Pembroke School held an Anzac Day dawn service at the school last week.
They welcomed a handful of special guests for the occasion, including Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher and NZ Council of Remembrance adviser Barry Gamble.
New Zealand Defence Force Major Kaleisha Jones spoke about why Anzac Day was important to her, while Ron Sloan read a passage from his father Sergeant Jim Sloan’s diary from the war.
Ray Walker performed Last Post as well.
The service was the culmination of the school’s New Zealand history curriculum they were taught in term1.
The unit was very important for the pupils, Pembroke School principal Brent Godfrey said.
"We had a big emphasis on making sure the kids got to know more about it."
"With Covid and all the restrictions that have happened over the last few years, we’ve got a generation of kids that have come through with virtually no knowledge of it," Mr Godfrey said.
Since Anzac Day tends to fall in the school holidays, the school wanted to ensure its pupils got to experience it first-hand.
"We finished with our own service rather than relying on parents to take them to an Anzac service while they’re busy with other stuff."
Mr Godfrey was very appreciative of their guests attendance and he especially enjoyed Mr Walker’s performance on the bugle.
