Liesl Tesch(right) and Lily Arendse.

28 August 2024

MISS Arendse will join other successful students from across NSW to travel to Japan for a historical study tour, learning more about our nation’s involvement in the Second World War. During the program, students will visit a number of significant sites, including a former Australian POW Camp in Naoetsu, the Yokohama War Cemetery and the Hiroshima Peace Park and Memorial.

Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch recently met with Lily to celebrate her award and discuss her upcoming Japan tour, “With 180 students from 152 schools across NSW applying for this scholarship, it is a testament to the strength of Lily’s personal essay that she was selected for this opportunity.

“It is so important that our future generations are provided the opportunity to learn about the sacrifices of our servicemen and women, and about the military history of our nation. This is an incredible opportunity for our NSW students to visit important sites of Australian military events, while accompanied by a military and social historian, to give deeper insights into our nation’s military history,” Ms Tesch said.

“Lily is kicking goals across the board, having also been announced as Henry Kendall High School’s newest school captain last week, alongside fellow captain, Pavani Pathak. Together, Lily and Pavani are the first all-female captain team in Henry Kendall history. Congratulations to both Lily and Pavani!” Said Ms Tesch.

Lily, who wants to pursue a career as a museum curator, said of the news of her success in the scholarship that “it felt crazy, I got it and I screamed. I dropped everything to tell my teachers and friends.”

Of the opportunity, Lily has highlighted her excitement for this experience, “I think I’m going to love it; it’s going to be great. For me, history is personal, it’s human. So, I think that standing where these battles were fought and where I have read so much about is going to be pretty cool.”

More information about the Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship is available here.

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