History will “come alive” for a group of high school students next month when they bow their heads at dawn on Anzac Day on the hallowed ground at Gallipoli.        

Ten Year 10 and 11 students from public schools throughout the state will join NSW Premier Nathan Rees and his official party for a 10-day tour.         

Mr Rees said the tour would “bring the study of history alive”.        

“This will be an exciting and special moment for these students – commemorating Anzac Day on the very ground where so many diggers gave their lives,” he said.        

The students were among 12 NSW senior high school students to be awarded 2009 Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarships.The scholarships cover all travel and accommodation costs and are open to all NSW students in Years 9, 10 and 11.        

The department’s manager of awards and recognition, Checka MacLaurin, said the chosen students had to display a pattern of involvement in Anzac Day commemorations, participation in their school and wider com-munities and an interest in Australian history.        

“This is a wonderful opportun-ity for young people … to experience the culture and history of a country that was absolutely focal in forming the Australian identity,” said Dr MacLaurin, who added for most of the students it would be their first trip overseas.         

The travelling party, which will include teachers Pam Panczyk and Stephen Kurtz from Jamison and Bonnyrigg high schools respectively, will attend Anzac Day services at Gallipoli and visit historic sites along the Aegean coast and in Istanbul.        

Dr MacLaurin said the experience would give the students an “incomparable insight” into the events that took place at Anzac Cove during World War I.        

Mr Rees said the Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarships were in-tended to fund tours to significant sites in Australia’s military history.        

Dr MacLaurin said Milne Bay, in Papua New Guinea, and Singapore were among other sites that may be future tour destinations.