Catriona Ferguson, the Director of the New Zealand Book Council, joined me last week to help select the winners for The Third Fabulous Poetry Competition. We both felt it was a wonderful way to spend a morning.
I had made a long list of fifty schools that submitted exciting entries. With much reading and thinking, I had then selected three finalists in each region. It was tough job as there were standout poems every way I looked. In the end, I returned to my competition brief and selected schools that sent quality writing in a range of ages and styles. Once I got down to around 20 schools, I took into account editing as well as poetic zim. My three finalists all submitted poems that made me go ‘aah!’ ‘amazing’ ‘lovely’—just like when you watch fireworks.
Today I am posting the names of the finalists and the winners.
On Tuesday I will post a selection of poems from the winning schools.
On Thursday I will post some standout poems that I loved in my long list of 50 schools.
The winning schools get a two-day visit from me courtesy of The New Zealand Book Council and a year’s membership to the organisation if they don’t have one.
Congratulations to the finalists and the winners. A special mention to West End School. I will scan and post some of your poems as yours were my favourite presentations. Bravo!
Auckland
Gladstone School, Mt Albert Winner
Green Bay Primary School
Point View School, Howick
North Island
Te Aro School, Wellington Winner
Onekawa School, Napier
West End School, Palmerston North
South Island
Russley School, Christchurch Winner
Lower Moutere School, Nelson
Arrowtown School
Poetry Box 