Many Holy Name students’ works were short-listed for major awards in the competition for students in Years 3-6, which has been running in the Manning-Great Lakes area for the past three years.
The challenge supports schools in their efforts to improve literacy levels, engages students in the writing process, and provides them with the opportunity to compete with peers from other schools in the region in a fun and creative platform.
Ruby Machon’s Beyond the Reef and Colbie McCabe’s And the Winner is … both received Excellence Awards. Their short stories were recognised for creativity of key ideas and the themes they encompassed.
Ruby’s story follows the journey of a seal conservationist who is attacked by a shark at the local beach at Seal Rocks. Despite the attack, the conservationist continues to passionately work in the ocean and the story continues to a scene where the conservationist has to save the shark after it is trapped in a net.
Colbie’s story centres around a children’s cooking competition where a boy overcomes gender stereotypes and the opinions of others to win the event.
Ruby said the competition was a wonderful experience and provided an opportunity to compete against kids at other schools. “Being recognised as an Excellence Award winner has developed my confidence in writing and my self-esteem as an overall learner,” she said.
Teacher Gary Pomplun said Holy Name students had participated in the competition for several years.
“It is wonderful that our students have the opportunity to showcase their writing in a fun, engaging, meaningful and competitive platform,” Mr Pomplum said.
“It is pleasing to see our students recognised publicly, with their stories published in the Great Lakes Advocate and this year’s Tell Me a Story compilation. This book is readily available in our school library for all students and teachers to view and read.
“It is amazing to see the children’s enthusiasm and love of writing grow, as well as their increased confidence to experiment with techniques and ideas as a result of this competition.”
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