Rotary inspires the next generation of authors in Port Stephens

YOUNG imaginations took centre stage this month as the annual Rotary Junior Schools Writing Competition returned for its third year, culminating in a celebration night on 26 November at Pacific Dunes.

Hosted by the Rotary clubs of Port Stephens, the event highlighted the creative talents of primary school students from across the region.

This year’s competition attracted 134 entries, with students crafting stories around two imaginative themes: “The Magic Carpet” for the six to nine age groups and “The Big Storm” for students aged 10 to 12.

Organisers said the quality of writing was among the strongest yet.

Rotary launched the competition three years ago in response to concerns about literacy outcomes and changing communication habits.

With reading and writing results under pressure, and children increasingly communicating through short text messages, the club wanted to encourage young people to rediscover the art of storytelling.

The goal was simple but powerful, to nurture creativity, help students structure ideas into sentences and paragraphs, and build confidence in self-expression.

Each year, the annual themes and word limits are carefully shaped with the guidance of professional judges.

These judges, published authors who live locally, are independent of Rotary and bring a deep understanding of storytelling to the process.

They look for creativity, imagination, independence from artificial intelligence (AI), and the all-important ability to tell a compelling story.

For the older students exploring “The Big Storm”, judges were delighted by the technical standard of many entries, with at least a dozen displaying flawless punctuation and sentence construction.

While most stories stayed true to the theme, some students surprised the judges by interpreting the storm metaphorically, one entry even portrayed a heated argument between two people as the “storm”.

Meanwhile, the younger writers took flight with “The Magic Carpet”, producing tales of children rescued by enchanted carpets, transported to strange new worlds, and even fighting battles alongside their magical companions.

Judges said the most memorable stories featured strong plots, original ideas, and lively dialogue that brought characters to life.

Beyond writing, Rotary continues to support literacy through local debating and public speaking competitions, helping students build confidence across multiple forms of communication.

Presentation night was a highlight for students and families alike.

Winners received certificates, handcrafted library bags made by a Rotarian, and book vouchers from Harry Hartog Bookseller and Readers Retreat.

With special permission granted this year, one of the winning stories was read aloud on the night.

While the students were shy when asked for formal interviews, their excitement was unmistakable.

Many simply said they were “very excited” to be finalists and proud to see their words on paper.

Rotary hopes every child walks away with greater confidence, a stronger understanding of story structure, and a belief in their own creative voice, proof that even in a digital world, the written word still has the power to inspire.

By Jacie WHITFIELD