AN imaginative ten year-old from Studley has been named a regional winner in the National Young Writers’ Award.
Kimi Sweet, who attends St Mary’s Academy fought off competition from children all over the region and if named as one of the ten national runners up could be in line to be crowned the winner on June 19.
This year’s theme was ‘The Future’ and youngsters were asked to write a 500 word story set in 3017.
More than 10,000 children from all over the UK entered in an effort to win a trip to Disneyland Paris and £500 worth of books for their school and Kimi is now in the running for the top spot.
The winner will also be surprised in a school assembly by this year’s judge, TV presenter and adventurer, Steve Backshall, who will announce the National Young Writer of the Year.
He said: “The quality of the stories was beyond belief. If I didn’t know this was a competition for young writers, I’d believe I was reading the scribblings of Isaac Asimov or Philip K Dick, and while there were elements from the great works of science fiction, every story was original, and had its own sense of individuality.
“What astounded me more than anything was that these young people had not only imagined future worlds, but imbued them with the conundrums of our modern planet.”
The competition, organised by English and maths tuition provider, Explore Learning which has a centre in Alvechurch Highway is now in its ninth year.
Carey Ann Dodah, head of curriculum development at Explore Learning added: “This year’s National Young Writers’ Awards attracted so many entries so Kimi should be very proud. We were blown away with the amazingly creative, thoughtful and inventive stories.”
