Arlo Wins Stage Two Gold Award in Renowned NSW WriteOn Competition
Our Lady Star of the Sea Terrigal are beyond proud to announce that Arlo D has been awarded the prestigious Stage Two Gold Award in the annual WriteOn competition. Arlo's imaginative piece, Peas are Cursed, captivated judges with its exceptional creativity and expressive narrative around this year’s quote: “It was a small thing, but it made a difference.”
The WriteOn competition, designed for students in Years 1 to 6, offers a platform for young writers to explore their literary talents by crafting imaginative texts of up to 500 words. This annual event encourages students to develop critical thinking and articulate their thoughts creatively, ultimately fostering a love for writing and storytelling.
Arlo received his award on Thursday, September 10th, at a ceremony held at the State Library of NSW, where he had the opportunity to read his submission to an audience of educators, peers, and library patrons. The event not only celebrated Arlo's outstanding achievement but also highlighted the importance of nurturing young talent through educational programs. Arlo was also acknowledged at a school assembly in front of his peers, inspiring more students to participate in future writing competitions.
When asked about the achievement Principal Maria Kennedy said, “We are incredibly proud of Arlo and all the participants of this year's WriteOn competition. Competitions like these provide a valuable opportunity for students to express themselves and develop skills that will benefit them throughout their academic and personal lives. At Star of the Sea, we are committed to providing authentic enrichment opportunities that challenge and inspire students to reach their full potential.”
We congratulate Arlo on this esteemed achievement and a special thank you to our dedicated teacher Mrs Victoria Barnes who mentors and encourages our young writers to dream, write, and share their voices with the world.
You can read The Best of WriteOn 2026 here.
Peas are Cursed – Arlo D
The waft of steamed peas deeply disgusted Mo. She loathed peas
intensely. One by one, she flicked them at her brother Drew, who
was setting up a wobbly tower of Jenga blocks. Really wobbly.
After accidental contact from a pea and in a brief second, it
toppled over.
Gravity didn’t answer Mo’s prayers. A Jenga block struck like 20
kilo weights and landed on the edge of Stan’s bowl. Bobs of
spaghetti flung onto his face, knocking him backwards in shock.
In the process he unintentionally elbowed a plastic cup of
flowers, and it fell off the shelf and slammed onto the table.
Fortunately, no one was harmed. But the closest neighbour to the
unbalanced flowers, Arlo, had serious hay fever. Aah, Aah, a
CHOO! The wind (and snot) from his nose was rushing towards
Noah.
Noah was silently completing his homework, chill as an iguana.
Suddenly a gust of goo lifted the worksheets onto his chest. Stuck
it was! In desperation, he tried to tear the papers off. With a hasty
attempt, Noah’s arm swung and bumped his plate of a peanut
butter sandwich across the table.
