litlinks 2026

A creative writing competition for ACT school students and their teachers

Year 9 & 10 Category, 2026

Image: A boy a library, writing on his laptop.

The judges encourage young writers to continue to seek themes which are important to them and which resonate with their readers. The most successful stories were not necessarily perfect but had a clear, original voice, a sense of purpose, a central problem or conflict, and a satisfying resolution which offered a spark of hope in challenging times.

Flawless editing was not a determinant of success, but proper use of colons and semi-colons, and punctuation and paragraphing for dialogue, is encouraged. An awareness of the needs of the target audience in every aspect of your writing is paramount to success.

Thank you for sharing your work with us.  Write on!

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

Image: High school students in class. One girl is writing in a notebook. She looks up at the camera.
Image: A flower pot full of red poppies.
Image: A sister and her brother, running from reality into the magical world of a book.
Image: A young man sits in front of a window. The light is grey. Outside is an AI-generated dystopia.

Winners:

Shortlisted Stories:

  • Theo Arnold, Telopea Park School - Bush Tucker Bake Off
  • Declan Beitzel, Melrose High School - Goodbye Humanity
  • Meredith Henzell, Canberra High School - Plastic Love
  • Maya Jiang, Alfred Deakin High School - The Gambit
  • Xanthe Johnston-Knight, Canberra High School - Doves
  • Anna Khan, Alfred Deakin High School - Love Logic
  • Khadija Mustansir, Caroline Chisholm School - The Keikins’ Green Land
  • Olea Puric, Melrose High School - Why Do You Ignore the Cries of the Children?
  • Annie Ruge, Canberra Girls Grammar School - The Clock, the Rain and the Boy
  • Alisha Shafi, Amaroo School - Like Sun and Moon, Worlds Apart

LitLinks Achievement Awards:

  • Favour Adegboyegun, St John Paul II College - The Darkest Part of the Moon Is the Real You?
  • Niamh Baniya, St Francis Xavier College - The Forest Remembers
  • Sophia Barbour, Caroline Chisholm School - Curiosity Killed the Cat
  • Alicia Berriman, Harrison School - 8.30
  • Areesha Bhatti, Harrison School - Say It Back
  • Emma Blair, Canberra Girls Grammar School - Too Good To Be True
  • Jessica Bolton, Daramalan College - A Love Letter to No One
  • Mia Bradley, Alfred Deakin High School - The Ghost I Am
  • Kayde Browning, Amaroo School - The Old Religion
  • Marie Burns, Belconnen High School - Never Lost
  • Aimee Chamla, Telopea Park School - Monsters Don’t Always Bleed
  • Rose Cunningham, Mt Stromlo High School - The Barrier
  • Mirielle de Rooy, Trinity Christian School - still
  • Olivia Edwards, Melrose High School - Changing World
  • Mackenzie Farnham, St John Paul II College - Almost Enough Time
  • Holly Forward, Belconnen High School - How Much Longer
  • Layla Fuad, Harrison School - Swimming Lessons
  • Damini Gajula, Harrison School - The Walk
  • Tamille Gandanhamo, St Clare’s College - Path to Joy
  • Sasha Ginswick, Mt Stromlo High School - Deafening Silence
  • Lilian Guo, Burgmann Anglican School - A Cold Sea
  • Gracie Higgs, Canberra Girls Grammar School - Ink
  • Jenny Hope, Canberra High School - Storytelling
  • Catalina Huntley, Mt Stromlo High School - The Bottom
  • Imogen Kennedy, Mt Stromlo High School - Anthography
  • Csilla Keszei, Canberra High School - The Silver
  • Aviana Lafaele, St Francis Xavier College - Woman in Gray
  • Emma Lambert, St John Paul II College - Hope
  • Sam Lisle, Campbell High School - The Emperor’s New Sound
  • Kat Manzo, Alfred Deakin High School - Rogue Machine
  • Alexa McCann, St Mary Mackillop College - You
  • Ruth Morrison, Lyneham High School - The Man Ahead
  • Phoebe Needham, Daramalan College - The Flowers Stopped on the Third Thursday of April
  • Tammy Nguyen, Burgmann Anglican School - Le Ciel
  • Mohadisa Nowrozi, Belconnen High School - Nooria's Story
  • Diane Nyssen, Lanyon High School - Phantom of the Misted Snow
  • Adelaide O'Keeffe, Canberra Girls Grammar School - Everlight
  • Elara Oldani, St John Paul II College - The Unbeing
  • Subomi Otesile, Burgmann Anglican School - Sea of Tears
  • Jett Parker-Lacey, Alfred Deakin High School - Preternatural Delusions
  • Melissa Pauly, Canberra High School - Army Dreamers
  • Madeline Perkins, St Clare’s College - The Silence That Isn't Mine
  • Eli Prado, St Francis Xavier College - The War of the Last Knight
  • Mikiel Racines, Lyneham High School - Before He Could Catch On
  • Saanvi Raju, Belconnen High School - The Notebook of Names
  • Eliana Redman, Amaroo School - In Search of Heaven
  • Stevie-Rae Robinson, Melrose High School - The Marks Within
  • Amelia Rick, St Mary Mackillop College - The Girl with the Black Velvet Band
  • John (Dei) Robles, Harrison School - Hands of a Sinner
  • Yashvi Saini, Amaroo School - Trumpette
  • Armani Senti, St Clare’s College - The 4 O’Clock Broadcast
  • Yohaan Shaikh, University of Canberra High School Kaleen - A Song
  • Angelina Sharma, Amaroo School - Meat Soup
  • Siddhi Sharma, Burgmann Anglican School - A Well of Memories
  • Mya Sherwood, Caroline Chisholm School - Tomorrow, I Don’t Eat
  • Ayat Sikander, Telopea Park School - Fireflies
  • Ahaan Sunil, Lyneham High School - Stitched Together
  • Ysabela Tejada, Telopea Park School - Prayer of the Faithful
  • Elsie Toogood, Lyneham High School - Real Shadows
  • Thien Vu, Daramalan College - Make New and You Will Know
  • Georgia Walker, Daramalan College - The Altar
  • Brodie Walker-Barnes, Mt Stromlo High School - The Shadow
  • Jordi Wills, Belconnen High School - Split Hooves
  • Samantha Zimoch, Lanyon High School - The Last Life

Judges

ACTATE thanks the Year 9 & 10 category judges, Dennis Flannery and Jo Egan, for their time and expertise.

Dennis is an English teacher, ACTATE life member, and former ACTATE president and school principal.

Jo is an English teacher, tutor and mentor, ACTATE Member, editor, and a film and children’s literature enthusiast.