2 September 2022
The National Museum of Australia is empowering school students to tell stories about Australian history while also expressing their creativity.
The History Makers school video challenge invites schools and student groups to produce a short video about an historical or contemporary defining moment that matters to them. Open to students from kindergarten to year 12, History Makers entries will be featured on Australia’s Defining Moments Digital Classroom (ADMDC) website and 10 winning schools will each receive $2,000.
Schools can enter in one or more of five prize categories: regional stories, research skills, collaboration, creativity and clever use of technology.
Regional, rural and remote schools are encouraged to enter the regional stories category. Entrants in this category can produce a video that shares a defining moment that is important to their local community.
When selecting a defining moment to research, students may refer to the National Museum’s Defining Moments in Australian History, Australia’s Defining Moments Digital Classroom, which was made possible with the support of the Gandel Foundation, and Momentous, an evolving record of recent events in our history such as the 2019–20 bushfires and the Covid-19 pandemic, for inspiration.
John Gandel AC and Pauline Gandel AC of the Gandel Foundation said: ‘Our vision in supporting ADMDC was to make history and the resources of the National Museum available to children across the nation. This video challenge will encourage students to look to their own communities – big and small – to discover their own defining moments.’
National Museum Director, Dr Mathew Trinca AM FAHA, said: ‘Australia’s Defining Moments Digital Classroom empowers teachers and inspires students. The History Makers challenge furthers this vision by encouraging young people across the country to engage with the history of their school, community and nation.’
National Museum Schools and Engagement Manager, Marissa Beard, said: ‘We are excited to see the creativity of students of all ages and from all parts of the country. We are particularly interested to hear from students in regional, rural and remote communities. We want to share the historical and contemporary defining moments that matter most to those students with schools around Australia.’
History Makers submissions are open until 4 November 2022.
For more information and to enter visit https://digital-classroom.nma.gov.au/history-makers