Churchill & District News Writing Competition 2022
For 2022 with the continuing uncertainty of COVID restrictions, Churchill & District News opened its annual writing competition again to our local primary schools only. This was done through approaching schools individually and emailing the information. There were three categories to cover the primary school ages.
No presentation night will be held, due to restrictions and uncertainty, but prizes and certificates will be delivered to the winners with many encouragement awards among them. Each entrant will receive a little participation certificate and a goody bag to inspire them to continue. Included in the goody bag is a list of hints to help with their writing,
A huge thank you to our judges for their conscientious work on assessing the entries which took many hours.
Thank you to our Churchill & District Team for all the work put into this competition.
We thank our wonderful local sponsors for their support - Rotary Club of Hazelwood and District, Lions Club of Churchill and District and Ampworks. Each year they generously donate to help with the costs involved and make the writing competition possible.
Our first prize winners have their story published in this issue.
The award recipients are
7 and Under Category | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Title | Prize |
| Jackson Sparrow | Blocked Road Flood | 1st |
| Billie Phillips | The Sloth is Always Late | Equal 2nd |
| Jasper Murden | Shrink Ray | Equal 2nd |
| Layla Gorordo | Mum and I riding | Equal 2nd |
| Dusty Price | My Aboriginal Family | Equal 3rd |
| Ella Malcolmson | This is a Bear | Equal 3rd |
| Prep D’Alia | Our Favourite Seasons | Class Award |
| Nathan Tang | Tiger and Kids at the Beach | Encouragement |
| George Galletti | Richmond Facts | Encouragement |
| Savannah | Puppy on the Bus | Encouragement |
| Adrice Hagger | The Horse bumped his Head | Encouragement |
| Layla Head | Kim | Encouragement |
| Tom Kerslake | The Dog in the Pool | Encouragement |
| Charlie Kerslake | The Dentist on the Dock | Encouragement |
| Annabelle Taylor | The Monkey in the Shower | Encouragement |
| Mia Minster | A Pirates Treasure | Encouragement |
| Gewalin Burrows | Undercover Spy | Encouragement |
8-9 year category | ||
| Name | Title | Prize |
| Ada Wakefield | Potato Flat Hill | 1st |
| Scarlett Murden | The Drago and the Scavenger! | 2nd |
| Polina McLindon | Little People | 3rd |
| Adriana Draper | The Dragons | Encouragement |
| Ryder Mountney | Kim Arthur’s Gruesome Adventures. Encouragement | |
| Jennifer Keyzers | This Story Starts with a Unicorn Encouragement Illustration | |
| Loretta Pearce | My First day of High School | Encouragement |
| Sophia Paulston | A Good Dog | Encouragement |
| Kai Tanti | Grand Final Richmond Vs Collingwood | Encouragement |
| Luca Mulder | Grand Final Richmond Vs Geelong | Encouragement |
| Jeremy Melanie | The Greatest Soccer Game of all Time | Encouragement |
10-12 years category | ||
| Name | Title | Prize |
| Isabelle Gleeson | Chook Chase | Equal 1st |
| Ryder Morrison | The Flying Lawnmower | Equal 1st |
| Corey Ray | Haiku Poems | Equal 1st Poem |
| Nikolai Milinden | The Time Machine | Equal 2nd |
| Jonathan Tang | The Extinct Planet | Equal 2nd |
| Ruby Galletti | The Midnight Shipwreck | Equal 3rd |
| Andrea Coates | Sheep | Equal 3rd |
| Bella Wilson | A Bleak of Pain | Encouragement |
| Aaliyah Leitch Vanzanten | Clouds | Encouragement |
| Oskar Hudson | The Solar System | Encouragement |
| Zahli Smee | Black Saturday | Encouragement |
| Sienna Tanti | The Great Escape | Encouragement |
| Matilda Windsor | My Poem | Encouragement |
Chook Chase
By Isabelle Gleeson
One sunny day, I went to the chook pen and the not fragrant smell of chook poo wafted up my nose. I grabbed some food and sauntered towards my chooks. I was thinking about what I should make. Maybe pellet cakes? Then, Drumstick came up to me.
“Squawk squawk bock!” Drumstick shrilled.
“Crispy’s gone?” I snorted in disbelief.
“Bock”
I nodded. Oh. I should probably mention that I can talk to chooks. Yes, I know. I may sound weird, but anyway back to the story. (I will translate the chook language)
“Where was she off to?” I inquired.
“I dunno. Maybe the bramble grove?” Drumstick clucked. “She likes that spot”
“Do you want to help find Crispy with me?” I asked.
“No, but Alpine, Nugget and Marshmallow might.” Drumstick fluffed out her wings. “Don’t ask Endie or Brownie. They’re both clucky and Endie’s a bag gnawed old dog bones. Anyway, you be on your way!”
So, I went on my way! Alpine and Nugget agreed but Marshmallow said she was clucky and felt an egg coming on. Ah well, she is a good detective.
“So what are we doing again?” Nugget squawked.
“Rescuing Crispy you forgetful toad!” Alpine screeched.
“Can’t argue with THAT language” Nugget huffed.
A wailing shriek cut through the air. We rushed to the scene the wind racing us. All I saw was Crispy being dragged through the debris.
“Fox” I said as a growl rose in in my throat.
“Fox!” Nugget whimpered.
“Scaredy cat!” Alpine sneered smugly. “I can beat any flea-ridden fox!”
Again, Nugget huffed.
We crept around to the to the fox’s den and gazed silently in. Well, me and Nugget did.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” Alpine screamed. “Frog spit and goat tongues! Fox!”
“Who’s scared now, frog face!” Nugget laughed.
Alpine shot her a glare.
“Run!” I screamed “Run back! I’ll get Crispy while the fox is distracted! Go!”
I sprinted into the fox den. I glimpsed Crispy on the ground, rocking herself. I frantically grabbed her and raced back to the pen. I placed her on the ground and went over to Nugget.
“Where’s the fox?” I asked.
“There.” Nugget clucked.
I turned around to face the fox and took a step towards it. Then a black and white blur zoomed past me. It was Willow, my dog. She gave the ginger fox a nip to remember. Bonus, it sent the orange beast scurrying back to its den.
“That fox won’t come back here for a while.” I said.
“Probably not” said Nugget “Probably not.”
Equal FIRST PRIZE 10-12 years
THE FLYING LAWNMOWER
Ryder Morrison
One dark stormy day in Frank’s warehouse Frank and Lachy were thinking about what they can invent that can fly but has never been invented before, which was hard because there is a lot of things that can already fly. They sat there listening to the rain while thinking of what to invent for what felt like hours but it was really only ten minutes.
“That’s it!” said Frank.
“Finally, you thought of something. What is it?” asked Lachy.
“I have got an old lawnmower laying around out the back of the warehouse.” Replied Frank.
“So, what are you trying to say?” questioned Lachy.
“I’m trying to say that we should make a flying lawnmower!” excitedly said Frank as he marched towards the lawnmower.
“Okay let’s get started then.” Insisted Lachy.
Lachy got the lawnmower while Frank gathered all the wires and some bits and bobs. Frank started working on attaching all the wires and Lachy went to the airport that he works at to get propellers and seats for the lawnmower.
When Lachy came back he was just in time for Frank to Put on the propellers. When Frank was attaching the Propellers Lachy put on the seats.
After a couple hours of work their masterpiece was done! It was the next day and Frank and Lachy were at the runway ready to take off. They were waring motorbike gear and bicycle helmets. Frank got in the front seat and Lachy got in the back seat.
They started the lawnmower and said their last words if it doesn’t work. Frank stomped on the accelerator and Lachy quickly held on to his seat. Lachy looked up and was relieved that they were in the air! They were flying around for about eight minutes when the engine started making bizarre noises! Frank took a quick look at the engine and he knew that something was wrong. Then he remembered that they didn’t have parachutes! Suddenly the engine stopped working and the lawnmower started falling straight down.
“I will call my pilot friend Bob so he can come save us!” screamed Lachy.
“Ok just make it quick.” Replied Frank.
Lachy quickly called Bob and Bob said that he should be there in about thirty seconds. Out of nowhere Bob was flying next to them. Frank and Lachy climbed in the plane and they flew back to the runway. Frank and Lachy thanked Bob and then walked back to the warehouse while thinking ‘why didn’t we just invent a different type of plane?’. -Ryder.M
Equal FIRST PRIZE 10-12 years
Haiku-Poems
Corey Ray
Sunset
The sunsets at night
hidden away till first light
long enough to rest
Ocean
Waves crash on the beach
sending sand to a dark depth
never seen again
Fire
Lighting the night sky
burning home, destroying lives
fire scars us all
First Prize 8-9 years
The day I climbed potato flat hill
Ada Wakefield
It was a cold day in September, late afternoon. I was stressed so I just kept driving past home and out the back of town.
I stopped at a small roadside park and got out of my car. l took of my shoes and I took off on a jog, followed a trail for a while and came across a sign saying potato flat. I stopped, looked up and saw a hill rising before me cast in sunshine. I was drawn to it. I climbed down into the creek and fought my way through the blackberries and started my way up.
Now when l say this was a hill, you’re probably thinking “pfft a hill, not a big deal” well this turned out to be semi cliff, as I was climbing up I was forced to dig my fingers in the earth and grip deep. I carefully put my feet as deep as I could so as not to fall and tumble down. Now let me tell you, if l was to fall I’d be best friends with Humpty dumpty.
The magic happened when I realized just what I’d gotten myself into, was not quite half way but far, too far to turn around and still a long way to go and the magic was fear. For the first time in a long time, I was scared. No one to reach out to, no friends to call on, alone and scared and only myself to rely on. And so l did, l clung onto that hillside with every step and made my way upwards to the top.
When l arrived and stopped to admire what I’d just accomplished, I felt electric! I looked a mess, I’d been shredded by the blackberry bushes and my fingers and toes were raw from digging in for every step, I was drenched in sweat. I felt absolutely amazing I had myself a bone-fide adventure and I was only 5 minutes from home.