Ameerah Clancy has received an encouragement award in a state writing competition.
At just 10 years old, Ameerah Clancy is already an avid writer.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
And she’s just received the confidence boost she needs to keep exploring her love of words.
The Year 4 Edward Public School student was one of just 13 people from across the state to receive an encouragement award for Country Press NSW Inc’s 125th Anniversary Writing Competition.
The encouragement awards are presented to runners-up in competition categories, after the top three prizes are awarded.
An entrant in the primary schools section, Ameerah’s story - called A Hideous Monster Terrifies Locals and written in a newspaper article style - was judged by Jenny England of the Fellowship of Australian Writers NSW.
Country Press NSW said there were quite a few entrants from Deniliquin, thanks in part to the role of the Deniliquin Pastoral Times (a Country Press NSW member) in promoting the competition.
The competition was designed to commemorate the anniversary of Australia’s oldest print media association, founded in 1900.
As a special condition, competitors were required to include a mention of the ‘local newspaper’ as part of their stories.
Ameerah’s entry was submitted by her teacher Deb Bowie, and based on a class project after reading the Tohby Riddle book Yahoo Creek: An Australian Mystery.
For Ameerah, the school project was just another chance to explore her passion for writing.
“I write stories at home all the time,” she said.
“I like to write the kinds of stories where people talk to each other, so it could be at a party, the footy, or wherever.
“Whenever I’m not already doing something, I like to write.”
Ameerah’s prize includes a $40 Collins Bookshop gift voucher, to support her future creative writing endeavours.
She was one of three prize winners from this region in the statewide competition.
Finley High School student Marley Ferres was first in the secondary student category, and Alison Bohn from the Koondrook & Barham Bridge Newspaper was second in the newspapers' category.
23°C