Literary achievement

Congratulations to NHS Media and English Teacher Alora Young who recently won the 2019 PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers. This award recognizes 12 fiction writers each year for their debut short story. The judges were Alice Sola Kim, Carmen Maria Machado, and Danielle Evans.

Alora's short story, ‘Vain Beasts’ was published last year in Lady Churchill’s Rosebud Wristlet #38. The story will be in the PEN America Best Debut Short Stories anthology later this year.

When asked to send a headshot for the anthology, Alora enlisted the help of three Year 12 Media students (Lucinda Breen, Flynn Gilder-Smith, and Eliza Sparvell) who photographed and lit her for it. It’s a beautifully taken photo, with the students demonstrating the skills Alora taught them last year - well done also to Lucinda, Flynn and Eliza!