This year’s Student Poetry Competition drew a record response from young writers across Victoria.
More than 1300 poems were submitted by students from Foundation to Year 12, the highest number of entries since the competition began in 2020.
The youngest poets in the competition shared thoughtful and imaginative poems, many inspired by this year’s theme of ‘gratitude’. Their words capture the joy of noticing small moments and the people who make a difference in their world.
Foundation – Year 2 written poetry
Winner:
- Doodle Bug by Yusuf Azzam, homeschooled
Finalists:
- Never Give Up by Amayah Bailey, Harkaway Hills College
- I am Lucky by Atticus Myers, Fitzroy Community School
- Dear Wind by Chloe Jia, Lauriston Girls’ School
- Our Universe Rocks by Cooper Carnovale, Hume Anglican Grammar
- Gratitude about Water by Harper Wang, Wesley College Melbourne
- All the Food in the World by Lewis Schiavello, Rivercrest Christian College
- Flowers Bloom by Lorraine Senderayi, Harkaway Hills College
- The Beach by Madinah Osmani, Fitra Community School
- Mama’s Pot by Olivia Healey, Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School
Honourable Mentions:
- All the Beautiful Things in the World by Aadvay Ghante, Geelong Lutheran College
- What I’m Grateful For by Aamina Fathima Mohammed Maseer, Al Iman College
- Fungi by Alexandra Loughnan, Woodline Primary
- I Love you Dad by Bella Benbow, Casey Grammar School
- I Feel Lucky by Caroline Elias, Fitzroy Community School
- Mad Maths by Dexter Yin, Hume Anglican Grammar
- Grateful for My Home by Dinethi Rose Perera, Presbyterian Ladies’ College
- My Family’s Heartbeat by Dylan Ziegler, Wesley College Melbourne
- Sweetness by Ella Kosinski, Hume Anglican Grammar
- Ladybug by Farida Sayed, Fitra Community School
- Grateful for Friends by Jaxon Bennett, Brighton Grammar School
- Breaking the Drought by Louis Rogers, Cathedral College Wangaratta
- My Dad Dimante Poem by Malia De Silva, Casey Grammar School
- The Dragon by Oliver Khoo, Great Ryrie Primary School
- Monkey Bars by Olwyn Devine-Weier, Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School
- Glad by Otto Lawrence, Fitzroy Community School
- My Invisible Bucket by Preston Liu, Brighton Grammar School
- Yellow and Green, Green and Yellow by Rosemary, Woodline Primary
- Caterpillar by Sadie, Woodline Primary
- Sanav was Born by Sanvi Simhan, Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
- Crystal by Theo, Woodline Primary
- Wombat by Victoria Goa, Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School
Foundation – Year 2 performance poetry winner
Winner:
- My Magical Car Ride by Neev Jain, Bacchus Marsh Grammar
Finalists:
- I Say Thank You by Ayesha Noman, Al Siraat College
- I am Grateful by Elle Dimos, Wesley College Melbourne
- Gratitude by Irhaa Asad, Al Siraat College
Honourable Mentions:
- Gratitude by Nyra Praveen, Good News Lutheran College
- So Thankful by Khadija Mohamad, Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
- Ali’s Spider Poem by Ali Daghistani, Ilim College