Local schools and their students will be restricted in the manner in which they can participate in Anzac Day 2020.
Social distancing has impacted the normal gatherings of school children and this is particularly evident in Childers where students proudly represent their school in the annual Anzac Day Citizen’s Parade and Service.
Childers State School principal Robyn Philpott and her staff have devised a plan to allow the school to maintain its strong affiliation with the day.
“Our school enjoys a deep reverence with Anzac Day, and we want to continue the connection … to present what amounts to an Avenue of Heroes,” she said.
Mrs Philpott said the initiative involved having students paint pictures of the fallen soldiers represented in the town’s Hall of Memories.
These pictures will be laminated and secured to stakes which will be placed in the grounds of the Isis Club along the fence.
“We think there will be somewhere between 60 and 80 A3 portraits of our fallen soldiers,” said Mrs Philpott.
Teacher Liz Bunn said quite a few drawings had already been produced although class numbers had been down a little prior to the holidays. “We will resume this week in preparation for the weekend.”
Ms Bunn said the children are really respectful and involved in the school’s usual ceremony and the lead up to Anzac Day. “We wanted to try to keep that high level of interest and participation,” she said.
“It was quite emotional watching the children as they painted the portraits. They each learned a bit about the soldiers they were painting.
“I thought how the soldiers’ mother’s and families, although long gone, would be thrilled to know that their sons were being remembered and studied by children in their district, over 100 years later.
“One little girl even said, “We will remember them,” she said. This is a project that has really been engaging for our teaching staff and students.”
Cr Bill Trevor said it was a wonderful initiative and he planned to personally assist in the placement of the painted images on the evening prior to Anzac Day.
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