A record number of 883 entries from 26 schools meant that this year’s WriteStuff writing competition was the biggest ever.
The competition, open to pupils in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, is part of the annual Guernsey Literary Festival and the winners were awarded their prizes and had their stories read at an event at Les Cotils in this year’s Festival.
This year’s Primary winner was Sybil Henderson from Notre Dame, the Intermediate winner was Sienna Wallen of Ladies College and the Senior winner was Jake Taylor of Elizabeth College. Winners in the SEND category were Jake Donaldson and Dylan Robilliard.
Young writers in the Bailiwick were given the chance to use their imaginations to write a 300-word story inspired by their love for nature.
The judges for the competition were acclaimed writers, M G Leonard, Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, Sita Brahmachari and Huw Lewis-Jones, all of whom came to the island to take part in the Festival and present the WriteStuff awards. The competition was once again sponsored by Julius Baer, whose Jean-Luc Le Tocq was at the presentation.
Also at the presentation were Education minister Andrea Dudley-Owen, who referred to the Festival as a ‘significant annual event’ and paid tribute to the creativity and imagination shown by the children. Tribute was also paid to the island’s teachers who had supported the competition.
Festival Honorary Chairman Terry Waite also spoke about the importance of encouraging young people’s imaginations. It was important for the young to tell their stories, and not live their lives ‘with their song still in them’.
The challenge for young writers was to produce a 300-word story which inspired and reconnected the reader with love for Nature. Pieces were judged on creativity, clarity, style and accuracy of language as well as an explicit link to Nature. The aim of the WriteStuff Competition is to develop writing skills and further digital literacy.
There are four classes, Primary (years 3-6), Intermediate (years 7-9) and Senior (years 10+), and a class for special educational needs (SEND). As well as being sponsored by Julius Baer, the competition is promoted by Guernsey Literary Festival partners including Betley Whitehorne Image, the Guille-Allès Library, Guernsey Arts and Island Families.
The winners received a cash prize, certificate and an illustration drawn by local illustrator James De La Rue to illustrate their stories. There was also a trophy for the first in each class.
The Results
Primary, judged by M. G. Leonard:
- Sybil Henderson (Year 3, Notre Dame) – Our Planet’s Lungs
- Genevieve Driver (Year 5, Notre Dame) – Ivy and Stripe
- Annabelle Shires (Year 6, Beechwood) – The Land of the Long Cloud
Highly commended:
- Jacinta Ozanne (Year 3, Notre Dame) – The Ferocious Tiger
- Solomon Bearder (Year 5, Hautes Capelles) – The Sunken Village
- Noah Le Noury (Year 4, Blanchelande) – The Battle for the Island
- Hugo Gouveia (Year 4, Notre Dame) My Adventure in the Amazon Rainforest
Intermediate, judge by Joseph Coelho
- Sienna Wallen (Year 7, Ladies College) – the Greenhouse
- Herbie Stow (Year 9, Elizabeth College) – Small Fragile World
- Annabelle Smith (Year 8, Ladies College) – Drifting
Highly commended:
- Amelie Rodliffe (Year 7, Ladies College) – My Perch
- Noah Nicolle (Year 8, Elizabeth College) – The King of the Forest
- James Robinson (Year 9, Elizabeth College) – Desert
- Gabriel Bachman (Year 7, Elizabeth College) – My Peruvian Adventure
- Erin Cullwick (Year 7, Elizabeth College) – The Final Orangutan
Senior (Year 10+), judged by Sita Brahmachari
- Jake Taylor (Elizabeth College) – Trapped
- Lily Strappini (Les Beaucamps High) – The Girl and Her Tree
- Sam Savory (Elizabeth College) – My Escape
Highly Commended:
- Barney Paxton (Elizabeth College) – Hidden Away
- Sommchai Blondin (St Sampson’s High) – Carrion
- Jasmine Lockwood (Ladies College) – Wonder
- Barton Wilkes (Elizabeth College) – A Lost World
- Ralph Humphries (Elizabeth College) – Future
SEND category judged by Huw Lewis-Jones
- Primary SEND winner: Jake Donaldson (Le Rondin) — Luke and the Street Clean Crew
- Highly commended: Fletch O’Hara (Forest) – Stormy Day
- Secondary SEND winner: Dylan Robilliard (Le Murier) – Toasty and the Buzzard
- Highly Commended: Charlie Mauger-Crowson ( Le Murier) – Why is Barry a Grizzly Bear?
Pictured: Winners at the presentation show their joy. Front row are judges Huw Lewis-Jones, M G Leonard, Sita Bramachari and Joseph Coelho. Jean-Luc Le Tocq of sponsors Julius Baer is back left of the picture.
