English
Writing Competitions
Despite students studying remotely this term, there are still a number of fantastic writing competitions currently running across Victoria which students are encouraged to enter. Creative Writing in both prose and poetry offers students a chance to write to a theme, word count and deadline, within the scope of healthy competition. Students are asked to cc their English teacher into their email entries where possible.
Victorian Association for the Teaching of English (VATE) - Stories for Strange Times
VATE invites students and teachers to write and submit a short story inspired by the theme Stories for Strange Times. There are three categories available in the competition:
• Years 7 to 8 students
• Years 9 to 10 students
• Teachers
Entries of no more than 1000 words are due by 5:00pm on Monday 1 June, 2020 and should be emailed to education@vate.org.au. The entry form to accompany each short story submission is available to download here.
The Arts Learning Festival Poetry Competition
As part of The Arts Learning Festival, a competition is running which invites young Victorians from all school sectors to express themselves in poetry in its myriad forms. Prizes will be awarded to winners by a panel of expert judges, and winning poems will be published on their short edition story dispensers, as well as online.
The age categories relevant to our school setting are:
- Years 7 to 8 students
- Years 9 to 10 students
- Years 11 to 12 students
The maximum length of the poem is 60 lines. The deadline for entries is Friday 22 May, 2020 (with winners announced early Term Three.)
Poems must be sent in a Word document, accompanied by the downloadable Poetry Competition Cover Sheet, stating the writer’s name, year level, school (or home schooled) and teacher or parent/carer contact details. Entries must be emailed to stories@is.vic.edu.au.
More information can be found here.
Whitlam Institute - What Matters?
What Matters? is a 'catalyst for young thinkers and young writers to develop a perspective, a point of view, on where we're heading as a society'.
Inspired by Gough Whitlam's commitment to involving young people in the shaping of Australia's future, the competition is currently open to school students in Years 5 to 12 from Australia. Responding to the simple question 'What matters?', entrants are free to express their views on any matter they care about.
To enter What Matters?, students submit an original written piece between 400-600 words in prose or poetry, of either fiction or non-fiction. Entries are due by May 8, 2020. Competition guidelines can be found here.
Prizes are awarded in four categories:
- Years 5 to 6 students
- Years 7 to 8 students
- Years 9 to 10 students
- Years 11 to 12 students
See prize information here.
Mental Health Foundation of Australia
The Mental Health Foundation of Australia is organising its inaugural Australian Young Writers - Creative Writing Competition open to all Australian students in their primary or secondary years.
The theme is Mental Health Matters, and entries can be in any style. The deadline for submission is 31 July, 2020.
Further details can be found here.
Red Room - Poetry Object 2020
Red Room Poetry Object is Australasia’s largest free poetry-writing competition for young people and their teachers. Poetry Object ignites imaginations by inviting poems inspired by treasured, curious, everyday, extraordinary, interplanetary or talismanic objects.
Submissions close on Friday 22 May, 2020 at 5:00pm. See here for terms and conditions and here for information relating to prizes and judging.
Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards 2020
Entries are now open for the Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards 2020, Australia’s oldest and most known annual poetry writing competition for students.
Poets are encouraged to take inspiration from wherever they may find it, However, if they are looking for some direction, competition participants are invited to use this year's optional theme, 'We used to live there' to inspire their entries.
The categories for entry include Junior Secondary (Years 7 to 9) and Senior Secondary (Years 10 to 12), Assisted Learning Secondary and a Schools’ Award. Winners and runners-up will be awarded cash prizes, trophies and prize packs. Entries accepted until 30 June.
See here for for information and resources.
Kim Elliott
Learning Leader: English