The award recognises the college’s efforts in delving into Australia’s historical involvement in conflicts, particularly the Vietnam War, and bringing to light personal veteran stories from the region.
The initiative was led by the college’s director of students Myra Hardy, who found the competition and saw it as a chance for both educational and local historical exploration.
“I’m a history teacher at heart, so I’m a big advocate for educating students about history and Australia’s involvement in conflict,” Mrs Hardy said.
She believed the competition to be a “great opportunity for our college captains to really get to know a bit more about our local history”.
The project entailed creating a video that dived deep into Australia’s role in the Vietnam War.
The college decided to interview Vietnam War veterans, bringing forward the personal war-time experiences of RSL president Bob Wilkie and committee member Stan Whitford.
Mrs Hardy said the video “brought that together into an education package to teach students a bit more about what the war was about and, in particular, how it impacted individuals rather than just the big picture”.
Mrs Hardy said participating in such a national competition was a first for Notre Dame College.
“We decided to enter the competition because it was an opportunity to learn a bit more, do things a little bit differently,” she said.
The students involved said the project impacted them, and they have a new appreciation and understanding of the war’s personal and broader implications.
“Overall, it (interviewing Stan and Bob) was an unreal experience,” college captain Lachlan Howard said.
“I learned a lot to do with the Vietnam veterans and Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War.
“It really opened my eyes to what they went through (and) I really appreciated it.”
His words were echoed by fellow college captain Ella Kightly, who noticed a significant gap in understanding among her peers regarding the presence of veterans in Shepparton.
“So many people had no idea or thought it (the Vietnam War) was so long ago that there weren’t even veterans around in Shepparton, let alone at our very own RSL,” she said.
Mr Whitford and Mr Wilkie played a crucial role in the video by sharing their personal experiences.
Mr Whiford, a third-generation veteran, said he appreciated the engagement with the younger generation and hoped the message about the war’s essence was “quite clear for them”.
While Mr Wilkie reflected on the consideration of questions the students presented.
“The questions were really thoughtful ... I was given a chance to tell my story,” he said.
He also expressed his hope for the continuation of such narratives as the older generation of veterans “pass on”.
