In a move to deepen the understanding of Anzac Day, thousands of students from across the Hunter region gathered at Newcastle's Civic Theatre to commemorate.
Pupils from public, catholic and independent schools from as far as Karuah, to Swansea, Rutherford and Singleton, joined on Tuesday, April 4, for the Newcastle and Hunter Combined Schools Anzac Service with a focus on military families.
"It really starts the commemoration of Anzac," event organiser Michael Voorbij said.
The event, nationally recognised for its style, portrayed the impact on families of those who have served and sacrificed from World War I to the present day.
"It's a unique service. It's nationally recognised for its style and its educational power," he said.
It was all eyes on year 11 students from Merewether High School, Saint Francis Xavier Campus, Callaghan College Jesmond Senior Campus and St Philip's Christian College as they re-enacted the stories of families affected by military service through song and dance.
"We pull the students together from schools to deliver a performance to an audience of school students and VIPs and we cover a range of themes trying very hard to focus on Newcastle's military heritage and lately we've shifted more towards things like the impact on families," Mr Voorbij said.
"It's incredibly powerful and dramatic as it combines all those elements of storytelling, drama, music and song."
This year the students researched and interviewed the Newcastle-based Green family and the story of Sydney-based Sergeant Brett Till, who lost his life while serving in Afghanistan in 2009.
"The family of retired Major Peter Green were relocated an impressive 15 times throughout his service, we got to hear the affect service had on them and the places they travelled," Mr Voorbij said.
"But the highlight of the service was a tribute to Sergeant Brett Till who was unfortunately killed in action in Afghanistan and at the time left his eight week pregnant wife Bree, widowed. We told his story, Bree came to the event and she was touched and honoured," he said.
"You could've heard a pin drop."
A formal ceremony followed with elements including the Last Post, the catafalque party and the Ode of Remembrance.
"The idea is to educate not only students, but the community. All those elements are explained, it's really focused on education," Mr Voorbij said.
"Rather than being a state recognition of military service, it's a much broader connection to the community and to school students so that they better understand the meaning of sacrifice."
Inaugural Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner Gwen Cherne was a special guest at this year's event and with lived-experience of military family life, was impressed with the standard and talent of the students.
"It was the most beautiful interaction of arts commemoration, military families and recognition that I've experienced in Australia," she said.
"I think this needs to be done across the country in all of our regions because this is absolutely leading the way of helping us to understand commemoration, each piece of it, what it means, why we do it and the importance of continuing it and making it relevant for our children."
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