ST ANDREWS WRITING COMPETITION FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.

The March competition was popular and we received many entries from all the grades. The quality was high and I was especially impressed with the number of first-time entrants and the volume of classwork that was submitted to the competition. The winners and runners-up from March are below:

Our Year 7 winner is  - Kathryn Baginski with her poem “I am From”.

Our Year 8 winner is – Elyscia Barret with her short story “If Only”.

Our Year 9 winner is – Jennifer Assi with her short untitled story 

Our Year 10 winner is – Charlise Kenny with her short story “The River so Deep”. 

Congratulations to all of the winners who each receive a $30 gift voucher.

Other writers deserve an honourable mention for their quality and efforts in March. Please congratulate:

Alysse Yates (7), Mackenzie Jones (8), Jovan Dominic (8), Euleila Barret (9), Mohit Sundriyal (9), Archisha Thumma (9), Samara Brennan (9), Bella Ayton (10), Cooper Shield (10).

Thank you to all of those students who entered. I look forward to the April entries. Some samples of our students’ talents are below.

Charlise Kenny, Year 10 – The River so Deep.

She gracefully glided across the bed of tears, with gentle noises of the engine floating among the water. Her hair was flowing with the wind and her smile was as bright as the sun. As she glanced towards me, I stared into her eyes and everything else just faded away. CLASH! The waves smashed up against the boat causing it to rock like a swing. She collapsed amongst the sea and fell head over heels coming for a landing on the ocean that now cried. My jaw dropped as this all happened in a blink of an eye. I needed to do something, but how will I get so far? This question ran through my head over, and over again. My breathing increased to an unprecedented speed and I closed my eyes. Voices were yelling around me and at me. Everything just kept replaying in my head. STOP! I screamed to the voices inside my head. My eyes flashed open and I just ran. Ran into the salty tears, struggling to stay upright. Running across the ocean to the girl who was fading away. My feet were stinging just before I went too deep, shells and weeds ripping my skin, but I was not going to stop. I needed to save her. I reached close to her with my heavy breathing and aching legs, latching myself onto the boat to connect arms with her. She became heavy, water taking over her soul. With all my strength, I pulled her onto the boat and gazed as she took her last breath… 

Anonymous Writer, Year 9.

My mind fell into a drift and I walked back into the park and lost control. It was as if someone was controlling me and this eerie figure was engulfed with my soul. The leaves danced with the wind and the swings drifted back and forth and yet there were no children, not a single soul but mine. I waltzed around hoping to find the children. Where did he take them? Maybe he hid them, maybe they hear the voices too. I hope they didn’t fall into his game and have their eyes sewn shut or pinned a smile on their poor little faces. I felt my body fall into the emptiness of the night sky and gazed at all the stars. I hope the children don’t hear the voices too, poor little things. I heard a faint little “hello” I got up as fast as I could hoping the children came back. It was just the voices coming back. I ran into the forest as fast as I could trying to run away from it all and not hear them screeching in my ear. I ran so fast my heart raced with me. I snapped back into reality but it didn’t feel so normal. 

Bella Ayton, Year 10.

Today when I woke up, everything felt different, instead of displaying 20 hour time they now displayed 14 hour time. This is so annoying and confusing, I didn't know how to read the time and how to tell whether I will be late or early for work. The second thing which was different is today it's January and it's cold. January has never been cold before, it's always hot and good swimming weather. I have no idea how this could even work nor happen, did they change the weather or did they change the month?

I decided to get up, get dressed, and head over to my friend’s house. Stephanie’s chip was faulty so she had the same problem as me but no one knows about it. We are very close because we have to act the same as everyone else and we also have to teach each other how to use the new technology. When I arrived at her house, she would have to answer the door as everyone else would. She always asks the same questions, ‘What's your name, why are you here and how are you feeling’. My answers are always the same, ‘My name is James Thomas, I am here to have a coffee with you, I am feeling very good. Once she knew it was me, she would let me in and we could act however we wanted because no one was around to watch our moves. We once nearly got caught, we forgot to close the curtains, and people under government control were walking past.  

Mackenzie Jones, Year 8.

A glow stick needs to break before it glows

Right?

Yeah. You buy the glow sticks and you break em 

They glow.

So I thought well hey I am a glow stick

Before I glow I will be broken

And so I tried to glow without being broken

Didn’t work. I lacked life experience 

You came along.

I didn’t think you would break me

But you did 

And I glowed 

I was the brightest one in the pack

And then he came after you

And he broke me until I snapped 

Now I am broken 

Sitting in the back of the class

Writing about how a glow stick breaks before it glows

Kathryn Baginski, Year 7

I am from Kings Langley

from Australia and Poland.

I am from the fantasy

which unfolds from the glowing pages of books.

I am from the canvas

Which stood wistfully in the attic

Now glorious, no longer heartsick.

I’m from the overgrown garden

Sheltering millions of small creatures.

I’m from the hibiscus blooms,

Displaying magnificent colours.

From the insects that dwell

In the citrus flower’s petals,

And the skinks which like to hide under stones.

I’m from chocolate and fruit

Prayers and beliefs

From the fictions I create

To the truth that I know.

My brother, my mother, my father, my grandfather,

My family, friends and community

They are all dear to me,

Wherever I may be. 

Elyscia Barret, Year 8.

If only there was a possibility to travel through time. Regrets cloud my every thought and shadows guard my every move. I was young and foolish back then, I had no idea what one day could change. The memories of laughing together and smiling faces crumbled in my hands. I still vividly remember that moment, the moment when I cast you aside and ignored you. The scream that pierced my ears and the tears that pricked my eyes still emerge into my dreams. The person that I used to stand so proudly in front of, now makes me tremble at the sound of their name. 

If only I could have been smarter. Advice I had given others a thousand times over became my own downfall. I suddenly became blind over false beliefs and wasted my time. Your brightened up face and warm words are now my personal chains, holding me back from genuine happiness. Over time I slowly started falling deeper and deeper into a pit of darkness. They say “The higher you climb, the more painful the fall will be.” Years ago when I used to smile, I clawed and climbed my way upwards, never looking down. But now I am endlessly falling into the void. 

If only I had opened my heart. I was resentful towards the world and didn’t notice the affection that radiated off of you. Your gentleness and goodwill created a foundation for people to stand upon. You raised everyone up from the shadows and I was too naive to take you for granted. 

Standing at this place, with flowers surrounding the base, I wish that I could’ve been at your side. The birds chirping loudly and the clouds on the move, I think I finally found me. I can finally say the words that I couldn’t say before, and all of this is true. I get to renew the things that were way overdue, I really and truly love you. 

Loudonald Go, Year 10.

The government had all the power in the world to help fix the climate change problem; although they did not make any effort to do so. All the constant protests years ago had led to a dead end. The government only cared about money; blinded by the very thing that could end their life. 

Now in the present, I fear it is the end of my life, much like all my friends who have died off in the beginning. The chamber over months has become extremely heated, not being able to see the surface in ages. My time here has felt like years, no realisation of the actual time I've spent in this nightmare. We all still live in this boiling basement; the growing heat cooking us alive, ready to feast on our scorched human flesh. I fear any day now, our game of hide and seek will end as the cold grasps of the fire infiltrate our hideout and consume us. 

Mr Dewar