Writing Competition
WRITING COMPETITION RESULTS FOR JUNE.
The June Writing Competition concluded a short time ago with yet another high-quality round of writing. Unlike last year, where original compositions were the majority of entries, classwork is being submitted across the various subject areas. The quality of writing is once again at a high standard. With that in mind, the winners in the month of June are:
Year 7: Kaitlyn Hall.
Year 8: Samantha Xavier.
Year 9: Youssef Tannous.
Year 10: Aleina Hartono.
Year 11: Shaniya Lal.
Each winner receives a $30 Teen gift voucher.
Our Honourable Mentions with quality submissions in the month of June are:
Aishriya Lal (7), Sean Christian (7), Archisha Thumma (8), Tristan Fegradoe (8), Maxine Gesilva (9), Suwanthi Edirisinghe (9), Nicole Cabale (10), Jiselle Batu (10). Zaira Chowdhury (10).
Below are some samples of writing from June. Fonts have not been altered to preserve the intentions and originality of the student work. Thank you to those who entered. I look forward to receiving your submissions for the next competition ending on August 31st.
Extract from: A Discursive Piece by Euleila Barret (10).
This generation, no matter where we are, our phones are always with us - 24/7. Our phones become one with us and it becomes a mask, our digital selves slowly consuming our real selves. This comes to the point where we are an edited profile picture, a make believe bio and a staged instagram post; this is our identity. Because we have the power and control with what we want to expose to others. How are we without our phones? A quiet question quite difficult to answer. What are we without the multiple social media platforms that piece together what we define our identity? We are too caught up on the idea of making an image that is seemingly something that is appealing to others that the fictional story starts to become our real selves. What’s wrong with this?, to place a mask onto us with the representation of what we want our peers to see. I’ll tell you, we begin to lose our self expression and we lose the ability to make a true opinion about how we perceive daily things in life without the interference of what others might think about us. We become sheep. We follow and do what everyone else is doing; we forget that we have the capability to do what feels right to us and makes us trapped in a cycle of becoming something people would accept instead of accepting yourself.
An untitled poem by Sean Christian (7).
When you see deforestation
Or litter down the streets;
Do what you can
And keep it all neat.
How can you not hate
Seeing all the pollution;
But wait a minute
There's a solution.
How can you not dislike
The rubbish in the green.
Let's do what we can
To keep it all clean.
You see all the contamination
The plastic, the rubbish.
The lifeless monsters
I hope it all goes,that's my wish.
Oh no theres more
The immortal cans.
They just don't see
And cant understand.
Do what you can
And show that you care
Do it today
Let's do our share
But if you don't...
Nature hides away
Pollution rears its ugly head
You will not see nature
That's the end.
The Nature of Cancel Culture in Relation to Catholic teachings on judgement by Samantha Xavier (8).
The present world is plagued by the transparency of social media and the growing influence of the Internet. Out of this mass of conflicting opinions has given rise to ‘cancel culture’, a phrase we have come to associate with a form of ostracism. A person is thrust out of societal circles and after seemingly making a mistake, or coinciding with something that society deems wrong - simply ‘cancelled’ from society. When we see this through the lense of Christian teachings, we see a gossamer of cracked morals and values. The Christian faith is founded under a supreme teaching that states that, “For us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” 1 Corinthians 8:6. Humanity cowers under the cardinal being of God, who is perfect, made of all things good and holy. We are his flawed subjects, born out of original sin who are prey to the influence of wrongdoing. We have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Therefore, it is understandable that only God holds the right of judging sin, for he is perfect! But now cancel culture has blurred this revelation, and through an inflated ego we now believe we can judge ourselves with God-like talent, justifying ostracism in all its forms. Shouldn’t love judge us, not sin? The most recent instance has occurred at the 2022 Oscars celebration when actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock. He apologised immediately but was not given a second thought for people had already deemed his action wrong, a crime. It was a symbol of moral progress and regret but cancel culture discourages such progress, quick to judge the act as it was. God’s teachings state that for one to be accepted into the kingdom of Heaven, thus living a life of love, they must have the ability to forgive and to accept the mistakes of others. Cancel culture has made the world quick to judge and resistant to any forms of pardon, hardening the hearts of people. To move forwards and evolve better as a people we first must realise that a life without love (forgiveness) is life not worth living.
Extract from: Gender inequality speech by Suwanthi Edirisinghe (9)
When you think of the words ‘gender inequality’ usually the word women instantly pops up. Although most of the problems regarding gender inequality are related to females it is not right for men to be excluded. Females face discrimination much more frequently as religiously and historically they have been portrayed as inferior to men. Take the creation story in the Bible, Eve is created by one of Adams’ ribs connoting that women rely on men. Taking on this perspective, it is evident that females struggle with being treated fairly simply because of their gender. But this shouldn’t be a reason to take men out of the equation. The topic of gender inequality is also corresponded with ‘female empowerment and don’t get me wrong although this makes sense there are others including men and those who do not identify as their assigned sex at birth, who are often minorities to this topic of protest. Isn’t it ironic that this issue is only focused on with the fixated mindset of females being victims and men the villains? So this being said, maintaining equality within this TED Talk itself probably helps, doesn’t it?
Now that the housekeeping point is out of the way let's get down to the real business. Imagine this, from your workplace you and one of your male counterparts have a chance to win a trip to Hawaii where the ocean waves sing to your ears, where the everlasting sun doesn’t set and where the skies are bluer than blue if your performance rate increases by more than 5%. Wait, what do singing ocean waves and cool sunsets have to do with gender equality? This is where it escalates. Both you (in this case a female worker) and the male worker increase in performance by 6% tying for the position but is given to the male simply because well, he’s a male. Blue skies and pretty beaches, all gone. That was just one example of the gender pay/bonus gap present around the world, a serious issue as women are getting paid less for the exact same job, where the company predetermines their choices without even knowing them. Something as simple as getting car insurance is also prone to gender inequality. The insurance company will ask for your race, gender and age, comparing them to some big “statistic” and judge whether or not to give it out. We know this is a recurring issue and although in some countries it has drastically improved, more must be done. All the time we hear comments like “Men are a million times more privileged” or “Oh women are put on a pedestal now” when in reality EVERYONE is still being ignored. So really have we even made progress?
Extract from: ‘Wildflower’ by Zaira Chowdhury (10).
Sorrow dripped into her soul, grasped-all-along a firm hold of a tragedy. It seemed as though the more she wished to speak, she had kept locked in her head - memories of forever, to be lost in the landscape of her mind than anywhere else.
As she fell into the darkness of the world, I - the very essence of death awaited to catch her. It hadn't started in all darkness as it ended in, Catharine like many other teenagers had awaited for the train. Somewhere in her mind - between subtly counting the coins that were weighing her blazer down and yelling colourful words of rebellion at those nations blamed for the third world war - did her train arrive. Snapping her thoughts in half as if they were those carrots sticks with some bland dip- you were told to eat for better eyesight as a kid. After All that ceased to exist , the world had completely hung itself in annihilation of nuclear warfare. Technology had been brought down due to the wide destruction of power plants hence, the world had abandoned their modern solutions - looking at the past - practically galloping on horses rather than cars.Although, trains and buses were running - they were severely crowded and were prone to many malfunctions.
All that remained was: a corrupted government system -hanging onto the threads of the wealthier nations for life support, the dying economy as money weighed feathers and the dehumanisation of life itself. For as long as I roamed the earth, I thought that humans bathed in their fear of me but worshipped in their love for each other but I was mistaken, they took to me on the streets with a mere nod - a sort of mundane poignancy. The great Death was nothing but a limp scumbag. These Governments had left the streets with bloodshed- dirtying their hands with gamble and these people had no choice but to abandon their morals. The lifeless bodies in the streets had begged me to take them.
Extract from: ‘Her’ by Shaniya Lal (11).
The rain fell in turrets.
Water slices through the air as I shuffle along the paved path, boots sloshing with water and gunk as droplets stick to my hair like dew.
Hurriedly, I rush towards the sweet haven I know best. The scent of honeyed tea and warm hearths drawing me in. Rounding the corner I reach the coffee house, bursting through in a wild and dishevelled state, my drenched clothes clinging clumsily to damp skin. Treading the floorboards with loud resounding footsteps I make my way to the seat by the window.
Staring out at the dreary skies I wait with my hands clasped tightly under my chin, counting the minutes away one by one in a sluggish sort of chant. It's on the third count when I hear a flutter of skirts and a soft “good afternoon”’ that I look away from the window to greet an all too familiar pair of blue orbs and a well-painted face.
I barely register faint scribbles on the pad or her cheerful “What can I get you?”, when I reply with the usual earl grey tea with two buttered scones. But it's not this question that gets me the look, it's the one where she asks me if I’m expecting to meet someone and I reply with a plain “Of course” like it were the most obvious thing in the world. And it takes good practice to recognise the perplexing scrunching of nose or raising of eyebrows before she flounces away, but I recognise it all the same.
Staring out at the gathering of grey clouds I wait for her, and as I do my tea turns cold and my scones remain untouched. It's when I begin to tap my foot impatiently against the beamed floor that I hear the door jingle open, turning in my seat and knocking over the now stale tea in the process.
Tentatively I resume looking out the window as she makes her way towards me, hesitantly pulling out the plush couch as it scrapes across the floor. She sits down, eyes downcast, biting her nail down to the stub until she can no longer avoid my piercing scrutiny. Anxiously she clears her throat shifting uncomfortably in her seat, her breath shaky.