Sophie Strange, a Year 9 student from Maclean High School, was declared the winner of the annual Harry Lange memorial essay competition conducted by the Maclean RSL sub-branch.

Sophie’s essay was read to an appreciative audience of veterans and their families attending the ANZAC Day luncheon at the Maclean Services Club. Also present were Mayor Jim Simmons and Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan. Sophie could not be there on the day as she was attending the Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne with her grandparents.

Sophie wrote about the value of freedom and the memory of servicemen and women who fought to preserve our precious way of life. President of the Maclean RSL Sub-branch, Steve Walton, thanked Sophie for her great work and said that the winners of the Junior and Middle school essay competition would be announced at the beginning of the new school term.