Angus Christie, a year 5 student from The Hutchins School in Tasmania, has been named the 2014 Australian Young Historian of the Year. His winning submission looked at Australia’s participation in the Vietnam War.
Senator the Hon Scott Ryan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, presented the $1000 prize and a plaque to Angus Christie at the National History Challenge awards ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra.
Senator Ryan congratulated Angus Christie and all National History Challenge entrants for their efforts and impressive commitment to studying history.
“Participants showed a lot of care in considering historical events and then making their own judgments,” Senator Ryan said.
This year’s National History Challenge theme was ‘Changing Perspectives’ and entries were presented in a range of formats, including essays, DVDs and museum displays. Topics considered included relations between European settlers and Indigenous Australians; migration and multiculturalism; Australian military history and the Anzac legend; the Chinese Revolution and slavery in the United States.
During the awards ceremony, Senator Ryan announced the Australian Government would provide $365,000 in funding over the next three years for the National History Challenge.
The theme for the 2015 challenge is ‘Leadership and Legacy’ and next year’s competition will feature a one-off Federation special category, sponsored by the Department of Education.
“The characteristics of Australia’s Federation are unique the world over and Federation remains as topical today as it was in 1901, particularly with the current Reform of the Federation White Paper,” Senator Ryan said.
Senator Ryan also announced Australian Government funding of $606,000 for the Simpson Prize, a separate history competition that encourages year 9 and 10 students to explore the Anzac tradition.
The National History Challenge is run by the History Teachers’ Association of Australia and the 2014 award were supported by $115,000 in Australian Government funding.