Students across Forbes and Parkes have had their writing published in this year's 14th annual commemorative Riverina and Central West Anzac Day booklet.
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More than 1,000 Primary and Secondary students from 40 schools across the Riverina electorate submitted entries for Mr McCormack's 14th annual ANZAC writing competition.
The theme this year students wrote about was "Keeping the ANZAC spirit alive in the Riverina and Central West."
Mr McCormack was impressed by the quality of the entries this year and acknowledged the students' efforts and support provided by both teachers and parents.
"The writing competition demonstrates how important the ANZAC spirit is to Riverina and Central West students," Mr McCormack said.
"I am impressed to see how the students embraced the theme of keeping the ANZAC spirit alive, whether it be writing a heartwarming piece about a family loved one, or a soldier's account of the war to local heroes."
Joselyne Folau from Red Bend Catholic College won the secondary north division and Ebony Sullivan also from Red Bend Catholic College was awarded highly commended.
Joselyne wrote a poem about honouring the bravery of those who sacrificed everything for their country and us in the land Down Under.
Ebony also wote a poem about a soldier being a proud ANZAC, wishing for home and feeling proud to a part of the memory forever etched in the minds of those who they fought for.
Hiya Changela from St Laurence's Parish School won the primary school north division and Olivia Cowie from Parkes Christian School was awarded highly commended.
Hiya wrote a poem, We Remember You Today, about salute those brave soldiers who fought on the battlefields and remain forever heroic in body and in name.
Hiya got inspiration for her poem from looking at other ANZAC poems.
"I looked up ANZAC poems and searched and searched and then I realised what we should write about," Hiya said.
"My poem is about the people who fought and died for us and the whole world."
Hiya said she was very happy when she found out she had won with her poem, We Remember You Today and was quite shocked that she had actually won.
"When I heard about the competition I thought I should enter because I really like learning about Anzac Day," Hiya added.
Olivia wrote from a child's perspective remembering the last words her father said before leaving for War and never returning. The child reflects eight years later about how Anzac Day is a day of remembrance for the soldiers who sacrificed everything for us.
Each year students from Red Bend Catholic College, St Laurence's Parish School and Parkes Christian School join the Anzac Day marches in each town.
The commemorative Riverina and Central West Anzac Day booklet will be arriving in mailboxes around the Riverina and Central West where service times and venues can be found along with many inspirational ANZAC stories about soldiers from the Riverina and Central West.
