2o19 Storytelling Competition Results

We are delighted to announce the winners for the 2019 storytelling competition. The competition attracted entrants from across the Shoalhaven area who used this year’s theme ‘footprints in the sand’ to explore loss, mental health, love, infidelity, and the environment.

Festival Director Meredith Jaffé said, ‘We are delighted to see so many entries coming from budding writers in primary school through to the number of talented adult writers who live in this region. It is always a pleasure to see how people choose to tackle a theme and the judging panel was delighted with the diversity of entries and the skill of our region’s writers.’

Congratulations to the winners and placegetters. We would also like to congratulate the 3 writers in each category who made the Honour Roll. Certificates will be posted to those on the Honour Roll and a prize-giving event will be organized after Storyfest.

A huge thank you to our sponsors for the Storytelling Competition, Bannisters and Rotary.

Thank you to all those who entered. We hope you will enter again next year and keep on writing!

Click through to read each story.

Primary School

Judge Michelle Barraclough said ‘I was amazed at how clever the primary school students’ stories were. There are some super talented writers in this category as the shortlist demonstrates. Stories of fear, horror and mystery feature alongside stories of friendship and family. Each of these students are to be congratulated on their wonderful storytelling skills.’

FIRST PRIZE
Mia Leighton - Mystery at Sandy Bay

SECOND PRIZE
Oscar Perry Dickenson - Scream

THIRD PRIZE
Grace Condie - Footprints in the Sand

HONOUR ROLL
Ivy Lawson - Mark and Pretzel
Hugo Perry Dickenson - Near Death
Elise Proctor - Footprints in the Sand

Secondary School

Judge Pamela Cook said, ‘entries in the Secondary category showed maturity and reflected issues of concern to this generation. The shortlisted entries demonstrate the power of words to articulate ideas about the environment, relationships and the future. They were a joy to read.’

FIRST PRIZE
Charlotte Croker - Changing Visits

SECOND PRIZE
Madelyn Black - Old World

THIRD PRIZE
Keeley Seer - Waves of Change

HONOUR ROLL
Sarah Cameron - Roses
Charlotte Croker - Imperfect Postcard
Caitlin Schaefer - Footprints in the Sand

Adult

‘We were impressed by the diversity of entries in the adult category,’ said Meredith Jaffé. ‘They featured stories about surfing, PTSD, infidelity, writing, grief and love. All of these writers produced works of great nuance and power.’

FIRST PRIZE
Adam Jeffrey - Roar

SECOND PRIZE
Terry Malone - Deadline

THIRD PRIZE
Karen Morrow - The Shack

HONOUR ROLL
Henry Carter - Evan Hates the Beach
Bronwyn Coulston - The Young One
Chris Marcic - The Fragility of Life