Year 7 & 8 Category, 2026
This year’s 7 & 8 student-authors offered us a sprinkling of rebellion against technology, along with stories trying to make sense of the mystery of mortality and life beyond the grave. A great variety of highly original subject matter, with a feeling of hope and uplift in most, was a far cry from the majority submitted in the immediate post-Covid years.
The imaginative turns-of-phrase and similes were a highlight, and were refreshingly un-AI! We noted that even though many stories were not fully realized or completely polished, they contained unique voices and the kernel of a future professional author within.
Click on the images and links below to explore the winners in the Year 7 & 8 Category:
Winners:
- Winner: Are We There Yet? by Andrew Benson, Daramalan College
- Highly Commended: The Strongest Swimmer by Aashri Bhuiyan, Amaroo School
- Judges’ Choice: Excellent Decision-Making by Jigisha Jhamb, Telopea Park School
- Speculative Fiction Award: Moult by Leon Ofiana, Gold Creek School
Shortlisted Stories:
- Danbi J-Shin, Lyneham High School - Souvenirs of Surrender
- Sylvie Liebowitz, Blue Gum Community School - Disappearing Like the Wind
- Elle Lindsay, University of Canberra High School Kaleen - An Everyday Choice
- Eliza Maher, St John Paul II College - Metamorphosis
- Avi Misra, Gold Creek School - Piano Nanna
- Nathan Ofiana, Gold Creek School - Stick, String and Reed
- Addison Reinhardt, St Clare’s College - Windy Night
- Phoebe Sautelle, Melba Copland Secondary School - Red Dirt
- Keyanne Toh, Harrison School - The Colour of 19 Days
- Victoria Vagg, Gold Creek School - Don’t Look Back
LitLinks Achievement Awards:
- Rushda Ali, Lyneham High School - First Ray of Dawn
- Benjamin Allen, Trinity Christian School - The Dark Jewel
- Dinithi Rathu Appuhamilage, Aunty Agnes Shea High School - Cut off
- Gaurish Bhasin, Trinity Christian School - Loyalty or Betrayal?
- Yasmine Brogan, Alfred Deakin High School - French Girl
- Evelyn Brown, St Francis Xavier College - 24 Hours Under
- Sylvie Bulkeley, Belconnen High School - The Lake
- Gracie Bullock, St Francis Xavier College - Project Phoenix
- Sienna Clear, Lanyon High School - Underestimated
- Isla Comyns, Telopea Park School - The Side They Conceal
- Victoria Cook, St Clare’s College - By the Candlelight
- Olivia Finch, St Francis Xavier College - Only Human
- Bella Fitzsimmons, Trinity Christian School - Don’t Look Back
- David Franklin, Melrose High School - The Letter in the Dark
- Thomas Garrett, Trinity Christian School - The Vast
- Heidi George, Aunty Agnes Shea High School - The Beach is Always the Answer
- Ema Gosbee, Melrose High School - Past or Future
- Vivienne Gourlay, Amaroo School - Run
- Ryan Gow, Marist College - The Debt of Breathing
- Namya Gupta, Amaroo School - The Disappearing Moon
- Aya Halford, Canberra Girls Grammar School - What the Box Held
- Evelyn Henderson, Daramalan College - Not Just the Seven Deadly Sins
- Charli Hewitt, Lanyon High School - The Reality of Anxiety
- Eden Hillam, Blue Gum Community School - A Shimmer of Hope
- Georgina Hocking, St John Paul II College - My Rectangular Mirror
- Aryan Iyengar, Canberra Grammar School - Witch of the Mist
- Prisha Jain, Trinity Christian School - Beyond the Tides
- Sahasra Jekkula, Telopea Park School - IT
- Emily Jones, Blue Gum Community School - See You Later, Sadie
- Haiden Kapitzke, Lanyon High School - Rover
- Daniel Kim, Gold Creek School - The Mandatory Express
- Lily (Hayeong) Kim, Harrison School - Museum of Women
- Harrison Kirkwood, Daramalan College - The Game Changer
- Viivaan Kotak, Amaroo School - The Magic Library
- Darcy Lewis, Alfred Deakin High School - Interrogation
- Anthea Lim, Harrison School - Imperfect Plates
- Elena Lorimer, Belconnen High School - Enrichidon
- Jessica Louis, St John Paul II College - Beyond the Horizon
- Heidi Lynch, Belconnen High School - Seconds From Death
- Amaya Martin, Telopea Park School - Remembering Happiness
- Rory McCall, Daramalan College - The River Flows On
- Millie McGeechan, Lyneham High School - The Deep
- Harshika Mehra, Telopea Park School - The Co-Ordinates of the Past
- Charlotte Munn, Melba Copland Secondary School - The Name on the Stone
- Sam Norfor, Daramalan College - Blood Red
- Aida O'Keefe, Blue Gum Community School - One More Goodbye
- Charlotte Panting, St John Paul II College - Check Mate
- Sophia Podloujnaya, Harrison School - Bad Habits
- Lily Pragnell, Melba Copland Secondary School - Mine to Keep
- Lexi Prieto, Lyneham High School - You Know What?
- Henry Rahman, Lyneham High School - Mainframe
- Shemaya Randeniya, Aunty Agnes Shea High School - The Wait
- El Ray, Aunty Agnes Shea High School - The Challenge
- Elisha Ruuskanen, Aunty Agnes Shea High School - The Stranger I Knew
- Anjali Sharma, Canberra Girls Grammar School - The Last Regret
- Alan Sheldon, Melba Copland Secondary School - At least Now It’s Finally Quiet
- Mimi Sko, St John Paul II College - I Woke Up
- Jai Takru, Alfred Deakin High School - I know Who Is My Killer
- Jessica Taylor, Harrison School - Insomnia
- Jacinta Thomsen, St Clare’s College - How To Find Yourself
- Mia Torkington, St Francis Xavier College - Secrets Hid Behind Hazel
- Eeva Vanderhook, Caroline Chisholm School - The Rocky Mountain
- Elvira Versace, Alfred Deakin High School - Sun Soaked Oranges
- Violet Viski, Lanyon High School - Monsters
- Charlotte Ward, Canberra Girls Grammar School - The Silver Necklace
- Vivien Wilcox, Blue Gum Community School - Borrowed Shadows
- Audrey Wile, Lanyon High School - As the Leaves Fall
- Zach Wilson, Melba Copland Secondary School - 212105
Judges
ACTATE thanks the Year 7 & 8 category judges, Jenine Westerburg and Teresa Nugent, for their time and expertise.
Jenine is an English teacher, ACTATE executive member, reading tutor and writing advocate. Teresa is an Early Childhood speech and drama teacher, ACTATE member, and reading and writing advocate.