litlinks 2022

A creative writing competition for ACT school students and their teachers

Year 7 & 8 Category, 2022 

Image: Year 7 student writing in a notebook.

The 2022 Year 7 and 8 writers brought stories with variations on the theme of survival: ranging from the uncertainty of our planet’s future, with more than half of the entries being dystopian, to navigating the human condition from an adolescent point of view.

The serious topics covered in the stories submitted, and the refreshing approaches to them, were impressive. The judges commended the depiction of strong and brave characters, both male and female, and the messages about having the strength to live life on your own terms.

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

Click here to read Hope by Delaney Perrin
Click here to read Because of Her by Eleanor Graham
Click here to read Memories Leave Scars, Not Wounds by Aadhya Karthik
Click here to read The Visit by Anaya Abdullah

Winners:

Shortlisted Awards:

  • Grace Horsfall, Canberra High School – Perception
  • Lucy Johns, Calwell High School – A Better Way
  • Brad Neish, Alfred Deakin High School – Cinder
  • Dori Tran Dobson, Amaroo School – A Poor Refuge

LitLinks Achievement Awards:

  • Saskia Bauer, Namadgi School – The Swelling
  • Julia Bertinetti, Amaroo School – The City of Metal and Blood
  • Dakota Bowman, Melba Copland Secondary School – The After Mass
  • Grace Charlton, Amaroo School – The Silence
  • Kira Dawes, Calwell High School – Way Out Back
  • Sydney Dayal, Alfred Deakin High School – Every Day
  • Chloe Eaton, Daramalan College – Ghost Train
  • Emily Goeldner, Wanniassa School – Reflection
  • Calen Gould, Daramalan College – The Nightmare
  • Mattia Greaves, Mt Stromlo High School – Untitled
  • Tabitha Hayes, Namadgi School – Red Sea
  • Charlotte Hayhurst, Canberra Girls Grammar School – Carbon Copy
  • Charlie Howard, University of Canberra High School Kaleen – Where am I and What is Happening?
  • Eliska Imbriano, Alfred Deakin High School – The Land of Trees
  • Cameo Juckes, Mt Stromlo High School – A Dash of Colour
  • Seraphina Kabay, Wanniassa School – The Lonely Girl
  • Daisy Katsoolis, Mt Stromlo High School – Restrict
  • Jonah Korsten, Marist College – Grand Final Day
  • Chloe Law, Melba Copland Secondary School – Fate
  • Chimmi Lhazin, Calwell High School – Freak
  • Katie Lowe, Calwell High School – Off to College
  • Lilly McNeice, Melba Copland Secondary School – The Search
  • Alia O’Shaughnessy, Alfred Deakin High School – Family Secrets
  • Rhyse Parascos, Lanyon High School – The Ambush
  • Jacob Payne, Mt Stromlo High School – Time of War
  • Ella Peterson, Alfred Deakin High School – The Village
  • Honor Pruden, Melba Copland Secondary School – Villain or Hero, I am my Story
  • Catriona Robinson, Trinity Christian School – Extinction
  • Lucia Robles, Amaroo School – Thirteen Domes Left
  • Jianna Tyagi, Trinity Christian School – The Last Hope

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.