Young Writer Winners 2023
National winner in Junior Category and District winners in Senior and Intermediate Categories. The theme set for year's competition was "Peace"
Senior Category (for students aged 14 - 17 years)
Winner: Jay Maynard, Salesian College Farnborough (sponsored by Mary Madine)
The judges comment that Jay identifies himself as Peace - peace has sometimes been forgotten. Though you may not see me I am always there.. A very well written piece with good structure.
Read Jay's winning entry here.
Highly Commended:
- Scout Wyatt, Manor House School Bookham and Horsley sponsored by Ian Taylor and Nick Garrett. The judges thought it unusual because it was written with an optimistic slant with the repetition of the word hope.
- Julia Nicholls, Churcher's College, Midhurst and Petworth sponsored by John Barrett. The judges liked the description especially "Murmuration of starlings gathered overhead an inky mass filled with thousands of little dotted heads"
Intermediate Category (for students aged 11 - 13 years)
Thomas Broom, Court Moor School (sponsored by John Burton from Hart Club)
The judges thought the best line "Well it is amazing how you can find peace in chaos". Thomas contrasts peace and chaos well. Good descriptions.
Read Thomas' winning entry here.
Highly Commended
- Theo Chapman, Reed's School sponsored by John Thom from Dorking. The judges commented that the whole piece works well as a poem with a humorous clever ending.
- Will Beynon, Court Moor School sponsored by John Burton from Hart Club. The judges commented that this was an interesting interpretation of what peace means to these boys one from England and one from Ukraine.
Junior Category (for students aged 7 - 11 years) NATIONAL WINNER
Winner: Joanna Cheryl Dani, St Mary's Church of England School sponsored by Dion Scherer from Twickenham Upon Thames Club
The judges commented that this was a mature piece of writing . Peace personified as a child. She maintains this idea throughout the poem. It started well and grabbed the judges' attention.
Read Joanna's winning entry here.
Highly Commended:
- Maria Haji-Hannas, St Edmund's Catholic Primary school sponsored from Dion Scherer from Twickenham Upon Thames. The judges noted that this was written about Peach trees and was written with an interesting interpretation of peace between neighbours.
- Connie Frost, The Raleigh School sponsored by Ian Taylor and Nick Garrett from Bookham and Horsley. The judges commented that this had a good structure and they liked the ending "Tears drop down - From tired eyes - Finally peace - The soldier cries."
