Yackandandah Primary School won this year’s Victorian Parliament Prize with its first time entry receiving the Alicia Katz award.

The school was among more than 240 metropolitan and regional schools across the state drawing 1463 entries, well up from last year’s tally by more than 300 entries.

School teacher and coordinator Brendan Hogan said all students in years 5 and 6 took part in the competition with 16 students going on to record their submissions and enter the prize.

Students recorded themselves speaking about an important issue as if they were a new MP speaking in parliament.

“Students were required to write a 90-second ‘Member’s Statement’ about a topic of their choice,” he said.

“Topics ranged from ambulance response times, cost of participating in sport for young people, mental health, cost of living, homelessness, cancer research, support for students with autism, climate change and more."

Mr Hogan said the award provided a real-world opportunity for students to share their thoughts and ideas and have their voice recognised and heard.

“The overall quality was very impressive,” he said.

“The first-time entry linked well to our unit of study on government, democracy and civics.

“As a teacher the award is a just reflection of the hard-work and critical thinking students not only put into this task, but more importantly, it shows that our future and community is in safe hands."

The Alicia Katz award has two categories – one for individual students and one for schools.

Yackandandah Primary School won the award for the school making an inspiring and high-quality contribution to the prize on a range of topics winning a $1000 cash prize too.

“Four individual students also received a ‘highly commended’ award, placing them in the top six percent of students statewide,” Mr Hogan said.

Those students were Evie Burston, Lara Bebbington, Will Black and Peter Kellaway

At last week’s council meeting, Indigo Shire councillors Jane Dowsley and Roberta Horne congratulated the school.

Both councillors had attended the school to see and hear some of the students make their presentations.

“We were absolutely blown away by the maturity and depth of the topics they presented,” Cr Dowsley said.

Cr Horne said the remarkable occasion had a room full of future leaders.

A presentation will be made to the school with the exciting award by local member for Benambra Bill Tilley MP in the near future.

The award is named after Alicia Katz (1876-1964) - the first woman to run for the Parliament of Victoria.