litlinks 2024

A creative writing competition for ACT school students and their teachers

Year 9 & 10 Category, 2024

Image: Year 9 boy listening to music and writing on a laptop.

Overall, the judges were impressed by the quality of writing in the years 9-10 and the record number of entries this year. The variety of themes focused mainly on life’s not-so-happy times: death and coping with death, seeking meaning in life, relationships, and teenage angst, insecurity and anxiety.

It was a difficult task to select the final winners as the writing was of a high standard in construction and in the application of the mechanics of writing.

Congratulations to all who entered.

Click on the images and links below to explore the winners in the Years 9 & 10 Category:

Click here to read A Burning Memory by Jennifer Du
Click here to read Mirror Mirror by Skye Mitry
Click here to read Where the Shadows Lie by Imogen Hales
Click here to read Neighbours by Isla Olney
Click here to read Variations on a Summer’s Day by Tessa Grigour

Winners:

Shortlisted Awards:

  • Angshuman Ahmed, Melba Copland Secondary School – Billy and His Goats
  • Lan Dam, Lanyon High School – Identity
  • Claire DeMunk, Lanyon High School – Life on Repeat
  • Cameo Jukes, Mt Stromlo High School – Yesteryear
  • Elena Munoz, St Clare’s College – Wishbone
  • Elmore Wenholz, Harrison School – End of the Line

LitLinks Achievement Awards:

  • Anaya Abdullah, University of Canberra High School Kaleen – Until Kingdom Come
  • Penelope Acietuno, St Clare’s College – The Lone Hunter
  • Benjamin Archer, Telopea Park School – The Plague
  • Lily Chapman, Melba Copland Secondary School – Prisoner
  • Clelia Ciocca-Marchant, Mt Stromlo High School – Birds
  • Tania Coleman, Covenant Christian School – Pegabull
  • Madeleine Crispe, Daramalan College – Window of Hope
  • Dhihain Fernando, Brindabella Christian College – Who am I?
  • Ayansa Gamage, Daramalan College – Risen
  • Abigail Hernandez, St John Paul II College – The Hating Game
  • Piper Herring, St John Paul II College – The Angel in the Back Alley
  • Leila Huang, Canberra Girls Grammar School – The Ballad of Yuto
  • Eli Imbriano, Alfred Deakin High School – From the Beyond
  • Jane Jourvalev, Mt Stromlo High School – The Genius of Lillian Turner
  • Mariska Lambert, Melrose High School – Missing Girl
  • Chloe Law, Melba Copland Secondary School – Crinkled Eyes
  • May Li, Telopea Park School – Hidden Darkness
  • Zoe Lindeyer, Telopea Park School – Typeset
  • Cara Lowther, Canberra High School – The Colour Blue
  • Rebecca Marshall, Melba Copland Secondary School – Attention to Detail
  • Emma Matsen Joung, Canberra Girls Grammar School – The Word of Magic
  • Kirsten McKenzie-Scott, Melrose High School – Overlooked
  • Angeline Mengel, Telopea Park School – Auburn Beach
  • Lilly Mitchell, Daramalan College – The Final Shot: Echoes of Vengeance
  • Sam Nash, Kingsford Smith School – Butterfly
  • Eliza Nelson, Melrose High School – Christmas Case
  • Isla Newton, Wanniassa High School – The Eye of the Tiger Shark
  • Elsie Nicholas, Melrose High School – Marilee Jane
  • Annora Oh, Telopea Park School – Echoes of Her Soul
  • Elizabeth Puttifoot, Lanyon High School – The Final Moments
  • Emma Robertson, Harrison School – A Slow Halt
  • Louis Ryan, Wanniassa High School – The Ride
  • Ahaana Sen, Burgmann Anglican School – Til Death Do Us Part
  • Lexy Shiers, Mt Stromlo High School – The Mune Blob
  • Emily Street, Harrison School – The Ceaseless Stalker
  • Miranda Tyler, Canberra Girls Grammar School – Edited Narrative
  • Sanvi Valsangikar, Canberra High School – Snapshots
  • Alexander Wang, Radford College – The City of Dreams … Where We Lay Our Scene
  • Hayley Ward, Melba Copland Secondary School – Until We’re Whole Again
  • Zoe White, Mt Stromlo High School – Rain Will Make the Flowers Grow
  • Blake Worsley, Covenant Christian School – The Host
  • Ariana Xholi, Melrose High School – Is that a Crime?
  • Katie Zheng, Canberra Girls Grammar School – The Library of Forgotten Dreams

Judges

ACTATE thanks the year 9 and 10 category judges Dennis Flannery, Janet Rickwood and Madeleine Rutzou for their time and expertise.

Madeleine is an English teacher and ACTATE member. Janet and Dennis are both English teachers, ACTATE life members, and former ACTATE presidents and school principals.