The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) is proud to host the Anzac Day Schools' Awards. This national competition recognises the work of students and teachers in schools that engage with veterans and honour Australia's wartime history.
Annual theme
The theme for 2025 is:
Remembering Gallipoli: 110 years
Your entry must demonstrate learning about the experiences, service and stories of those who served at Gallipoli.
The theme will help students develop a deeper understanding of Australia's involvement in the Gallipoli Campaign and the First World War.
The Anzac Day Schools' Awards 2025 is an opportunity to engage students in an in-depth study of Australia’s experience at Gallipoli through veteran experiences of their service. We invite schools to showcase their learning by entering the awards in 2025.
Entries close at 5 pm AEST Thursday 29 May 2025.
Print the Anzac Day Schools' Awards poster (PDF 1.6 MB) to promote the competition in your school.
How to enter
To prepare your entry for the competition, print our handy checklist (PDF 506 KB).
Step 1: Plan your entry
We encourage you to consider a creative and innovative entry idea for students to demonstrate their learning about the experiences and stories of those who served at Gallipoli.
Some entry ideas include:
- a PowerPoint presentation
- a video
- a podcast
- a website
- artwork, mural, garden or memorial
- a class or school newspaper
- a museum exhibition, design for a gallery walk or virtual tour
- music, dance or drama
- your own innovative idea.
Please allow plenty of time to prepare, finalise and submit your entry via the Anzac Portal by the due date.
Step 2: Research this year's theme
Historical research using credible sources is important for students to develop an accurate understanding of veteran experiences and Australia's wartime history.
Your entry will include research on this year's theme, 'Remembering Gallipoli: 110 years'.
The Anzac Portal is an excellent place to start your research.
These pages on the portal may help your students:
- World War I and Australia 1914 to 1918
- Gallipoli Campaign 1915
- Stories of Service videos
- Short films about World War I veterans
- Educational resources on World War I
Other helpful websites:
- Australian War Memorial
- Australians at War Film Archive
- National Archives of Australia
- National Sound and Film Archive
- National Library of Australia and state libraries
- Trove
- Virtual War Memorial Australia.
Step 3: Check the entry requirements
Carefully read these requirements early in your preparation to avoid any issues with your entry:
- Each school is limited to one entry.
- An entry must demonstrate engagement from at least a club or activity group to a whole class, year level or whole school cohort.
- If a school submits multiple entries, the judging panel will only assess the school's last submitted entry; earlier entries will be deleted.
- All entries should be coordinated by a teacher or school leader.
- Your submission must consist of 2 parts: the entry and a rationale.
Entry
- Choose one of the following formats:
- A PowerPoint presentation or similar (maximum of 15 slides), including one embedded video (up to 3 minutes).
- A video or podcast (up to 3 minutes) in an acceptable file format.
- For written content and images, such as poems, artworks, creative writing or a website, a maximum of 10 text or webpages will be accepted, including images. Images must be in jpeg format.
- We only accept entries in the following file types: gif, jpg, jpeg, png, txt, pdf, doc, docx, mov, mp3, mp4, zip, ppt, pptx.
- We do not accept entries in Apple Keynote, Google Docs or Google Slides because of accessibility issues for judges. Export these file types to either docx, pdf or pptx before submission.
- We can only receive files up to 150 MB in size.
Read Vimeo's advice on how to compress a video file.
Rationale
Your rationale must:
- Outline the activities and learning undertaken by students about the theme.
- Explain how your entry meets the judging criteria.
- Be no longer than 700 words.
Step 4: Submit your entry and rationale
Entry form
Entries are now closed.
Judging criteria
A panel of judges, including veterans, teachers and DVA staff, will assess all entries.
Entries are judged on these criteria, which are evenly weighted:
- Commitment to the 2025 theme – Remembering Gallipoli: 110 years.
- Connection to the experience and service of those who served at Gallipoli – by engaging with the stories of Gallipoli veterans with veterans or current-serving members in your community.
- Evidence of student-led entries and learning over a period (for example, across multiple weeks or a term instead of a single assembly).
- Entry involves multiple students from at least a club or activity group to a whole class, year level or whole school cohort.
- Evidence of quality research using credible primary and secondary sources.
- Entries demonstrate understanding and empathy.
- Overall quality and presentation of entry.
Special category awards
Brigadier Bill Rolfe AO Award for Veteran Involvement
An entry that includes significant and relevant involvement by veterans or current-serving members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Innovative Idea Award
Original and creative learning activities that engage students.
Creative Use of Technology Award
The entry uses technologies, including apps, websites, stop-motion animation and movies, in a creative and thoughtful way to engage students in learning.
Remote Schools Award
The strongest entry from a remote or very remote school, including the School of the Air or similar institutions.
Specialist Educational Setting Award
The strongest entry from a school that provides specialist and intensive support in a dedicated educational setting.
Certificates of Excellence
Awarded to entries that meet one or more criteria to a high standard but do not receive a major prize.
Winning entries will be showcased on the Anzac Portal, including photos and a submission description.
Prizes
- National School Award ($5,000)
- State and Territory School Awards ($3,000 each)
- Brigadier Bill Rolfe AO Award for Veteran Involvement ($2,000)
- Innovative Idea Award ($2,000)
- Creative Use of Technology Award ($2,000)
- Remote Schools Award ($2,000)
- Specialist Educational Settings Award ($2,000)
Get in touch
If you have any questions about the awards, please email education@dva.gov.au.