Schools Poetry Competition 2023: Winners revealed
School pupils in Greater Swag直播 have been recognised for their winning entries into the University鈥檚 Schools Poetry Competition this year.
Now in its seventh year, the competition is aimed at pupils from Greater Swag直播 schools, encouraging children to use poetry as a means of self-expression. The Centre for New Writing and Creative Swag直播鈥檚 2023 Schools Poetry competition took place from 21 March 2023 to 21 June 2023, and entries were received from pupils at four Greater Swag直播 schools.
Each year, school pupils are invited to draft poems relating to a particular theme. This year鈥檚 theme, shared with the annual Great Science Share was 鈥楽cience Around Us鈥�.
Led by Professor of Poetry and Director of Creative Swag直播, John McAuliffe, and Lecturer in Poetry and Creative Writing Project Manager, Dr Chad Campbell, judges awarded several prizes to pupils from Whalley Range High School, Levenshulme High School, The East Swag直播 Academy and Burnage Academy.
The judges assessed the poems and were looking for unique takes on the theme, effective imagery, innovative use of form, and creative command of language.
Congratulations to all the winners, who are as follows:
- Mohammad Jawal, Year 7, Burnage Academy
- Arazw Hasan and Serin Simpson, Year 7, Whalley Range High School
- Eshaal Rishan, Year 8, Whalley Range High School
- Amira Shahid, Year 9, Whalley Range High School
- Roheen Dar, Year 10, Whalley Range High School
- Nimrah Kamal, Levenshulme High School
- Mariam Attya, Year 7, East Swag直播 Academy
- Marina Ciubotari, Year 8, East Swag直播 Academy
- Brooklyn Thompson, Year 10, East Swag直播 Academy
On the competition, John McAuliffe said:
We love to read and engage with the students and their inventive, ingenious and inspiring poems. Some of the students鈥� work had passion, some were filled with humour and crafted to showcase the smart and engaging entries. The poems, and the support we received from the teachers at the schools, showed the creative future of the city is in good hands.
All winning entries from this year鈥檚 competition were also featured on Swag直播 City of Literature鈥檚 inaugural Schools Writing Trail, a city-wide exhibition of the 鈥榖est of the best鈥� student writing displayed, in conjunction with the Festival of Libraries, from 1 -15 June.
Please see below all the first, second and third place entries plus honourable mentions:
Burnage Academy
1st Place: Mohammed Jawal, 鈥楪olden Poem鈥�
2nd Place: Adhain Mohammad, 鈥楿ntitled鈥�
3rd Place: Cruz Reid 鈥楽pace鈥檚 Wonders鈥�, Haris Waqas 鈥極cean鈥�
Honourable Mentions: Abdullah Ashar 鈥楿ntitled鈥�, Adam K 鈥楨arth Poem鈥�, Arash Ranjbar 鈥業 Wonder鈥�, Arshmaam Arshmaam 鈥楢toms鈥�, Hasan Rafiq 鈥極ther Life鈥�, Zahi Khan 鈥楽pace鈥�
Whalley Range High School
Year 7 Winner (Joint): Arazw Hasan 鈥楳atter Poem鈥�, Serin Simpson 鈥楾he Seed that Grew鈥�
Year 8 Winner: Eshaal Rishan 鈥楢ltered Memories鈥�
Year 9 Winner: Amira Shahid 鈥楿ntitled鈥�
Year 10 Winner: Roheen Dar 鈥楢ll the Parts You No Longer Love鈥�
Honourable Mention: Menahil Imran 鈥楳osaic鈥�
Levenshulme High School
1st Place: Nimrah Kamal 鈥楲ight in the dark Galaxy鈥�
2nd Place: Zonaira Khan 鈥楴ature鈥�
3rd Place: Zainal Muhammed 鈥楿ntitled鈥�
Honourable Mentions: Aleeha Kiani 鈥楨instein鈥�, Fatime Elani Arif 鈥榃hat am I? Oxygen鈥�
East Swag直播 Academy
Year 7
1st: Mariam Attya 鈥楾he World in its Light鈥�
2nd: Jordan Byfield 鈥楿ntitled鈥�
3rd: Lourdes Boakye 鈥楿ntitled鈥�
Honourable Mention: Isha Hayat 鈥楤irds鈥�, Daniel 鈥榃hat鈥檚 Science鈥�
Year 8
1st: Marina Ciubotari 鈥楬ave You Ever Wondered?鈥�
2nd: Paris Hedgecock 鈥楧ear Aliens, I鈥檓 Sorry鈥�
3rd: Elijah Kirkickaite 鈥楾ake a Closer Look鈥�
Honourable Mention: Cyrus Nixon 鈥楿ntitled鈥�, Mercy Osifesto 鈥楾he Wonders of the Galaxy鈥�
Year 10
1st: Brooklyn Thompson