Top Young New Zealand Writers Announced

MEDIA RELEASE September 9, 2002

Top Young New Zealand Writers Announced

Thirty regional winners and 150 regional finalists have been announced at presentations around the country as the 2002 Nestlé Write Around New Zealand: Nestlé Tuhi Amio Whenua national writing competition for Year 7 and Year 8 school children nears the final chapter.

Kaye Lally, Nestlé Write Around New Zealand national coordinator says "it was tough to choose just a handful of winners from the impressive number and quality of stories received.

"To have been selected as a winner is an outstanding achievement and we wish our young writers all the best for the national presentation," she says.

The winners receive $500 worth of New Zealand children's books for their school library, a certificate, a backpack full of Nestlé goodies, and an invitation to attend the national presentation in Auckland in November where they will receive $500 worth of New Zealand children's books for themselves. At this national presentation an overall Year 7 and a Year 8 winner will be announced. The two national winners will receive computers.

The finalists have been chosen from more than 7000 entries nationwide and each receive a certificate and backpack full of Nestlé goodies.

Maurice Gunnell, Nestlé New Zealand manager corporate services, says Nestlé is delighted with the high number and calibre of stories received this year.

"We received 5000 entries last year and to get 7000 entries this year is extraordinary in only the programme's second year in New Zealand. The talent and enthusiasm shown in the winning written entries is stunning and bodes well for the development of future authors in this country."

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

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

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

Editor's note: List of winners for Year 7 and Year 8 follows with details of story titles and schools.

Released on behalf of Nestlé by Porter Novelli New Zealand (Auckland) Ltd. For further information please contact:

Nestlé Write Around New Zealand Regional Winners List

Year 7 Winners:
Stephanie Jones Dead Boys' Cave Bohally Intermediate School, Blenheim
Jennah Booth The Cook-Off Balmacewan Intermediate, Dunedin
Shelby Gibson Rugger Whakatane Intermediate School
Claire Martin Sept 11 Templeton Primary School, Templeton
Tristan Russell The Visit That Turned Ugly St Michael's Church
School, Christchurch
Sophia Berry Smith Life Ponsonby Intermediate, Auckland
Blaze Forbes Terror Blockhouse Bay Intermediate, Auckland
Nicola Hildreth Flooded With Fear Woodhill School, Auckland
Nuala Killip The Bubblegum Scenario Greenmeadows Intermediate, Auckland
Alysha Howard Disengaged Head Taradale Intermediate, Taradale
Fraser Pearce Going Solo Kerikeri High School, Kerikeri
Jaimee Knyn The Bag Lady Bunnythorpe School, Bunnythorpe
Caleb Saunders Mickey the Flea Home School, Whitianga
Helen Mackenzie The Power of a Sneeze Raroa Normal Intermediate,
Wellington
Caitlin McNaughton Low In Fat Raroa Normal Intermediate,
Wellington

Year 8 Winners:
Flossie Van Dyke A Big Haul Nelson College for Girls Preparatory
Hannah Scott One Man's Junk Columba College, Dunedin
Melanie Heaphy A.S.S. Otumoetai Intermediate, Tauranga
Katherine France Cat's Eye View St Andrews College, Christchurch
Julia Schmetzer Twists and Turns Home School, Christchurch
Sarah Ballard IT Pukekohe Intermediate, Auckland
Maria Hughes Bimbo and Brainless Carmel College, Auckland
Emily Morgan Grandpa's Garden Shed Bucklands Beach School, Auckland
Lucy Weng The Inflatable Tale Birkdale Intermediate, Auckland
Rebekah Atkinson Shame Napier Intermediate, Napier
Stephanie Mentor Seatbelts Kerikeri High School, Kerikeri
Amy George The Demon Netball Kai Iwi School, Wanganui
Tiffany Smith That Season Cambridge Middle School, Cambridge
Sam Reese The White Knight Karori Normal School, Wellington
Rosemary Williams Empty Pockets Raroa
Normal Intermediate, Wellington

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