Eighteen young writers and poets have won awards in The Mount School’s Creative Writing Competition for the 2019 York Literature Festival.
The competition invited entries on the theme of Moon | Space from writers and poets aged 18 and under. Over 120 entries were received from nine schools from around the country.
The independent panel of adjudicators praised the quality of the entries, saying, “The quality of the entries for this year’s competition made judging them very difficult, but also really exciting. It was a real pleasure to be able to read these pieces and brilliant to see so many promising young writers in York.”
This is the competition’s second year with The Mount School and the York Literature Festival. Entries were received from schools as well as from individual participants. Winners are invited to read their entries in a small ceremony at The Mount School this Saturday.
Adrienne Richmond, Principal of The Mount School, said “Congratulations to all of the winners. It’s wonderful to see that the quality of the entries is so high and keeps improving each year. I hope even more schools will submit entries for next year’s competition in celebration of the York Literature Festival.”
Susanna Cooper, Festival Director for the York Literature Festival, today said “We enjoyed a wonderful 2019 York Literature Festival. Our thanks to The Mount for organising the Children’s Creative Writing Competition, which showcased a wealth of incredible talent. I hope these young writers and poets continue to explore their talents and challenge themselves by taking part in future competitions. Perhaps one day they will in turn present their latest novel or poetry anthology at the Festival.”
Poetry:
U11: 1st Oliver Jackson The Moon (St Mary’s RC Primary School, Richmond); 2nd Amelia Murgatroyd Aliens (The Mount Junior School); 3rd Florence Kotecha Zog (The Mount Junior School); Honourable mention Minah Iveson The Stars (St Mary’s RC Primary School, Richmond).
12 – 15 years: 1st Anya Durbidge The Moon (The Mount School); 2nd Andrea Garcia The Moon Know (The Mount School); Joint 3rd place Laura Curbelo Romero The Sun and the Moon (The Mount School), Sophia Warn Moon Poem (The Mount School).
16 – 18 years: 1st Martha Walker Nine Haiku (The Mount School)
Short Story
U11: 1st Bea Thompson Moon Party (Lord Deramore’s Primary School); 2nd Scarlett Hodgeson The Moon and Back (Ralph Butterfield School); 3rd Ellene Lockhart The Moon and her Sister (St Mary’s RC Primary School, Richmond)
12 – 15 years: 1st Zaara Mahmood Moon | Space (Bradford Grammar School); 2nd Charla Banks Luna (The Mount School); 3rd Sophie Lee For Womankind (The Mount School)
16-18 years: 1st Bethanie Warboys Lunar Falls (The Mount School), 2nd Hannah Walton-Hughes 484,000kms Away (The Mount School)