HeroTags - Engaging Children and Supporting Veterans

In communities across Australia, the idea of supporting veterans is deeply rooted in respect, gratitude and shared history. As custodians of the Anzac legacy, veteran groups, families and educators are increasingly recognising the importance of working together to ensure that younger generations understand and honour the contributions of those who served. One creative and meaningful way this is happening is through the use of HeroTags — a child-safe, collectable item that allows schools to take an active role in remembering veterans while educating students about Anzac traditions in schools and national service.

HeroTags are not only a fundraising tool; they are a bridge between generations, helping children connect with military heritage in ways that are age-appropriate, interactive and respectful. Through this initiative, schools are playing a pivotal role in keeping the spirit of Anzac alive while contributing to veteran support efforts that make a real difference.

Why Supporting Veterans Matters in Education

Australia’s military history is shaped by service and sacrifice that reach back more than a century. The Anzac legacy — forged on the battlefields of Gallipoli in 1915 — has grown into a wider tradition of honouring all who have served in conflicts, peacekeeping missions and defence roles. This legacy underpins national ceremonies, such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, and has informed the development of respect and civic responsibility throughout Australian society.

Today, as veterans of earlier conflicts grow older, there is a growing urgency to ensure that the stories and values embodied in the Anzac legacy are passed on meaningfully. For many educators and veteran groups, this means inviting students not just to learn about service history, but to actively participate in remembrance and reflect on the responsibilities that come with living in a free and democratic society.

Engaging children in supporting veterans helps personalise history. It allows students to see veterans not as distant figures in textbooks, but as real people with real stories that have shaped Australia’s modern identity. Through participatory learning, commemorative activities and fundraising, the act of remembering becomes tangible, relevant and highly impactful.

Anzac Traditions in Schools: More Than a Classroom Lesson

Integrating Anzac traditions in schools goes well beyond marking dates on the calendar. Many educators are incorporating remembrance across the curriculum and school life with creative activities that deepen understanding and respect. These can include:

• Classroom research projects on local service personnel

• Student presentations during assemblies

• Creative writing and art inspired by themes of service, mateship and sacrifice

• Participating in Anzac Day services and wreath-laying

• Hosting guest speakers from veteran organisations

These activities help students move from abstract knowledge to personal engagement, ensuring that Australia’s tradition of service and remembrance is understood in human terms rather than just historical concepts.

Because firsthand experiences of earlier conflicts are increasingly rare, educational experiences that bring history to life are essential. Resources from institutions like the Anzac Portal provide teachers with free material including posters, speeches, music and activities to support commemorative learning. 

Introducing HeroTags: A Child-Friendly Way to Support Veterans

HeroTags are brightly coloured, collectable PVC tags designed specifically for children and fundraising. They are safe to wear — with no sharp pins — and easily attach to bags, hats, uniforms or lanyards. With space on the reverse for a student’s name, HeroTags feel personal, encouraging ownership and pride.

Each HeroTag design celebrates values such as courage, mateship, respect and service, aligning closely with the themes found in Anzac commemorations. With multiple designs to collect, HeroTags encourage repeat participation and sustained engagement, making them ideal for fundraising campaigns, school events and remembrance activities.

More importantly, HeroTags give students a practical way to participate in supporting veterans. When sold at school stalls, assemblies or community events, proceeds can be directed towards veteran charities, RSL sub-branches, or local support organisations, making remembrance relevant not only in spirit but also in action.

HeroTags and the Impact on School Communities

Teacher and veteran testimonials suggest that HeroTags have strong appeal in school environments. They are accessible (often with a low recommended retail price of around $3), child-friendly, and come with ready-to-use fundraising and promotional materials that make organising campaigns simple.

HeroTags also provide a unique opportunity for peer-led learning. When students sell tags, present at assemblies, or participate in remembrance events, they become active stewards of the Anzac legacy rather than passive recipients of history lessons. This ownership can foster confidence, leadership and civic engagement — values at the heart of the national story.

For schools seeking to incorporate HeroTags into their Anzac Day or Remembrance Day events, resources such as posters, newsletters, activity sheets and social media tiles are available to support planning and promotion.

Fundraising With Purpose: Supporting Veterans Through Action

Fundraising with HeroTags adds a practical dimension to the concept of supporting veterans. Rather than simply discussing the sacrifices made by service members, students contribute to real world support programs that assist veterans and their families. This might include helping veteran care organisations, supporting those living with injury or disability, or contributing to community welfare programs that sustain older veterans.

HeroTags have been developed specifically in response to requests from veteran not-for-profit groups looking for a childrens-friendly fundraising product. Their child-safe design, collectability, educational alignment and DVA-approved use of the term “ANZAC” make them especially effective for school settings and community events.

In addition to supporting veterans directly, these products also strengthen community bonds as schools, families and local organisations come together around shared traditions and values.

Connecting the Anzac Legacy With Everyday Experience

Commemorative products like HeroTags play an important role in transitioning the Anzac legacy from historical remembrance into everyday understanding. They give students a way to wear, share and talk about what they have learned, sparking conversations that might otherwise not happen within the classroom or at home.

Integrating HeroTags into school celebrations ensures that remembrance is not confined to Anzac Day alone. Instead, it becomes part of school culture and a recurring opportunity to reflect, engage and honour those who served.

When students see the faces of veterans at assemblies, read their stories, and participate in fundraising that benefits the veteran community, the lessons become personal, long lasting and deeply meaningful.

Supporting Veterans: A Shared Responsibility

Ultimately, initiatives that involve children in supporting veterans and teaching Anzac traditions in schools help cultivate a society that values service, respects sacrifice and preserves national memory. The Anzac legacy is not static; it grows stronger when young Australians are encouraged to understand, celebrate and carry forward the values that define it.

By bringing HeroTags into schools, educators and veteran groups are working together to ensure that this legacy remains vibrant and relevant — transforming remembrance from a concept into lived experience.

Engaging children today means that the stories and values of Australia’s veterans will continue to be cherished tomorrow.