Literacy

Solway Writing Competition

This year, to coincide with the Boroondara Young Writers Competition, Solway ran it’s very first Writing Competition.  Both Mrs Dordevic and Mrs Watkins were very impressed by the high-quality writing samples received. From humorous, to thought provoking, these pieces showcased the brilliant writers at our school. 

And winners are:

Year 6- Ameyaa, Untitled

Year 5- Sam, The Alleyway

Highly Commended:

Year 6- Lucas, Pencilvania

Year 5 – Max,  A spark of possibility

Special mentions:

Year 5-

Edward, The Titan War

Keisha, The Dark park of the Corner

Millie G- The phone call that changed my life

Year 6-

Vanessa- Untitled

Mila- My teacher is a Monster

Rosie- Friendship

A huge congratulations to the Solway Writing Competition winners, highly commended and special mentions for 2024.  A book of the submitted entries will be compiled for the library, allowing Solway students to read the entries. We look forward to hearing from the Boroondara Writing Competition organisers in November! 

Year 5 Winner- Sam

The Alleyway

A girl no more than eight silently walks through the alleyway. The sludge made of old, discarded papers, rain, dirt and sewage quietly sinks under her shoes; wait too long and she’ll be stuck. The darkness of the night highlights the faint yellow glow from the old flood lights seeping around the buildings. A faint splattering of rain fills in the otherwise silent night and the old barren alleyway seems to stretch forever. It seems a safe place but even an inexperienced eight-year-old knows something is off; the air feels uneasy. Her yellow coat may protect her from the elements, but it won’t protect her from the desperate cold-hearted humans that inhabit the surrounding apartments. Other surrounding flood lights flicker on, shining directly at the eight-year-old. She freezes, her face hidden by her coat.

Whether the motion cameras detected her, or it’s already 11pm, she cannot risk it. Her family trusts her to get water and she must not be caught. The newly lit flood light flickers off and the girl silently sighs with relief. It had seen her. She was right to stop. She crouches and dashes to the nearest side of the alleyway, being careful not to wake the people inhabiting the apartments. They wouldn’t be friendly.

The girl slinks along the alley’s dirty brick wall until she reaches her makeshift bucket.

She looks at the bucket and her face pales with shock; this is her family’s only source of water and it has been torn asunder. Dry tears fill her eyes. Memories of before the global leaders gave up on the climate crisis drown out her vision. Trees. Rain. Birds. All gone in only six years, as the planet burned four degrees hotter. So fast, so deadly. The ice caps melted, raising the oceans, destroying thousands of ecosystems and driving hundreds of different species to extinction. Multiple governments collapsed and the people were left to anarchy.

Will the world ever thrive again? Ever see a thick green forest full of fauna and flora or a coral reef bursting with life? No. Not earth. Because for us it’s gone forever.

Year 6 Winner Ameyaa

Untitled

As I lie alone in my bed,

Staring at the roof instead.

Trying to go to sleep,

Counting another infinite sheep.

While stuck in another sleepless night.

Watching out my bedroom window,

Looking at cars that go incognito.

TikTok, YouTube and Roblox stuck in my mind

While stuck in another sleepless night.

With school, tests and homework tomorrow,

I lie in bed with my body feeling sorrow 

As another hour passes,

I doze in my warm pyjamas.

While stuck in another sleepless night.

As my eyelids droop over my eyes,

I try and not imagine nightmare cries.

I finally close my overwhelmed eyes.

While stuck in another sleepless night

Sarah Watkins

Acting Assistant Principal/Literacy Specialist