A Western Australian student has won the
wartime experiences category of the
National History Challenge (NHC) with a research essay
on the Battle of the Coral Sea.
Minister for
Veterans’ Affairs Dan Tehan
today presented Sarah Samnakay, a Year
10 student from St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School in
Western Australia, with the
award for the Australian Wartime Experiences special
category in the NHC.
The Battle of the
Coral Sea took place from 4 to 8 May 1942 and involved
naval and air forces from Australia and the United
States and the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was the first
naval battle in history in which neither fleet saw the
other or engaged in direct combat. The battle was fought
entirely between ships and aircraft.
"I congratulate
Sarah on being the national winner in this special
category of the NHC. She and
St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School should be very proud,"
Mr Tehan said.
"The
theme for this year’s challenge was Triumph or Tragedy.
The judges said Sarah’s essay
responded to the theme and demonstrated an understanding
of tragedy and triumph in the context of the Battle of
the Coral Sea.
"The judges
commented that Sarah evoked empathy for all combatants
without being overly emotive and that her research was
sound, drawing diverse resources in different forms and
integrating them all in her topic choice.
"As a nation we
remember the service and sacrifice of the men and women
who serve in our armed forces and it’s important to
instill in younger Australians an appreciation and
respect for our wartime history. The NHC competition
does an important job of encouraging school children
across the country to learn more about Australia’s
past."
The NHC is
administered by the History Teachers’ Association of
Australia. Each year, the Department of Veterans’
Affairs, in cooperation with the Australian War
Memorial, sponsors the Australian Wartime Experiences
special category. Approximately 600 primary and high
schools from across Australia participated in the
competition this year.
For
more information on the NHC, visit
http://historychallenge.org.au/