Year 9 & 10 Writers

The judges initially found the collection of student writings submitted in the Year 9 & 10 category to be bleak and gloomy, with the occasional story presenting a spark of hope. Perhaps this reflects the COVID-affected lives we have all lived through during the last two to three years.

However, the mechanics of the students’ writings are of a high standard. The selection of words, sentence construction, paragraphing and punctuation enabled the writers to produce stories that for the most part were engaging and interesting. A little more attention to plot development could be a focus area for emerging writers.

• Winner: Plastic Smiles by Charlie Stockings, Canberra High School
• Highly Commended: Louis by Ruby O’Hara-Dewhurst, Mt Stromlo High School
• Judges’ Choice: Fate Will Find a Way by Ellie Magee, Canberra High School
• Speculative Fiction Award: The Birth of the Droplet by Callum Clarke, Calwell High School

• Alysia Anderson, Lyneham High School – Monotone
• Judy Chung, Amaroo School – A love unheard and unfated
• Lucinda Ferguson, Erindale College – Messiah
• Shanaa Srimanobhavan, Marist College – Looped

• Bridget Armitage, Daramalan College – Untitled
• Amy Brooks, Alfred Deakin High School – A Nameless Squid
• Isaak Brown, Calwell High School – Warehouse
• Matilda Charlton, University of Canberra High School Kaleen – The Price We Must Pay
• Calum Davis, Kingsford Smith School – Tiresome War
• Alanah Deck, Mt Stromlo High School – Rebuilding
• Ben Dunlop, Wanniassa School – The Bunker
• Mark Hammond, Amaroo School – Delirium
• Ben Hancock, Mt Stromlo High School – An Immortal Fool
• Lauren Jensen, Amaroo School – Hotdogs
• Sally Johns, Calwell High School – Hearts for Leo
• Jasmine Kukulka, Lanyon High School – Acting Villain
• Gaia La Penna, Mt Stromlo High School – The Spitting Image of My Weathered Grave
• Muhammad Mansuri, Burgmann Anglican School – A Little Red Box
• Ashton Martin, Mt Stromlo High School – I’ll See You Tomorrow
• Hester McDonald, Amaroo School – The Red Tie
• Alexa Norris, Mt Stromlo High School – Crow’s Blight
• Lacey O’Brien, Mt Stromlo High School – Gone in a Flash
• Natasha Perkovic, Lanyon High School – The Wolf Watched
• Matheesha Rajapakse, Marist College – Ghosting
• Diego Ruta, Radford College – The Reading Lesson
• Eugenia Sawczak, Alfred Deakin High School – Not Again
• Isabelle Smith, Amaroo School – Innocent
• Nissi-Michelle Ssentamu, Canberra Girls Grammar School – Sharp as a Diamond
• Mary Vella, Daramalan College – George’s Epilogue
• Emily Wang, Radford College – Move On