By Brendan Rees
Intermediate VCAL students of Alkira Secondary College gathered at Tulliallan Primary School to commemorate Australia’s war history on Monday the 23 April.
Alkira students organised the ceremony ahead of Anzac Day with the school captains of Tulliallan Primary School.
Guests included Iraq veteran and current member of the Army Reserves, Major Grantley Woods and past presidents of the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Major Mike Newbond and John Boothroyd.
Students said the ceremony “showed how much pride we have for Anzacs.”
Tulliallan Primary School teacher Matthew Sires said the ceremony was a fantastic way to foster a relationship between the schools.
“It was great to have Alkira students work side by side with our students at Tulliallan to increase the understanding of the significance of ANZAC Day,” he said.
After the ceremony, Alkira students worked with Grade Five and Grade Six students at Tulliallan in conducting various Anzac theme-based activities including making poppies, acrostic poems, colouring in and a Last Post Coordinate drawing.
The Alkira students then walked to Hillsmeade Primary School for another ceremony just after midday. Two students from Hillsmeade summed up the event as “an inspirational and a touching ceremony.”
Alkira Secondary College held a final Anzac commemorative ceremony for the whole school at 1.30pm.
Special guests included Vice-President of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Victoria Brendan Kincade, City of Casey Deputy Mayor Cr Amanda Stapledon, and Labor candidate for Cranbourne Pauline Richards.
Jack Simpson from the Cranbourne Lions Concert Band played the Last Post and Rouse.
