The competition, the brainchild of technology platform Education Perfect (EP) (https://epforlearning.com/) and TBS Next Gen (https://www.thebigsmoke.com.au/the-big-smoke-next-generation/), was launched to encourage young writers to express their views on the future of education, and the impact COVID-19 has had on their lives during 2020.

Five finalists have now been selected and published, with voting open to the public and the overall winner to be announced on Monday 16th September. The winner will receive a 6-month mentorship by TBS’ Editor-in-Chief, Mathew Mackie, and a monthly article featured on TBS Next Gen.

Students from K-12 from Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia submitted articles from one of the following themes for judging:

The role of technology in education
The future of education, or
The experience of learning during COVID-19

On the calibre of entries, TBS Editor-in-Chief and judge, Mathew Mackie, said “[w]e’ve been astonished by the quality of the pieces submitted, and selecting five finalists was extremely difficult.

“Every entrant should be very proud of their work, and should continue perfecting their craft. The future of writing is very bright.”

In her piece titled ‘The reality of education during a fatal pandemic,’ for example, finalist Charlotte Wells captured vividly the relatable monotony of lockdown: “Catch up on work. Feel stressed but do nothing about it. Return to bed. Contemplate life. Stress about our future. Out of bed. Eat something. Keep eating. Stressing. Thinking.”

New Zealander Madison Taylor reflected in her essay that ‘[d]espite numerous lockdowns, school at a distance hasn’t been so bad,” going on to say that online learning and video conferencing enabled her to overcome some anxieties she’d felt previously around actively participating in lessons.

“Like many of my peers, I’m pretty self-conscious,” she explained, “I’m nervous asking questions in class, especially with all my classmates watching. But lockdown did wonders for my confidence.”

Another finalist, Ricky Sarup, bravely called for a “reality check” to the education system, claiming outdated curricula does little to help teenagers discover their callings, or prepare them for life or university beyond high school.

“The education department needs to add a style of teaching where students are able to experience how a real job in a field would actually be, instead of the best-case scenario,” he believes.

12-year old Soneera Sunder received a notable mention from the judges for her essay entitled ‘The Role of Technology in Education’, in which she described the powerful impact of technology on learning, and even the environment, concluding that “[a]s technology is improving, we must change accordingly to have it sustained and to implement it into our lifestyles as well as changing the technology itself to suit our needs.”

“In a time of disruption and rapid change to teaching and learning, it’s so inspiring to hear strong student voices that can help to shape the future of education” added James Santure, Head of Product and Content at EP.

Finalists’ articles and voting information can be found here (https://epforschool.com/en/register-for-student-voices-writing-competition/).

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About EP:

Education Perfect (EP) is a leading digital platform, enabling transformative online teaching and learning experiences to power the 21st century classroom. EP supports the engagement of students in online learning, provides effective assessment during the learning online process, and enables the collection and analysis of student feedback. With offices in Australia, NZ, and Singapore, and over 1.2 million students through over 4,000 schools, in 80+ countries globally, EP’s integrated smart technology enhances teaching and learning through curriculum-based content delivery and a ‘learner centred’ approach, improving learning outcomes and creating lifelong learners – for School, at Home, and at Work.

About TBS Next Gen:

TBS Next Gen shares the voices of the youth on the topics that are important to them. TBS Next Gen is a portal on The Big Smoke where student voices are heard, offering a platform to write non-fiction articles and voice their opinions on matters which are shaping the nation.

Media Release on 6 November 2020

Media Contact

Renee Gorrie, The Big Smoke Media
Renee.gorrie@thebigsmoke.com.au
0433 485 165
The Big Smoke Media

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The five best pieces submitted to the competition will be published on TBS Next Gen, which will give the student authors the chance to have their voices heard by a readership of over 50,000 people.

The author of the winning article will also be offered a monthly feature over a six-month period on TBS Next Gen, with mentorship from TBS staff writers.

TBS Next Gen is a portal on The Big Smoke where student voices are heard, offering a platform to write non-fiction articles and voice their opinions on matters which are shaping the nation.

Entrants will be asked to choose one of the following themes for their article:

The role of technology in education
The future of education, or
The experience of learning during COVID-19
EP’s CEO Alex Burke said he was delighted to support the competition, and was encouraged that there are such platforms as TBS Next Gen to encourage and promote the voices of the young and emerging generation of young and emerging writers.

“With a media marketplace saturated by the same voices from the same backgrounds, it’s wonderful to see that there is a medium for young and emerging writers to share their talents,” he said.

“Platforms like TBS Next Gen are a vital part of a diverse landscape, and provide advice and guidance for emerging writers in a unique way that few other media outlets are capable of, or willing to provide.

“EP is taking the next steps towards the future of education, and we’re proud to be in partnership with a like-minded organisation looking to do the same with opinion, news and written expression.”

CEO of The Big Smoke Alex Tselios said she was thrilled to be partnering with innovators like EP.

“The Big Smoke has always prided itself on showcasing critical thinkers and looking outside the norm to source the wide talent pool from which we draw our writers,” she said.

“EP is widely regarded in industry as a game changer, and critically, in the education and tech field, so it’s a natural fit that we should partner on this competition to find, and champion the voices of the future.”

The competition is open to all students around the world and is part of EP’s Student Spotlight September, putting student wellbeing front and centre through a range of initiatives and resources, helping build efficacy and resilience in students in one of the toughest years of their schooling.

Submissions open on 20 August, and close on 15 September, with the winner announced after student voting on the 30th of September.

About EP:

Education Perfect (EP) is a leading digital platform, enabling transformative online teaching and learning experiences to power the 21st century classroom. EP supports the engagement of students in online learning, provides effective assessment during the learning online process, and enables the collection and analysis of student feedback. With offices in Australia, NZ, and Singapore, and over 1.2 million students through over 4,000 schools, in 80+ countries globally, EP’s integrated smart technology enhances teaching and learning through curriculum-based content delivery and a ‘learner centred’ approach, improving learning outcomes and creating lifelong learners – for School, at Home, and at Work.

About TBS Next Gen:

TBS Next Gen shares the voices of the youth on the topics that are important to them. TBS Next Gen is a portal on The Big Smoke where student voices are heard, offering a platform to write non-fiction articles and voice their opinions on matters which are shaping the nation.

Media Release on 27 August 2020

Media Contact
Alana Fisher Chejoski, The Big Smoke
Email: alana.fisherchejoski@thebigsmoke.com.au
Phone: +61 403-325-329
Website: https://epforlearning.com/

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Helping others find the courage to write has been a long-time goal of Rotorua writer Angie Belcher. Now, with the support of Rotorua English Language Partners, Rotorua Civic Arts Trust, Rotorua Creative Communities and the Matatuhi Foundation, her dream of running a series of creative writing workshops for migrants has come to fruition.

The project, known at To Our Shores involved teaching and mentoring groups of migrants as they negotiated the process of telling and writing their stories in poetry and prose then having selections of the writing artistically interpreted before being published as a collection.

‘Giving voice to new New Zealanders gives them the opportunity to share their stories, hopes and dreams as well as helping us understand their needs’ says Belcher.’ It provides opportunities for us to gain cultural knowledge and to develop greater empathy towards each other’.

Brazilian born graphic artist Lucia Lemos Monteiro Conceicao, a workshop participant, has been busy artistically interpret the writing as a series of bold, colourful photographic prints which portray aspects of the writing and culture shared by the individual participants.

‘Reading the poetry and studying the country helps me connect with the writer,’ says Conceicao who has found Vanuatu the most challenging to date. ‘I had never heard of this country so had to learn so much. Now, I love it!”

Known in Brazil for her artistic designs portrayed on fabric, this will be her first exhibition in New Zealand since arriving in 2018 and the first using photographic prints.

The exhibition to be held at The Rotorua Arts Village from27 March to 18 April will coincides with the launch of Mixed- a Collection of Creative Writing by Newcomers To Our Shores being published by Stromboli Press.

The book, a collection of poems and stories illustrated with the art, are as diverse as the writers themselves. Ranging from war-torn Bosnia to the frenetic pace of life in Japan, all twenty five contributors delve into creative writing to express and share the anxieties, dreams and journeys that preceded their arrival to our shores.

It is hoped that those who get the opportunity to read the words, hear stories and appreciate the art will have a greater appreciation of the migrant’s struggles, separations and successes as they negotiate both a new land and new ways of expressing their feelings.

Media Release on 18 February 2020

Media Contact
Angie Belcher
Phone: 021 024 88981
Website: www.angiebelcherwriter.com

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