Best Start’s Story Writing Competition celebrates its tenth anniversary

Grade 5 and 6 students from participating schools in Greater Shepparton are encouraged to write and illustrate a children’s book suitable for a child aged three to four years. Each school can select three entries from participating students to put forward to a judging panel, with the entries having to be endorsed and sent in by the school.

Entries for the competition open today, Monday 10 July, and close on Monday 11 September 2023. Once entries close, the judging panel will pick a winning story which will be professionally printed and included for 12 months in the book bag, which is distributed by Council’s Maternal and Child Health nurses, to children attending their three and a half year visit.

Winners in the past have represented a range of schools throughout the region, including Congupna Primary School, St Mel’s Primary School, Goulburn Valley Grammar School, Shepparton East Primary School, Orrvale Primary School and Bourchier St Primary School. Last year’s winning story, ‘What is your superpower’, was written by Congupna Primary School Grade 5 student Asim Ismet.

Council’s Manager Early Years, Sally Rose, encouraged local school students to get involved, saying the competition was a great opportunity to practice their creative writing skills.

“The winning story is distributed to close to 1,000 children each year from their Maternal and Child Health nurse. It is widely distributed and is read by a large number of families throughout Greater Shepparton,” she said.

“Reading is such an important and enjoyable activity for children and this annual competition aims to encourage a love of books and reading amongst children and their families. The quality of entries we receive each year continues to grow and we look forward to seeing the creativity of the stories submitted by Grade 5 and 6 students this year.”

For more information about the Best Start Story Writing Competition, contact your school or Council’s Early Years Project Officer, Belinda Schmedje, on [email protected] or via phone at (03) 5832 9700.