Year 7 & 8 Writers

The students who entered the Year 7 & 8 category may be young writers, but they have created an impressive collection of stories that cover a range of interesting topics. 

The judges were impressed with the thoughtful use of language, mature themes, unique ideas and command of the genre. Congratulations to all the future novelists, journalists, screen writers, bloggers and game designers in the making.

Whilst some commentators question the literacy skills of high school students, these kids prove them wrong. Story telling is alive and well.

• Winner: Thirty One Percent and Charging by Quinn McGlashan, Mount Stromlo High School
• Highly Commended: Tag, You’re It by Hannah Northey, Emmaus Christian School
• Judges’ Choice:  Thoughts Under the Portrait by Gabrielle Shoebridge, Merici College
• Speculative Fiction Award: The Dog of Orange Ochre by Afryna Yarbakhsh, Canberra High School

• Ellyse Beattie, Harrison School – What is Faced
• Mitchell Boudry, Emmaus Christian School – The Lost Tree
• Sophia Brooks, Campbell High School – The Red Dagger
• Amelia Cains, Daramalan College – Рапунцель
• Minjun Cho, Emmaus Christian School – Lost Words in Confusion
• Rashmi Curruthers, Campbell High School – Chosen Family
• Ella Fisher, Emmaus Christian School – The Masquerade
• Sawandi Galappaththi, Amaroo School – First Page of the Apocalypse
• Alice Groenhout, Campbell High School – En Pointe
• Charlotte Hammond, Amaroo School – Mutation
• Rachel Hough, Melba Copland Secondary School – Death’s Ally
• Jithnuka Jayaweera, Amaroo School – The Reformation
• Flynn Katsoolis, Mount Stromlo High School – Tokyo Reawakened
• Emaan Khalique, Harrison School – Prologue: Licenced for Sorrow
• Zackary Kilian, Melba Copland Secondary School – I See Red
• Gabriella Koch, Canberra Girls Grammar School – Silent Cries
• James Lestone, Daramalan College – The Pedestrian
• Belinda Matthews, Mount Stromlo High School – The End
• Tobiash Novak, Namadgi School – The Black Curtain
• Lucy O’Neill, Daramalan College – 2nd Person Story
• James Parascos, Lanyon High School – The Elements of Power
• Ella Pascoe, Harrison School – The Car Drive
• Sarah Prior, Radford College – Trust
• Regina Redman, Amaroo School – Breathe
• Chloe Rhind, Mount Stromlo High School – The Boss
• Rose Sheehan, Campbell High School – Teenage Minds
• Zoe Smith, Emmaus Christian School – Passion, Illusion and Validation
• Alyssa Taliano, Harrison School – The Stars are Silent
• Chaeli Timbs, Campbell High School – Mr…..
• Brianna Udovisi, Mount Stromlo High School – Flight
• Jasmine Vikan, Melba Copland Secondary School – One For Sorrow
• Celia Wall, Canberra Girls Grammar School – The Fog
• Theodore Walsh, Namadgi School – Cupful of Rain
• Hunter Waskiw, Harrison School – The Dark Knight: One Scene
• Lizzy Wilding, Melba Copland Secondary School – The Last Chapter
• Mirabel Wilson, Amaroo School – Test Subject 48
• Pia Wursag, Melba Copland Secondary School – The Gift

ACTATE thanks the years 7 and 8 category judges, Susan Barr and Beth Mitchell, for their time and expertise. Susan Barr is an ACTATE life member, English teacher and former ACTATE president while Beth Mitchell is an English teacher, former principal and ACTATE executive member.