Students from across Victoria answered this year’s call for poetry in remarkable numbers, sharing stories, observations, reflections and imaginative ideas through their writing and performances.
Congratulations to all the Years 9 – 10 students who have been selected as finalists in the 2026 Student Poetry Competition. Explore the finalists in each competition category below.
Years 9 – 10 Written Poetry Winner
- ‘Version 16.0’ by Sreepaadh Parlapalli, Bacchus Marsh Grammar
Years 9 – 10 Written Poetry Finalists
- ‘Lemon Tree’ by Aya Zhou, Lauriston Girls school
- ‘Sweet Celebrations’ by Chloe Santosa, St Catherine’s School
- ‘I Met God And She Is An Atheist’ by Katara Haran, Fintona Girls’ School
- ‘No-Spoon Stir’ by Katia Alexopoulos, Methodist Ladies’ College (MLC)
- ‘The Raft of the Medusa’ by Loukya Balasuriya, Melbourne Girls Grammar
- ‘the crate at the back of the shop’ by Mehak Soin, Haileybury
- ‘Unheeded’ by Miranda Hess, Ballarat Grammar
- ‘The Forgotten Fruit’ by Olivia Pirie, Mount Evelyn Christian School
- ‘Orchard Logic’ by Tanvi Peddi, Presbyterian Ladies College
Years 9 – 10 Written Poetry Honourable Mentions
- ‘Not all those who wander are lost.’ by Anabelle Ranchod, Lauriston Girls School
- ‘Hell Hath No Fury’ by Chelsea Zou, Lauriston Girls School
- ‘Ameinias’ by Elsa Ngo, Melbourne Girls Grammar
- ‘What Lies Beneath the Branches’ by Emily Messenger, Korowa Anglican Girls’ School
- ‘The Awakening of September’ by Isabelle Gray, Ballarat Grammar
- ‘Fruition’ by Joshua Chacko, Good News Lutheran College
- ‘I’ll be back’ by Lauren Sisourath, Strathcona Girls Grammar School
- ‘Rainstorms’ by Livian Gomes, Loreto Mandeville Hall Toorak
- ‘Sweet Turmeric’ by Maryam Hussain Muradh, Minaret College
- ‘Things I couldn’t say out loud.’ by Mayah Talbot, Highview College
- ‘Brothers of sin’ by Thejesvi Balasubramanian, St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
- ‘What the Earth leaves sweet’ by Thiyon Unantenne, St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
- ‘Metamorphosis of a Monster.’ by Xiaoyi (Zoe) Li, Flinders Christian Community College
- ‘Strawberry Garden’ by Yesandi Wijesundara, St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
- ‘My Sweet Lenore’ by Zarlasht Hassan, Australian International Academy
Years 9 – 10 Ekphrastic Poetry Winner
- ‘I dig my claws into you’ by Sarah White, Tintern Grammer
Years 9 – 10 Ekphrastic Poetry Finalists
- ‘Under the Lemon Trees’ by Arielle Roose, Tintern Grammar
- ‘Apple in the Sky’ by Charlotte Warrington-Dargie, Tintern Grammar
- ‘The cost of life’ by Eryn Lee, Tintern Grammar
- ‘Collage of fruit’ by Evie Koh, Tintern Grammar
- ‘Aureate Eyes’ by Grace Hamilton, Tintern Grammar
- ‘The strawberry girl’ by Madeleine Noonan, Tintern Grammar
- ‘Plenty On The Table’ by Megan Yong Kay Liz, Glen Waverley Secondary College
- ‘Decaying Beauty’ by Ruqaya Hamel, Al Siraat College
- Behind the Strawberries by Wareesha Kamran, Minaret College
Years 9 – 10 Ekphrastic Poetry Honourable Mentions
- ‘Rotten’ by Monica Yu, Harkaway Hills College
- ‘Life’ by Ningcan Sun, Tintern Grammar
- ‘Pear-shaped’ by Pini Nanayakkara, Tintern Grammar
- ‘Perfect display’ by Rhyanna Rajasagaram, Tintern Grammar
Years 9 – 10 Performance Poetry Winner
- ‘The Trees Still Grow’ by Rihaab Afzal, Minaret College
Years 9 – 10 Performance Poetry Finalists
- ‘Pomegranates’ by Bushra Ali, Minaret College
- ‘Ripening’ by Nur Athirah Noor Asrik, Minaret College
- ‘Things They Never Tell You About’ by Sabrina Azadzoi, Minaret College
- ‘The Things We Call Freedom’ by Subayah Kamrul, Minaret College
Years 9 – 10 Performance Poetry Honourable Mentions
- ‘The Forbidden Fruit’ by Eshal Saira Noor Ahmad, Minaret College
- ‘The Same Sky’ by Zunairah Memon, Minaret College