The Bob Iskov Kokoda Scholarship invites local students to shoulder a legacy far older than themselves.

Later this year, four young Wangaratta students: Beth Meisinger, Cooper Clark, Angela Keenan and Fern Tucker, will take on the 96 kilometre Kokoda Track, retracing the steps of Australian soldiers who fought in Papua New Guinea more than 80 years ago.

The teenagers who are still navigating their own beginnings, are preparing to honour a history forged by men barely older than they are now.

The Kokoda trek remains one of Australia’s most enduring traditions of remembrance, one that demands physical grit, emotional depth and a willingness to confront stories of sacrifice that shaped our nation.

That this tradition continues to be carried by the next generation is both moving and reassuring.

What makes this year especially significant is the renewed community commitment ensuring the scholarship’s future.

The Wangaratta RSL has secured a major boost through defence industry company NIOA, now platinum sponsor until 2030.

It is a partnership that echoes the community spirit Kokoda itself represents, people stepping up when it matters.

For these four students, the trek will be more than a challenge.

It will be a rite of passage, connecting youthful ambition with the weight of history.

They train on our hills, lace their boots in our streets and carry with them the support of a community that believes deeply in remembering the past while investing in the future.

As they take their first steps on the Kokoda Track, they’ll also be taking steps for all Australians, honouring an old tradition.