to my grandma when they were younger and that was amazing being able to read about his experiences. “One of my uncles is currently in the armed forces so we’ve always been around it and we’ve always gone to Anzac services. “When we went into COVID lockdown I played The Last Post during a driveway service. “I think it’s something to be proud of.” Miss Whitney said she was also excited to get to know the other students going on the tour and build a bond with them. “I have done other things where I’ve been thrown in with people I don’t know and it’s always turned out really well,” she said. “Being put in a group with like-minded people and the fact that most are from the regions as well is really exciting. “I think it will be a blast.” Students were selected based on their response to the question: In what way might efforts on the home front be seen as important as battle fought overseas? Collie Preston MLA Jodie Hanns congratulated Miss Whitney on her selection. “Ebony will be a fantastic ambassador for Collie Senior High School, her family and her community on this tour,” she said. “Ebony has shown outstanding leadership, having been selected previously to represent Collie-Preston at the 2022 Youth Parliament earlier this year. “This selection for the Premier’s Anzac Student Tour reinforces the qualities Ebony consistently demonstrates.”