YOUNG writers showcased their skills for the Andover round of a national young writer’s competition.

The Rotary Young Writer competition saw pupils from across Andover submit pieces under the title ‘rebuilding’.

On Tuesday, March 19, the Rotary Club of Andover held its presentation evening for the winners.

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Pupils, parents and Rotarians attended the evening where judges Wendy Falla and Vivienne Jenkins explained their criteria in deciding the results and gave the participants some useful positive advice, saying that they were really impressed by the high level of prose and poetry.

Mayor of Test Valley, Cllr Philip Lashbrook, presented certificates to the winners.

The competition was split into two categories – Intermediate, for pupils aged 11 to 14, and Senior, for ages 15 to 18.

Winning the Intermediate category was Rio Dominquez, runner-up Henry Williams and Timi Adegunleye was highly commended.

In the Senior category the winner was announced as Lara Doran and Evangeline Mills was the runner-up.

Lara was awarded the John Ray Cup, as overall winner, but both winning entries from the two age categories now go forward into the regional finals.

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Youth Speaks awards were also presented during the evening. This is a youth competition which has seen some great success from the Andover area in the national finals with Rookwood supplying the Best Proposer last year. 

Teams of three students, made up of a chair, proposer and opposer, choose their own topic and debate to strict rules of timing and content.

Rookwood triumphed with Emily Clapperton named the Best Chair, Alysia Blocksidge as Best Proposer and Matias Prakoonwit the Best Opposer.

Rotarian Peter Howson congratulated all the winners and hoped that they would continue to use their communication skills in the future, a theme echoed by Cllr Lashbrook.