Northcote Writes (and reads, and slams...)

NHS Writers' Festival 2017

Over August 25-26 we celebrated the annual Northcote High School Community Writers' Festival.  The events were thoroughly enjoyed by all - we're looking forward to more from our young writers!

Poetry Slam

Gender, sport, butterflies, rebelliousness, losing weight and boiled lollies were topics which sparked the composition of some of the poems at our third annual poetry slam. A stellar line-up of students and staff performed for a diverse and rowdy audience who responded enthusiastically to the poetry and to the as always pitch-perfect hosting by Mantra MC.

A panel of volunteer judges led by Ms Aylin Gokmen (all the way from Kurunjang Secondary College) pronounced the team Two and a Half Redheads (Ruby Wright, PJ Burgmeister and Zhana Maticevski-Shumack) the winners. 

Honourable mentions went to Ted Wearn-Jarvis, Ethan Munro and Harley Hefford. Thanks as always to  Carlene Wilson who organises the night itself but also pre- slam training and Northcote’s entry in the Out Loud schools slam competition. The winning slam team  of Zhana, PJ and  Ruby is also one of five to be selected for the outLoud Finals which is an official (and already sold out) event in Melbourne Writers’ Festival. Up for grabs is a paid gig and mentoring by professional slam poets. We wish them every success! For students who don’t go to outLoud, the reward is in having their writing recognised and getting a boost in confidence.

Thanks to Martin Ramsay, Xanthe, Jocelyn, Lincoln and his sound team and Kate Challis for their contributions.

Northcote High School Community Writers’ Festival                              

What is particularly special about this day is the chance to meet and talk to writers in a small group setting. Students, staff and parents and community members were able to hear, meet and question Young Adult Fiction writers Will Kostakis, Lili Wilkinson, Archie Fusillo, Michael Pryor and Simmone Howell. Each year, Fairfield bookshop provides the opportunity to buy copies of the writers’ books so that they can be personally autographed on the day. Two of these authors will also return to NHS to run workshops with our students - see below for details.

The lesson that is learned each year is that writing is hard but rewarding work, and that even professional writers struggle with the process. On Saturday, as we sat in a circle in our Library with the writers, our students saw that writing is not magical or a matter of inspiration, but a something that anyone who sets their mind to it can do. To hear Archie Fusillo speak of how the one draft copy of his first novel was lost, and how he had to spend two years re-creating it is heart breaking, but also a lesson in perseverance.  

Thanks to Merrin Healy, Carlene Wilson, Library Staff Jenny Tripp, Justine Sayers, and Chloe Powell for being in the organising coalition and Martin Ramsay, Vicki Konstantinou and Kevin Hoole for that extra support on the day. Thanks also to Kate Challis for administrative assistance.

Prue Morris

Opportunity: Workshops for young writers

Monday 4th September and Tuesday 5th September

Northcote High School Library and English Departments are hosting two free workshops with award winning authors for students.

Monday 4th September

9am to 12pm – A writing workshop with Lili Wilkinson

Lili Wilkinson is the author of ten books, including Scatterheart and Pink. She established insideadog.com.au, the Inky Awards and the Inkys Creative Reading Prize at the Centre for Youth Literature, State Library of Victoria. Lili has a PhD in Creative Writing from the University of Melbourne, and now spends most of her time reading and writing books for teenagers.  Her latest novel is The Boundless Sublime.

Tuesday 5th September

11.30am to 3.20pm -  A writing workshop with Simmone Howell

Simmone Howell is the award-winning author of YA novels Girl Defective, Everything Beautiful and Notes from the Teenage Underground. She also writes non-fiction about dream houses, teen movies and ways to map a city. She lives in Melbourne and is currently working on a memoir about her formative female influences.

These workshops are provided free to Northcote students who are interested in speaking with authors and undertaking a half-day workshop with each author.

To participate you must use this link www.trybooking.com/RSTH to book your place.  There are only 30 spaces per workshop, so you need to get in fast!

Enquiries:

Contact the Ms Tripp and the library staff in person or email Mr Gilby (gilby.paul.p@edumail.vic.gov.au)

Monday 4th September

9am to 12pm – A writing workshop with Lili Wilkinson