The talents of young writers from across the region were celebrated during the 2020 Mayors’ Short Story Challenge.

An initiative of Alexandrina Council, City of Victor Harbor and District Council of Yankalilla, the challenge is about encouraging school aged children from reception to year 10 to let their imaginations run wild and share stories through creative writing.

This year, there were 476 entries from Alexandrina Council, 460 from the City of Victor Harbor and 102 from District Council of Yankalilla.

Shortlisted entrants and winners of the 2020 Mayors’ Short Story Challenge were announced at a variety of in-school celebrations held throughout August and September. 

Mayors and library staff attended a number of schools to present awards and to recognise the talented work of all the entrants.

Individual category winners received a $50 book voucher, and the overall winner from each council area received an additional Mayor’s prize of a $50 book voucher. 

The school from which each overall winner attends also received $1000 from their local council.

Unlike other years where an overall presentation evening was held at a library within the region, the mayors from each council met with each school to present the awards. 

In presenting the awards, the mayors from each council praised the children who took up the challenge and demonstrated their creative writing skills.

They also thanked the three public libraries for their coordination of the Mayors’ Short Story Challenge and school principals, librarians, teachers and student service officers who played a key role in encouraging their students to enter and showcase their talents.

The councils and ‘Friends of the Library’ groups provided the prizes.

Full details of 2020 Mayors’ Short Story Challenge winners are online.