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.
Poets in years 7 and 8 brought a mix of honesty and imagination to their poems. Their responses to the theme of gratitude were as varied as their experiences, offering thoughtful insights into what matters most to them.
Years 7 – 8 written poetry
Winner:
- What’s your Name? by Lauren Sisourath, Strathcona Baptist Girls Grammar School
Finalists:
- Belonging by Caitlin Wood, Brentwood Secondary College
- Exam Thoughts by Helena Xiao, Lauriston Girls’ School
- The Forgotten Chocolate by Imogen Carrick, Harkaway Hills College
- My Bendigo by Josie Blyth, Victory Christian College
- Pick your Poison by Katara Haran, Fintona Girls’ School
- Growth in our World by Reuben Dennis, Aitken College
- The Unwavering Stillness of our Souls by Salina Bhatti, Presbyterian Ladies’ College
- Run Away, Nymphaea by Yesandi Wijesundara, St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
- Muhammed Ali by Zaid Zuhair, Haileybury
Honourable Mentions:
- The Sunburnt Country by Anhad Singh, Good News Lutheran College
- Everywhere and Anywhere… by Chiyoka Kanetaka, Casterton Secondary College
- THE SGTI (Student’s Guide to Insanity) by Emily Lo-Doherty, Lauriston Girls’ School
- A Lollipop and a Heart by Evelyn Qi, Presbyterian Ladies’ College
- Peace by Haolei Lin, Kardinia International College
- When Gratitude Visits by Hayley Cheong, Harkaway Hills College
- To Live in Gratitude by Hiya Dutta, Vermont Secondary College
- The Endless Days by Jaden Chuah, Glen Waverley Secondary College
- Smiling by Libby Tayar, Beth Rivkah Ladies’ College
- Smart by Mirelle Cossens, Tintern Grammar
- The Sunlit Plains by Nandan Bhat, Huntingtower
- How do you know when you’re hurt? by Nevindie Rathnapriya, Haileybury
- Two-Legged Enemies by Renee Kim, Balcombe Grammar School
- Voices in Colour by Ryan Bansal, Bacchus Marsh Grammar
- Only when it’s Goodbye by Sachee Sevak, Bacchus Marsh Grammar
- You’ve Reached Sam by Sai Meghana Pampana, Bacchus Marsh Grammar
- A Chance to be Alive by Scarlette Wong, St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
- What a Wonderful World by Shahini Silva, Harkaway Hills College
- Slipping by Sophie Gleeson, Melbourne Girls Grammar
- Gratitude by Sophie Ryan, Ballarat Clarendon College
Years 7 – 8 performance poetry
Winner:
- For all you have Given by Samuel Sun, Wesley College Melbourne
Finalists:
- The Slow March of Time by Amelia Daniel, Woodleigh School
- Heartbeat by Elizabeth Du, Lauriston Girls’ School
- Give Thanks by Marie Boules, Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School
- Change by Nur Athirah Noor Asrik, Minaret College
- The Silence of Doubt by Ruansh Chowdhury , Good News Lutheran College
- The Letters I Once Wrote by Shemaya Rowenka Navaratne, Presbyterian Ladies’ College
- Whispering Tides by Shloka Bhatt, Huntingtower
Honourable Mentions:
- I Should Have Had Jam – A Poem by Sophie Hlavacek, Harkaway Hills College
- Grateful? Yeah, Right. by Trinity Brincat, Mentone Girls Secondary College
- Scars Within by Bushra Ali, Minaret College
- The Girl Beneath the Mask by Eshal Noor, Minaret College