This is the 30th year of our annual Literature Contest, which commemorates a former student, Richard Wilson, who was tragically killed in 1979 at the end of his 5th Form year at the College. The prizes for this competition were endowed by Richard’s parents in memory of their son.

Richard is remembered as a happy-go-lucky young man with exuberance and joy for life. Like so many before and since, he had particularly enjoyed Field Centre during his 4th Form year and at the conclusion of that year, he wrote this poem for the 1978 school magazine.

A Challenge
Richard M Wilson, 4B1, 1978

A mountain is useless
Some people say
Just a mass of stone
That gets in the way
Of progress, roads
And even dawn
That starts the day.

But that is the reason
That God put it there
To serve as a challenge
And raise up the hair
Of those who think they ought
And those who think they dare.

Man needs something to live for
Just out of reach
For man needs to learn
What God wants to teach –
That life is too easy
Down on Earth’s vast floor

So go on if you dare
Take up the challenge
And see how you fare;
Go climb to the summit
But when you reach the top
Promise Him to keep going
Promise Him you’ll never stop.

2013 Literature Contest Results

The literature competition is open to all students to submit an original poem or short piece of prose. Congratulations to this year’s winning students:

Prose

Year 7-10 Prose:

1st - Erin Meek, Year 9, Inferno
2nd - Laura Wyeth, Year 9, Damon
3rd - Jessica Hill, Year 9, Parents Don't Realise

Year 11-13 Prose:

1st - Sian Seeley, Year 12, Wanderer
2nd - Rosemary Longstaff, Year 13, Asylum
3rd - Hamish Clark, Year 12, Crackers

Poetry

Year 7-10 Poetry:

1st - Laura Wyeth, Year 9, Blessedly Innocent
2nd - Chava Arymowicz, Year 10, Coming of Age
3rd - Eleanor Buttle, Year 9, I'm Only Afraid of One Thing

Year 11-13 Poetry:

1st - Hamish Clark, Year 12, Ode to Generation Y
2nd - Taylor McDonald, Year 12, Taniwha Street

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