litlinks 2023

A creative writing competition for ACT school students and their teachers

Year 7 & 8 Category, 2023

Image: Year 7 & 7 students in a library, working on their writing.

Across Year 7 and 8 we saw the highest ever percentage of speculative fiction submitted, demonstrating vivid and fertile imaginations at play, and delivering original settings, world-building concepts and ideas.

There were interesting trends such as characters experiencing being caught between different realities, whether it be the dream world and the waking world or exchanging places with one’s own mirror reflection. Duels also featured, including parent-child power struggles (cleverly told through a speculative fiction lens), a do-or-die card game, a wild west shootout, and our winning entry of an epic battle between man and bird!

We thank the contributing authors for making the 2023 Year 7 & 8 category judging extremely entertaining!

Click on the images and links below to explore the winners in the Years 7 & 8 Category:

Click here to read Altonio and the Raven by Elmore Wenholz
Click here to read Reflection by Gracie Higgs
Click here to read Robbed Dreams by Aadhya Karthik
Click here to read Thicker than Water by Skye Mitry

Winners:

Shortlisted Awards:

  • Lucy Horne, Trinity Christian School – Memory Mass
  • Gemma Klase, Mt Stromlo High School – Shadow Man and Me
  • Stevie-Rae ‘Onyx’ Robinson, Lanyon High School – Ace of Spades
  • Abigail Wykes, Harrison School – The Hunter’s Test

LitLinks Achievement Awards:

  • Abigail Biddle, Radford College – Chains of Death
  • Alicia Campbell, Daramalan College – Shriek
  • Tobias Feitz, Mt Stromlo High School – Yishta Ashtirina
  • Isabella Geary, Daramalan College – A Second Chance
  • Kume Grieve, Mt Stromlo High School – The Death of a Chief
  • Ivy Griffith-Cox, Lanyon High School – The Water Guardian
  • Bridget Henderson, Alfred Deakin High School – The Unexpected Mystery
  • Maheen Jabran, Alfred Deakin High School – Apocalypse
  • Catherine Gnana Asir Justine, Wanniassa School – Stereotypes Vs Reality
  • Kirsten Mackenzie-Scott, Melrose High School – Adjourned by Betrayal
  • Henry Marston, Trinity Christian School – Inheritance
  • Emma Matsen Joung, Canberra Girls Grammar School – The Fair Ones
  • Isla Newton, Wanniassa School – Plan to Score
  • Avery Plasto, Melba Copland Secondary School – If lost, please return to Nitya Fortis
  • Luci Polegubic, Daramalan College – Lily Sees Colour
  • Amy Roberts, Amaroo School – Through the Ages
  • Belle Rossmanith, Alfred Deakin High School – Wandering Through a Broken Lightbulb
  • Lexy Shiers, Mt Stromlo High School – Run For Your Life
  • Klaudia Swiderski, Daramalan College – Life
  • Ezekiel White, Mt Stromlo High School – Pyro and Pizza
  • Joan Woods, Wanniassa School – The Woman in Black
  • Jake Wullaert, Daramalan College – The Wild West
  • Ariana Xholi, Melrose High School – Alight

Judges

ACTATE thanks the Year 7 and 8 category judges, Jenine Westerburg and Teresa Nugent, for their time and expertise.

Jenine is an English teacher, ACTATE executive member, tertiary supervisor and writing advocate. Teresa is an Early childhood, speech and drama teacher, ACTATE member and reading and writing advocate.