Practically perfect in every way
Maryborough’s mission to encourage children to imagine and promote a love of writing and reading was proudly on display on Saturday (October 12) when the winners of the 2024 Mary Poppins Literary Competition were announced.
Some 26 young creatives from 10 schools on the Fraser Coast, as well as several home-schooled students, received prizes totalling $2000 making it Australia’s richest writing competition for young people.Organised by Mary Inc. with support from the Fraser Coast Regional Council, the competition kicked off in 1999 to honour Pamela L. Travers, the creator of Mary Poppins. About 50 people attended an informal award ceremony at Gatakers Art Space to celebrate the achievements of the young writers
“Celebration” was the theme this year as it marks the 90th anniversary of when Mary Poppins came to life, the 125th anniversary of the birth of Pamela Travers, in what is now Maryborough’s Story Bank, and the 25th anniversary of this writing competition. The Cherry Tree Foundation in London (P L Traver’s Trust) is the major sponsor of the competition. A number of highly commended certificates were issued this year due to the high number and quality of entries.
Principal of Central State School, Rebecca Dickens, guest speaker at the awards ceremony, said that writing could be seen as one of the most important inventions in humanity. “It has allowed us to record ideas, history and discoveries across centuries around the world,” she said. Reflecting on the future she told the young writers that “imagination is your gift” and that being a lifelong learner by making mistakes and learning from them, will make you, in the words of Mary Poppins and P.L Travers, “practically perfect in every way”.
Krissy Katt, a former Central State School student who won the literary award for her year in 1999, helped present the prizes. The competition engendered a lifelong love of reading, Krissy said, adding that her three children are also keen readers.
The winners are:
Grades 3 & 4, Literary
- 1st Archer Lorenz, Riverside Christian College
- 2nd Manny Haase, Riverside Christian College
- 3rd Lexi Hunter, Kawungan State School
- HC Joni Cobbin, St Helen’s State School
- HC Aarav Ajiith, Fraser Coast Anglican College
Poetry
- 1st Jennifer Byrne, Saint Mary’s Primary School
- 2nd Joel Bounsall, home-schooled
- Joint 3rd Mayella Commandeur, Sunbury State School and Evie Brown, Tinana State School
- HC Joni Cobbin, St Helen’s State School
- HC Sarah Pais, Bayside Christian College
- HC Archer Lorenz, Riverside College
Grades 5 & 6, Literary
- 1st Charlotte Lorenz, Riverside Christian College
- 2nd Violet Jordaan, home-schooled
- 3rd Stephanie White, Riverside Christian College
- HC Indiana Bounsall, home-schooled
Poetry
- 1st Charlotte Lorenz, Riverside Christian College
- 2nd Indrakshi Fuladi, Fraser Coast Anglican College
- HC Isaac Chambers, Fraser Coast Anglican College
- HC Indiana Bounsall, home-schooled
Grades 7, 8 & 9 Literary
- 1st Charlie Dale, Xavier Catholic College
- 2nd Kaya Holloway, Xavier Catholic College
- 3rd Grace Ridgley, home-schooled
- HC Mila Skuse Arrevillaga, Aldridge State High School
Poetry
- Sophie Chambers, Fraser Coast Anglican College
Grades 10,11 & 12 Literary
- 1st Cougar Welch, home-schooled
- 2nd Rachael Nissen, Hervey Bay State High School
Poetry
- 1st Rachael Nissan, Hervey Bay State High School
- Anne Miller Young Writers’ Encouragement Award
- Rachael Nissan, Hervey Bay State High School.
Please contact Mary Inc. President, Jacqui Elson-Green, 0417 086 691 for further information.