the Simpson Prize competition - afssse

The
an essay competition
Simpson
for year 9 students
Prize
30 April 1999
Dear Colleague
The 2000 Simpson Prize
an opportunity for year 9 students
I am pleased to provide advice about an exciting essay competition. The Simpson Prize
is a national competition for Year 9 students which will see eight students, one from
each State and Territory, accompanied by two teachers flown to Gallipoli to attend the
dawn service and other ANZAC Day ceremonies in Turkey, 2000.
The competition, whilst managed by the History Teachers’ Association of Australia
(HTAA) on behalf of the Commonwealth Government, will be state based in terms of
the judging. HTAA affiliates in each State/Territory will receive up to three entries from
a school and will select the State/Territory winner and the runner up from these entries.
In February 2000, the winners and runners up will attend a two-day briefing program
in Canberra. The selected teachers, who will accompany the winning students to
Turkey, will also attend this program. The teachers will be selected by the Simpson
Prize Advisory Committee from two nominees provided by each HTAA affiliate.
The enclosed material provides full information about the competition, including
conditions of entry, timelines, judging criteria and other details. I hope that you will
encourage Year 9 students from your school to participate; a photocopiable student
information leaflet is enclosed. There is also a form to be completed by teachers who
are interested to be considered for selection to accompany the students on the trip.
Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact your State or Territory
representative or the national organisers whose details are also enclosed. Please note
that entries must be received by the relevant HTAA affiliate by close of business on
24 September 1999.
Your sincerely
Andrew Buxton
PRESIDENT
History Teachers’ Association of Australia
Simpson Prize
competition secretariat
PO Box 361
Abbotsford VIC 3067
Phone (03) 9415 1299
Fax (03) 9419 1205
Email vcta@vcta.asn.au
An initiative of
the Commonwealth Government
Department of Education,
Training and Youth Affairs

student information sheet
The
an essay competition
Simpson
for year 9 students
Prize
One student winner from each
State and Territory announced
11 November 1999
Winning students and two teachers
travel to Turkey in 2000 for
ANZAC Day services
Briefing program for winning
students, runners up and
accompanying teachers in Canberra,
February 2000
An initiative of
the Commonwealth Government
Department of Education, Training
and Youth Affairs
entries close 24 September 1999

ackground
The Gallipoli Campaign during the Great War 1914–18 was the first time
that men and women served Australia as Australians in a war situation.
The campaign was part of a plan to oust the Turks from the war and
thereby to weaken Turkey’s ally, Germany.
Australians were considered by some to be untried soldiers, secondraters,
and ‘six bob-a-day’ tourists. By the end of the campaign the Australians
had demonstrated some remarkable characteristics and were respected by
soldiers from other nations. The ANZAC tradition was established on the
beaches of Gallipoli from 25 April 1915 to the evacuation in December
1915, and has continued through other military conflicts in which
Australians have been involved.
The ANZAC tradition, which includes the story of John Simpson
Kirkpatrick, has been strengthened by the service of many who have served
Australia, both on the battlefields and on the homefront, and it now forms
part of our heritage.
the prizes
The State and Territory winners will
travel to Gallipoli in April 2000 to
attend the dawn service on ANZAC
Day and other ANZAC Day
ceremonies in Turkey. In February
2000 the winners will attend a twoday
briefing program in Canberra to
prepare them for the trip. Two
teachers will accompany the winning
students to Turkey and will attend the
Canberra briefing program. The
student runners up will also attend the
Canbera program. Travel,
accommodation and meals expenses
associated with the Turkey and
Canberra trips will be met by the
competition.
The Australian War Memorial’s
Battlefield and Cultural Tours will
manage the Gallipoli trip which will
be led by an Australian War Memorial
curator/historian.
diary
Winners will be asked to keep a diary
of their trip.
entrant’s recognition
All students who participate in the
competition will be provided with a
certificate of participation.
Last year’s winning entries are on this
website:
www.ash.org.au/teachers/afssse
the Simpson Prize competition
You are asked to write an essay of between 800 and 1000 words in
response to this question:
‘The story of John Simpson Kirkpatrick
is one of courage, mateship,
determination and sacrifice. He has come
to symbolise the ANZAC spirit.’
How have ordinary Australians during wartime
demonstrated those qualities which are associated with
the ANZAC spirit? How are these qualities still
relevant to Australians today?
See your teacher for all the information about various requirements that
essays need to meet in order to be eligible for entry and details on how the
essays will be judged. For instance, the following elements are essential:
• Content – the essay must be relevant to the question, reflect
appropriate research and skill in analysis, interpretation and evaluation
of sources (70%).
ANZAC
• Presentation – the essay should be logically and fluently developed, neat
and legible and no more than 1000 words (30%).

teacher application
to accompany the winning students on the trip to Turkey
surname male female
given names
school
school postal address
postcode
telephone facsimile email
private address
telephone
postcode
HTAA affiliates will each put forward the application of one male and one female teacher to be considered for selection by the
Simpson Prize Advisory Committee to accompany the students on the trip to Turkey. Those put forward by the HTAA
affiliates will be selected on the basis of:
• having students participate in the competition
• the support of the teacher’s principal
• two references which comment on the applicant’s suitability for a chaperone role in the context of the trip
• an indication in no more than 100 words why he/she wants to be one of the two teachers to accompany the students to
Turkey in April 2000. This should include:
– evidence of expertise in extended excursion management and responsibility
– excellent interpersonal skills with students
– demonstrated expertise in historical enquiry.
Material to support the application must be attached to this application form. The decisions of the HTAA affiliates in
nominating teachers and the Simpson Prize Advisory Committee in selecting the two teachers for the trip will be final.
Selected teachers will maintain a trip diary which becomes the property of the Commonwealth Government.
applicant’s signature
date
principal’s endorsement (supporting statement)
I understand the nature, purpose and conditions of entry for the Simpson Prize Essay Competition.
I support the application by to accompany the winning students and
commend him/her to the competition organisers as an appropriate person to chaperone, with another teacher, eight Year 9 students
on the trip to Turkey. Teacher chaperones will be required to attend a two-day briefing in Canberra in February 2000 in preparation
for the ANZAC trip. I understand that the cost of teacher replacement to a maximum of $1000 will be covered by the Prize.
signed
date
name (print)

cover sheet
to accompany each entry submitted to HTAA affiliate judging
panels. Limit of three entries per school.
Winning entries become the property of the Commonwealth
Government and may be published in print and/or electronically.
student’s surname male female
given names
date of birth
home address
postcode
home telephone
school
contact teacher
postal address
total no. of entries
submitted at the school
postcode
telephone facsimile email
statement of authenticity
I hereby declare that this submitted essay is the original work of the entrant, to the extent that no more than usual guidance
was provided by others.
signed (teacher)
date
name
signed (student)
date
name
parent/guardian statement
I understand and agree that should be successful as a State or Territory
winner of the Simpson Prize, he/she will travel to Canberra for a two-day briefing in February 2000 and to Turkey in
April 2000 to participate in the Gallipoli dawn service and other ceremonies. If chosen as runner up, he/she will participate in
the two-day February 2000 briefing in Canberra.
name (print)
date
signed
principal’s declaration
I am fully aware of the conditions of entry and the prize in the Simpson Prize competition and support the entry of the
abovenamed student.
signed
date
name (print)