The winners of the 2024 Fresh Words Competition in Casey were announced on June 19. The competition, open to students from Grade 5 to Year 12, recognized outstanding young writers in three categories: creative writing, poetry and lyrics, and English as an Additional Language (EAL). The winners were selected based on their respective year levels. The competition received an impressive 190 entries, indicating a surge in participation. The award ceremony, hosted by poet Senuli Wikramasinghe, featured special guests and a panel of six experts in poetry, spoken word, and creative writing. Noelene Duff PSM, the chair of administrators, emphasized the competition's goal of boosting the self-esteem and writing skills of young people. The winners were commended and thanked for their contributions [4cab48da].
In Wimborne Minster, school children were praised for their creativity following the results of two competitions hosted by the town council. The first competition was a poetry competition centered on D-Day, which received over 200 submissions. The winners of the poetry competition, Esme James-Davis, William Grant, Henry Humphrey, and Enzo Wilson, had the opportunity to read their poems on stage at Willow Walk as part of the council's D-Day commemoration event. The second competition was a poster competition focused on recycling and waste management, which had more than 20 entries. The winners of the poster competition were from Allenbourn Middle School, St John's First School, and Colehill First School. They received their prizes and certificates at the school council meeting on June 11 at the Town Hall. Mayor Jeff Hart commended the quality of work and expressed his appreciation for the interest shown by young people in war and the environment [18cf21ee].
Bethan Pimble, a 13-year-old pupil at Ysgol Llanfyllin, won the University Centre Shrewsbury's Young Nature Artist of the Year for her painting of a giraffe. She received a trophy, a sculpture of a hare, a signed book by Stephen Moss, and a £50 voucher for the RSPB. Isobel Owen, also a 13-year-old pupil at the same school, had a picture accepted for the Royal Academy of Arts Young Artists' exhibition in London. Her artwork, a colourful drawing outlined by loose embroidery stitches, is currently on display at the Young Artists' Summer Show [fbec48fd].
The City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) is calling for nominations for the Youth Legacy Excellence Awards to honor deserving youth for their innovation and outstanding career or community work. Nominations close on July 12. The nominees should be residents of Ekurhuleni, aged between 18 and 35, by the end of June 2024. They should not be employees or immediate family members of employees of the CoE. The nominees should have demonstrated a vision for the future in their career, workspace, or community, with tangible outcomes and a proven track record. They should provide examples of the impact of projects listed as part of the motivation for nomination. The submission/application must demonstrate how the vision promotes innovation and ensures no one is left behind. The award ceremony will be held on July 25 [f7a4e5ae].