HUNDREDS of essays describing the importance of the Federal Government’s apology to the Stolen Generation in 2008 were received from local school students in Armidale Dumaresq Council’s essay competition.
Both primary and secondary students entered the competition and judges said the high calibre of entries made picking winners a difficult task.
Elder and council’s former Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer Steve Widders said the apology essay competition was designed to emphasise how the apology of 2008 was one of the most significant historical documents in Australian history.
“We really wanted to keep the apology in the community’s mind and we thought it would be great for school children to write about it,” Mr Widders said.
Winners and runners-up were presented with certificates and prizes at a special ceremony hosted by Armidale Dumaresq Council last week.
Natasha Livermore Williams from Drummond School took honours in the primary division, ahead of Tara Bourke from Ben Venue and Lena Vale and Ashanti Hoskins joint effort from Drummond School.
PLC student Georgina Hebblewhite won the secondary division from Armidale High School’s Fergus Lupton and Caitlyn Schuman.
Mr Widders, who just retired, said he was hopeful the essay competition would become an annual event.
“We really have to reinforce in the minds of Australians that just like ANZAC Day and Australia Day the apology should be up there with them in significance,” he said.
“By acknowledging the apology it will change the lives and attitudes of everyone in Australia.”
