Shortt Story Winners

It is a genuine thrill to see students engaging with writing in a way that feels both structured and creative. These challenges aren’t just about producing polished work -  they’re about voice, perspective, and confidence. And if this round of stories is anything to go by, our students are developing all three.

This term, students across Years 4–6 took part in our latest Shortt Story Showdown, all responding to the theme: “The moment when…”

Each year level was given a different twist on the prompt. Year 4 wrote about the moment when I dropped the lunch I was looking forward to - and managed to turn a fairly common primary school mishap into a deeper, dramatic, and emotionally charged tragedy. The Year 5's explored the moment when the chair betrayed me, building suspence from the first sign or 'creak'. And in Year 6, it was the moment I couldn’t hold in a sneeze - a seemingly simple, harmless event that, in the hands of these writers, became a story of embarressment, chaos, and sharp internal monologues. Whether in Year 4, 5, or 6, our students did a wonderful job of capturing the tension of that split-second moment with humour, insight and dramatic flair. Not only did their showcase their talents, but their willingness to learn, their enthusiasm for the task, and their incredible ability to continue tweaking and refining their work with purpose was on full display. They are a true joy to work with.

A special congratulations to our three winners (seen pictured below). Ryan from F4, Evie from F15, and Ava from F10 (who was absent for the photo). Their winning entries can be read below the photograph! Each winner from the competition has also been archived onto our website, and found at this link: 

https://www.magillschool.sa.edu.au/teaching-and-learning/literacy/writing-competition/