Each year, Remuera Library organises a writing competition for Year 7 and 8 students who live or attend school in Remuera. Students are invited to submit a narrative of no more than 500 words. They may write on any subject of their choosing but each year there is the option of writing a piece for two special categories. This year’s special topics were ‘My Maunga – my personal mountain’ and ‘Once my Grandpa told me…’

Over the years, Saint Kentigern students from both the Boys’ School and Girls’ School have regularly entered the competition, often with success, but this year was our most successful ever!

Seven senior students – six from the Boys’ School and one from the Girls’ School – were selected from hundreds of entries as 2019 finalists and were invited to a prizegiving at the library this week. Each of the selected students had passages of their writing read aloud to the audience, received their prizes and had their work presented in a book produced by the Library.

Year 7 student, Billy Simpkins was named the overall winner of the Year 7 general category with ‘The Lost Memory’ - a dark twist on the story of the ill- fated airship, Hindenburg. Year 8 student, Eddie Biss was the winner of the special category ‘My Maunga’ with ‘Spirit of Rangitoto’ - a story of revenge by the Maori god, Rangitoto with a modern ending. Girls’ School student, Zambezi Butler received the Year 7 ‘Your Maunga’ special award for her story, ‘Kaia’ – a harrowing tale of battle and hope. All three of these pieces were exceptional pieces of writing.

Four further Boys’ School students were awarded as Runners Up to the winner: Nathan Dick for ‘The Thing,’ Hugh Webber for ‘Operation Cookie Jar,’ Maxwell Clarke for ‘The Spark’ and Devaansh Gupta for ‘Ice.’

Congratulations to all these students for their winning way with words!

Billy’s, Eddie’s and Zambezi’s stories can be read below.

Click here to read Billy Simpkins’ story, ‘The Lost Memory.’

Click here to read Eddie Biss’ story, ‘Spirit of Rangitoto.’

Click here to read Zambezi Butler’s story,‘Kaia.’

Tags

• Boys' School,
• Girls' School

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