Top Young Writers Win Prestigious National Title

Top Young Writers Win Prestigious National Title

The final chapter of the 2002 Nestlé Write Around New Zealand: Nestlé Tuhi Amio Whenua competition drew to an end today with the announcement of the two national winners from the 30 zone winners.

Wellington schoolgirl Rosemary Williams from Raroa Normal Intermediate won the Year 8 national title while Jaimee Knyn from Bunnythorpe School picked up the Year 7 title in the 2002 Nestlé Write Around New Zealand competition.

Rosemary's winning entry 'Empty Pockets' is a tale about child's visit to an elderly grandfather who is dying of cancer, while Jaimee's story 'The Bag Lady' depicts a woman who has fled her 'normal' life and made the streets her home.

The competition for Year 7 and Year 8 children attracted more than 7000 entries from children around New Zealand, from country kids to city dwellers, and involved submitting a 500 word story for judging.

It is a Nestlé funded community programme coordinated by Auckland City Libraries and supported by public libraries around New Zealand.

Nestlé New Zealand Manager Corporate Services, Maurice Gunnell, says he was particularly impressed with the imaginative, captivating and original collection of stories received this year.

Kaye Lally, Nestlé Write Around New Zealand national coordinator, says it is wonderful to see such enthusiasm for the programme.

"Each story was highly individualistic and creative. It was tough to choose just two overall winners from the wonderful collection of stories written this year," she says.

Around 200 parents, teachers and children gathered at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Wellesley Street campus at 11.00am on Monday November 25 for the announcement of the two winning writers. They, and the other finalists, were handed certificates and prizes by special guest television personality Stacey Daniels and renown author Tessa Duder.

The two national winners each received a computer and all 30 zone winners received a collection of $500 worth of New Zealand books for themselves, $500 worth of New Zealand books for their school libraries and a backpack of Nestlé goodies.

The annual Nestlé Write Around New Zealand programme is specially designed to stimulate originality and creativity in writing for Year 7 and Year 8 school children. It involves regional writing competitions and a series of author workshops at local libraries leading up to the overall national competition.

Entries are accepted in both English and Te Reo Maori. Information is available at public libraries and on the Internet at www.writearound.co.nz < http://www.writearound.co.nz >.

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