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Saint Kentigern is filled with talented playwrights, poets and short story writers – we see it every day in our students. The Richard Wilson McDonald Memorial Writing Competition is held annually to harness that creativity and select the best entry in each genre from those who have a passion to write.
The annual competition commemorates a former student 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 was a writer and since its inception, the competition has inspired students to strive for their very best in poetry, prose and the art of storytelling.
Richard is remembered as a happy-go-lucky young man with exuberance and a joy for life whose legacy lives on through this contest. 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 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.
This year has seen a wide range of writing voices and subject matter. Those who have placed in this competition have written in a way that lifted off the page and commanded attention from the reader. Across the board, students have produced some imaginative narratives that showcased strength in their writer’s craft.
2017 LITERATURE CONTEST WINNERS
The annual literature competition is open to all students in three age categories to submit an original poem or short piece of prose. Congratulations to this year’s winning students:
Year 7 Poetry
1st Jacob Johnston The Night Sky
Year 7 Prose
1st Kate Thibaud (Untitled)
Year 9 Poetry
1st Nathaniel South Snowfall
2nd Oscar Salmond Winter in Taumarunui
3rd Luka Borland-Lye NZ Beach Time
Year 9 Prose
1st Danielle Mayer I am a Stranger
2nd Samantha Street Autumn Forest
3rd Alicia Lynn Number 22
Year 10 Poetry
1st Ella Shirtcliffe Opium 1977
2nd Heeju Rho Fear
3rd Kristen Hansen The Definition of Our Love
Year 10 Prose
1st Tayla Smith Who wouldn’t want to be that girl?
2nd Nicola Stewart Reunion
3rd Holly Simmons Having Children
Year 11 Prose
1st Caleb Atkinson The Sound of Silence
2nd George Kozlov The New Student
3rd Jack Horsnell Do You Remember the Vietnam Jungle?
Year 12 and 13 Poetry
1st David Thibaud Beneath the Delta
Year 12 & 13 Prose
1st David Thibaud The Fall
2nd Anna Todd The Social Worker