First she was announced as the 2008 Junior Citizen of the Year for Camden. Now she has taken out the NSW category of the prestigious Young Simpson Prize.

She is one of only eight young people in Australia to receive the award this year, with all winners set to travel to Gallipoli for two weeks as part of this year's Anzac Day commemorations.

The prize, now in its 10th year, is a national competition which focuses on the Australian Anzacs.

Year 9 and 10 students across the nation are each year invited to write a 900-1200 word essay or make a 15-minute audio-visual presentation in response to a statement related to the Anzac spirit.

Emma, who attends Frensham School in Mittagong, completed her prizewinning entry last year while still in year 10 with the winners being announced at a

ceremony in Canberra on March 18.

It was the second time she had gained recognition in the competition after receiving a "highly commended" in 2007.

Proud parents Robert and Eva Campbell said her 16-year-old daughter relished the opportunity to respond to this year's question: "To what extent was Simpson a hero? How have his heroic qualities been demonstrated by other Australians since 1915?"

The question related to the namesake of the prize, John Simpson Kirkpatrick, best known as "the man on the donkey" who headed out in the Gallipoli war zone as a stretcher-bearer to save wounded soldiers on the battlefield.

Emma's essay describes Simpson arriving at Gallipoli with the Third Field Ambulance and surviving only 24 days on the battlefield.

"However, after his death, he became the most famous, consummate and enduring hero of Gallipoli," she said in her report.

The young history buff likens the heroism of Simpson to several modern day people including Tasmanian Beaconsfield mine disaster survivors Todd Russell and Brant Webb.

She believed Bernie Banton, "the man who became the public face of asbestos victims", was another modern day hero.

Emma said she could still not believe her success in the competition.

"It is a great honour to go on the trip to Gallipoli as a representative of both my school and my state," she said. "I'm especially grateful to my school and history teacher Matthew McMahon for encouraging me and giving me the opportunity to enter the competition."

Mr and Mrs Campbell are thrilled with their daughter's success.

"She is just the most beautiful, intelligent and compassionate young lady," they said.