YOUNG writers smashed two records in last year’s Queen’s Commonwealth Essay competition.
Students achieved 102 awards across the two age categories in 2024, breaking the previous record of 91, which was achieved in 2021, and St Michael’s Preparatory School pupils won 58 of those awards, the highest number ever gained by a single Island school.
The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay contest is the oldest and largest youth writing contest in the world, which aims to recognise achievement, elevate youth voices and develop key skills through creative writing.
Using the theme “Our Common Wealth”, last year’s competition had over 34,000 entries worldwide, the highest received since it began in 1883.
The Royal Commonwealth Society asked entrants to consider how they dealt with adversity, and how community and culture could be used to encourage resilience and hope in a world with a growing number of global issues. Responses could have taken the form of a poem, letter, folk tale, script or essay.
Jersey College for Girls Year 7 student Olivia Lambotte received the RCS Jersey Award Cup for Best Entry, which she wrote in Year 6 at JCP, judged from almost 200 local junior and senior entries.
Olivia was presented with her trophy by Dr Lee Durrell at a prize-giving at the Town Hall this week. Her essay was also among those considered for the overall international junior category, which a student from Jersey last won in 2014.
