That’s the task for Warrnambool and district primary school pupils who accepted a challenge from the RSL to produce something good enough to be read at Anzac centenary celebrations next month.

Five schools are vying for the honour.

RSL Warrnambool sub-branch vice-president and commemorative committee chairman, Michael Bellamy, said the competition was a unique chance to have a prominent part in a historic event.

“Judges will select the two best appropriate entries to be read out by pupils at the 11am ceremony at Warrnambool war memorial,” he said.

“Other entries will be kept to be read on Anzac Day in future years.

“Usually verses are read from a book, but this will be something uniquely local.

“The focus is on the centenary and how the First World War affected Warrnambool and also looking at those engaged in this war and subsequent wars. 

“Entries close on March 13.”

One of the participating schools is Merrivale primary, where principal Susan Farrell and her team are encouraging pupils to stir their creative juices.

The school will also hold an early-morning march to the Anzac Day dawn service after a camp-over on the school oval.

“We want to give children and parents something unique to remember the Anzac centenary,” Ms Farrell said.

“Parents and children will accompany the pupils as they walk from school to the war memorial.”

Mr Bellamy said it was a great initiative. “It’s sort of resetting the clock and getting people to think about history and why we enjoy the freedoms we have in Australia,” he said.

“This is on the blood, sweat and tears of our forebears.”

The April 25 centenary program starts at 5.15am and will feature a series of videos produced by secondary school students to be shown on a large outdoor screen at Cannon Hill.

A dawn service is expected to attract thousands from the city and district while the later morning service will be preceded by a street march led by relatives of First World War service personnel wearing their medals.