Narrabri’s Sophia Lampe and Wee Waa’s Hamish Wright have been named the winners of the Namoi branch’s Isolated Children and Parents Association’s poetry competition.

ICPA’s Namoi branch president Anna Sevil presented Sophia and Hamish with their awards and praised the students for their outstanding entries and literary talents.

The competition’s theme was ‘Rural Education’ and Sophia who attends St Francis Xavier’s in Narrabri won the primary school section and Hamish who attends The Southport School in Queensland won the High School section.

“I’m very surprised but I’m excited,” said Sophia modestly.

Other students who were given notable mentions included Tessa Haire from St Joseph’s Primary School in Wee Waa, Kate Leitch from St Francis Xavier’s, Elke Sendall from Burren Junction Public School and Taylor Horne from Wee Waa Public School.

Hamish said he was pleased his Mum, Susan Wright, had encouraged him to enter the competition and said it was a  good distraction while he recovered from a knee injury.

“I enjoyed doing it and I’ll now buy some school essentials,” said Hamish.

Both students also thanked the ICPA for their $150 cash prizes. Read Sophia and Hamish’s poems below.

Rural Education by Sophia Lampe
Going to school is a daily routine for us,
Running as fast as we can to catch the bus.
Eyes half-open, shoelaces undone,
And as soon as we know it, school has begun!Waiting for the teachers to come and open the classroom door,
Never quite knowing what they might have in store.
Inside we file to our assigned seats we walk,
And when the teacher turns her back, all the kids start to talk!We feel that school is SUCH a bore,
We feel that school is SUCH a chore.
Always have a chat and go with the flow,
Then the bell rings; it’s time to go!

Over my years of rural education,
No matter what it is for duration.
Everyone learns to read and write,
Even if they aren’t so bright!

Some say school is a torture chamber,
Some say it depends on your behaviour.
But really; it depends how we look at school,
Honestly, positively, school is cool!!

Rural Education by Hamish Wright
On the hot dry plains where it doesn’t rain,
To the sunny coast with the barrelling waves,
My education spans far and wide,
From Wee Waa to Southport, I take such pride.
Agriculture is what I grew up with,
My love of the land has never waned,
I will return to the dry hot plains one day,
but now I look back on my time in the classroom,
and think that started my love for the land.
Rural teachers are the key,
They teach you similes, metaphors and hyperboles,
Until the time has come to finish school,
I will reflect on rural education because it’s pretty cool.

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