Celebrating 33,000 young Kiwi writers

Monday, June 13 2005

Celebrating 33,000 young Kiwi writers and many more to come!

Public libraries throughout New Zealand have reason to celebrate this week as they launch creative writing competition Nestlé Write Around New Zealand: Nestlé Tuhi Amio Whenua for the fifth year.

Nestlé Write Around New Zealand: Nestlé Tuhi Amio Whenua is a national creative writing programme that's seen more than 33,000 intermediate aged children give expressive writing a go.

This evolving annual programme aims to encourage literacy and creativity in children in both Te Reo Maori and English.

National coordinator Kaye Lally from Auckland City Libraries says she is excited to announce a new Te Reo Maori component to Nestlé Write Around New Zealand: Nestlé Tuhi Amio Whenua in 2005, which she feels is invaluable to this highly regarded writing programme.

"Although Te Reo entries have always been a core part of the programme they have previously been judged alongside English entries in each zone. In order to recognise and embrace the differences between the languages, this year both a Year 7 and a Year 8 story in Te Reo will be selected as Te Reo winners. They will then also compete to be overall winners," she says.

Maurice Gunnell, Nestlé New Zealand's manager corporate services, is continually delighted to receive positive feedback from schools and communities.

"I've been thrilled to hear schools integrate our programme into their creative writing curriculum and that they take pride in showcasing and encouraging their imaginative young writers," says Mr Gunnell.

Bill Sutton, Principal of Thorndon School, says the programme has been a feature of their creative writing programme for Year 7 and 8 students since its inception.

"We are very proud of our students who enter and have had a regional finalist in every year but one. We are very much looking forward to the 2005 programme," says Mr Sutton.

By entering a story of up to 500 words, children can win collections of great Kiwi books for themselves and their school libraries and backpacks full of Nestlé products - a prize pool totalling $60,000.

As part of the programme public libraries throughout the country will hold creative writing workshops with top New Zealand authors. For many young New Zealanders this is an amazing opportunity to have access to and get tips from the very authors whose books they love to read.

The programme will then select 150 finalists from 10 zones nationwide, with 32 winners chosen to travel to Auckland for the national presentation where two overall winners will be announced.

Nestlé Write Around New Zealand: Nestle Tuhi Amio Whenua is a Nestlé funded community programme coordinated by Auckland City Libraries and supported by public libraries around New Zealand. Entries will be accepted in both English and Maori. Competition entry forms and conditions are available from schools, public libraries and online at www.writearound.co.nz .

ENDS

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