Creativity and skill in full force in 2022 Randolph Stow Young Writers Awards

The creative writing talent among Geraldton and Mid West youth was on full display at the 34th annual Randolph Stow Young Writers’ Awards last month.

The ceremony, held at Geraldton Grammar School and organised by the Geraldton Regional Library, recognised the best poetry and prose pieces from primary and secondary students in the region.

This year, 71 awards were presented across prose and poetry categories.

The awards are named in honour of Geraldton-born author Randolph Stow and his literary achievements, which include one of his most famous works, the novel The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea.

This year a new award was introduced, sponsored by Agricultural Region MLC Sandra Carr, enabling two secondary students to attend the Young Writers Collective in 2023, where budding writers have the chance to learn from award-winning Australian and WA authors.

Guest speaker author Dr Sally Murphy congratulated all the young writers, but took a moment to praise all the support they received to allow them to be creative — from their parents, mentors, teachers and librarians.

Judges applauded the quality, skill and creativity of this year’s entries.

“I was taken on a journey through their very descriptive words. Abundant talent that should be nurtured and encouraged,” judge Nola Gregory said.

RESULTS

LOWER PRIMARY POETRY

1st: Roland Heaney, Year 4, Geraldton Primary School, Growing Nightmare

2nd: Eliza Pumpa, Year 3, Meekatharra School of the Air, The Muster

3rd: Jazmyn Leigh Hinds, Year 4, Beachlands Primary School, Mum’s Deadly Fart

Highly commended: Evie Fisher (Wandina PS), Gareth Taylor (Geraldton Grammar School)

LOWER PRIMARY PROSE

1st: Nate Carrick, Year 4, Walkaway Primary School, Wizard

2nd: Synnove Kaur Dhillon, Year 4, Geraldton Grammar School, Mr Shaky

3rd: Caitlin Cox, Year 3, Geraldton Primary School, Road Trip

Highly commended: Kara Pothan (GGS), Walter Abetz (Geraldton Christian College), Arya Khan (GGS)

UPPER PRIMARY POETRY

1st: Billy Coaker, Year 6, Morawa District High School, The Epics of Football

2nd: Esta Penberthy, Year 6, Geraldton Grammar School, Maths Test

3rd: Christabella Pumpa, Year 6, Meekatharra School of the Air, The Flood

Highly commended: Rueben Grigsby (GPS), Tora Smith (Yuna PS), Jayden Newman (Walkaway PS), Amber O’Dwyer (Walkaway PS), Addison Van Tiel (Wandina PS)

UPPER PRIMARY PROSE

1st: Amity Geqwin, Year 6, St John’s Primary School, Questions

2nd: Indi von Senger, Year 6, Allendale Primary School, Can You Keep A Secret?

3rd: Lincoln Shiosaki, Year 6, Wandina Primary School, The Two Wars

Highly commended: Elise Kalpers-Gray (Wandina PS), Digby Kupsch (St Lawrence’s PS), Vera Blake (Mingenew PS), Sofia Henderson (Wandina PS), Jorja Harper (Cervantes PS), Addison Phillips (GCC)

LOWER SECONDARY POETRY

1st: Lysander Foster, Year 8, Geraldton Christian College, Where the Wraiths Ramble

2nd: Regielyn Alap-Ap, Year 8, Geraldton Senior High School, Growth

3rd: Angus Chadbourne, Year 8, Geraldton Grammar School, The Leaky Pen

Highly commended: Baird Garrett (Nagle CC), John Marcus Solomon (GSHS), Nate Somerville (Nagle CC)

LOWER SECONDARY PROSE

1st: Martha Bukinshaw, Year 8, Nagle Catholic College, Shifting Waters

2nd: Tahlia Watson, Year 8, Geraldton Senior High School, The End of Mrs Smith

3rd: Nate Somerville, Year 8, Nagle Catholic College, The Great Snake Hunt

Highly commended: Amy Browne (Nagle CC), Eliana Dacus-Grace (Nagle CC)

MIDDLE SECONDARY POETRY

1st: Hayley Driscoll, Year 10, Nagle Catholic College, Broken

2nd: Chloe Weightman, Year 10, Geraldton Senior High School, Home (A Pilbara Poem)

3rd: Sam J Wilson, Year 10, Geraldton Senior High School, Friends Are Like Nuts

Highly commended: Cameron Griffith (GSHS), Arty Simms (GSHS), Kelsey Curtin (GGS), Allysa Pipon (GCC), Lily-Anne Bailey (Northampton DHS)

MIDDLE SECONDARY PROSE

1st: Lily Scrimgeour, Year 9, Geraldton Grammar School, Dragonfly Chorus

2nd: Malini Bass, Year 10, Nagle Catholic College, The Aftermath

3rd: Shanaya Gronow, Year 10, Geraldton Grammar School, Saviour

Highly commended: Lalani Madeline MacLeod (GCC), Elle Ryan (GGS), James McColl (GSHS), Amara Starling (GGS), Kendra Walker (GSHS)

UPPER SECONDARY POETRY

1st: Mya Abbott, Year 11, Nagle Catholic College, Bitter Fruit

2nd: Grace McLean, Year 12, Nagle Catholic College, Stumbling

3rd: Hien Tran, Year 11, Nagle Catholic College, Pandemic

Highly commended: Oli Myers (Nagle CC), Kalani Ethell (Nagle CC), Naledi Dickson (Nagle CC)

UPPER SECONDARY PROSE

1st: Rebecca Tierney, Year 11, Nagle Catholic College, A Home at Moonie Creek

2nd: Clancy Hann, Year 11, Geraldton Grammar School, The Blue

3rd: Cullyn Kentish, Year 11, Geraldton Grammar School, The Ornament

Highly commended: Darci Pinkney (Nagle CC), Oscar Lin (GGS), Camryn McKoy (Nagle CC), Matilda Attwood (GSHS)

PAT GALLAHER ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD

Oscar Lin, Year 11, Geraldton Grammar School, Day Job

SANDRA CARR MLC EMERGING YOUNG WRITERS SCHOLARSHIP

Lalani Madeline MacLeod, Year 10, Geraldton Christian College, Lost

Amy Browne, Year 8, Nagle Catholic College, Currents