Today’s winning entry from Victoria… We recently hosted an Australia-wide search for writing talent and received an extraordinary response. Students submitted entries based around a theme, “inspire”, and this week we’re showcasing the final six winners (in no particular order).
Show your support for their efforts by leaving a comment below and sharing their amazing entries on your social media profiles for a few well-deserved likes.
Media Bootcamp national writing competition winner Australia – Georgina Schroen, VIC
Inspired
Today, there are approximately 7.25 billion people in the world, around 3 billion of which live on $2.50 per day, which for the average person, would only buy them a loaf of bread. A loaf of bread that would be so valuable to a family living in a third-world country.
Australia today is surrounded by poverty, and yet many people don’t seem to care. Too many of us are motivated by greed, always wanting more and more, whilst others are suffering and we don’t even take the time to notice them. As a result, Australia sometimes seems far too short of inspiration for those who want to help others.
One Australian who does want to help though, is Heather Watson, a Home Economics teacher at Rochester Secondary College, who was inspired to help others who are far worse off than herself.
Heather and three Rochester Secondary College students (Amanda Conway, year 12, Carli Windridge, year 12; and Terri Windridge, former year 12) took the opportunity to fly to Cambodia to participate in the program World of Difference, through the Rotary Club of South Melbourne.
The program is designed to do a lot of practical charity work involving schools, orphanages and amongst the community in remote villages, as described by Heather.
“Amongst the whole local group that went over to Cambodia, we raised around $8000 to take over there.” She explained. ‘We bought things over there like books, pencils and paper for schools, clothes for the orphanages and we would build things like a well and a pig pen to help out the community. We also taught them about dental hygiene, ensuring they had and learnt practical stuff that could be used forever.”
Amongst other things, Heather Watson saw the struggles that poverty affected countries face and was able to help in a manner that was not only beneficial for the Cambodians, but a valuable and inspirational memory for herself and the others who took part.
Not only did Heather and the group help the Cambodians around the remote villages, but they were lucky enough to travel around Cambodia, visiting historical and must-see sites such as the Angkor Wat temple.
This trip to Cambodia inspired Heather Watson to travel more around the world and to help the less fortunate in any way possible. She was able to see with her own eyes what most people don’t see in the world. She got to witness life in its purest form where the people aren’t influenced by greed, but are incredibly grateful for the smallest gestures and gifts.
I was immensely inspired by this program to want to travel around the world and indulge in its wonders, but also want to help people who are not as well off as we are here in Australia.
It showed me that there are people in this world who do care and are out to make a difference, just as it has inspired me to do so in the future.
Georgina, congratulations on being one of our six 2014 national winners! The judging panel loved your entry because as it stands, it is a feature piece worthy of being published in a lifestyle publication. You’re well on your way to achieving your goals of working in the media industry.
This competition was brought to you by Sugoi Media, Media Bootcamp, Get it Magazine, Get it Media, TravelLiveLearn.com, Hot Tamale Media Australia Pty Ltd
Well done to Georgina for writing a great story about Heather Watson’s trip to Cambodia and the great charity work they did there. Congratulations also to Kirsty Evans for making the finals.
Congratulations Georgina, very well written. A most inspiring story which shows we all can make a difference if we try.
I just had a second read and it was actually a grouse story well done.
Hi Ethan, thanks for your comments. The reason this piece was chosen is because the story has been written to the style and standard of a news or magazine article, and as it stands, could be published in print with little editing. We’re assessing from a professional point of view and looking at students with huge future potential; this was a pretty awesome effort for someone who is still in school. Thanks again for dropping by to have a read.
Well done Georgina, very professionally written. Good luck in the competition hope you are the Australian winner!