Girls fighting gigantic lava monsters and the emotional toll of cyber bullying are just a snapshot of the brilliant work created by Pakenham Library’s 2018 short story competition winners.
14-year-old Elliot Perez and 8-year-old Harrison McCreesh were awarded the top spots in the competition at the Pakenham Show on Saturday 17 March.
The two talented writers, each taking out first place in their respective age categories, used the prompt: ‘If I were a girl I…’ as a vehicle to challenge gender stereotypes through writing.
The competition, in partnership with local family violence awareness organisation Together We Can, set out to get young people thinking about gender differently.
Competition judges Moira Eveleens and Rebecca Mitchem from Casey Cardinia Libraries, Together We Can facilitator Fiona Cost and Pakenham Gazette journalist Kyra Gillespie had a difficult time picking the best work out of the 50-plus entrants.
In the end it was the creativity, boldness and originality of their pieces that saw Elliot and Harrison come out on top.
“Elliot was able to connect at an emotional level with what might be happening for a girl around his age group,” Together We Can facilitator Fiona Cost said.
“He was able to tap into the subtleties of cyber bullying and showed a real empathy for what many girls experience day-to-day.
“Harrison put himself as a girl who didn’t have to hold back from doing the same things that boys can do.
“His story showed how girls are just as brave as boys, and pointed to a higher message of gender equality.”
Each winner took away a $100 Westfield voucher and a book.
