Applications for the Arthur Grassby Kokoda Scholarships – an adventure of a lifetime – are now open to year 11 students residing in East Gippsland Shire.
This year’s trek will be in the June-July school holidays, and it is anticipated six-seven students will be selected from the region to walk in the footsteps of soldiers from East Gippsland.
The scholarship involves each student being allocated a soldier from their local area and carrying their photograph while walking
in their footsteps on the nine-day 138 kilometre trek.
Following completion, the students then visit Bomana War Cemetery where they visit the graves of the fallen, including “their” soldier and make a commitment to them about how they will live the rest of their lives.
It is a powerful experience
for the students as in some cases the soldiers they carry and
then visit the graves of, are the same age as the students.
It is a journey that builds resilience as the trek is incredibly demanding, but it gives the students a great insight into the sacrifices made by men from our community, so they have to enjoy the lives they have today.
The added bonus is they walk through some of the best jungle scenery in the world and see first-hand the village life of Papuans.
Successful applicants must have a high level of resilience, obtain a good level of fitness and must commit to the 10 week training program in the lead up.
Those who wish to apply for the scholarships have until the end of February and the application involves an essay of not less than 400 words on what the Kokoda story means to Australia, accompanied by a questionnaire response and parental permission slip.
Applicants are then shortlisted for interviews with ex or current service defence force personnel who make the final decision.
The application details and forms have been provided to every secondary school in East Gippsland and details are also on the website arthurgrassby.com
Arthur Grassby was a Kokoda veteran who was just 16 when engaged in battle with
the Japanese.
In later life he resided in Bairnsdale and was pleased to have the scholarship commence in his name before passing in 2022.
