National English Writing Competition (Singapore) 2019
We are pleased to announce the results of the 4th National English Writing Competition (NEW-C), where more than 55 primary schools in Singapore nominated a record 190 of their best students to represent them.
While we are heartened by the overwhelming enthusiasm of the community, we are even more thrilled by the high quality of the entries.
In particular, we were astonished by the quality of this year’s Category 2 participants. The top four entries stood out in different ways and proved that there is no magic formula for a winning story. Among them, we have a touching tale of an immigrant mother, a sophisticated mood piece of a lady visiting a comatose partner, a feminist heroine torn between love and duty, and a student tormented by her inner demons.
Were it not for the fact that the competition had been held on-the-spot under invigilation, we could hardly believe that a primary school student could have produced works of such depth. After an extremely tough and lengthy deliberation, the judges concluded that each story was brilliant in its own way and it was too close to call on the rankings of these four entries. We are confident readers would share our sentiments and have decided on the unprecedented move to award 4 joint-first prizes in Category 2.
This is not to say that Category 1 entries were walk-overs either. The winning entry of a protagonist battling her OCD affliction was a surprisingly mature topic for a middle primary student, while the second placed story proved that brevity is no obstacle to a good story with its heartwarming tale of two brothers entertaining themselves in a way that is relevant to the author’s chosen theme.
Indeed, we believe the key take-away from this competition should be that there is no magic formula to an outstanding story, be it “model plots” or “good phrases”. In addition, we hope teachers and parents can help impress upon students that blood, gore and violence are not essential ingredients to an “exciting” story. We would also like to encourage students to explore a wider range of plots, and hope they can recognise that good stories are all around them, if they know where to look.
Here, we present to you some of these gems as we celebrate their brilliance, effort and achievement:
2019 Category 1 (Primary 3 & 4) Winners
1st Prize
Estelle Yeo Xing Ying, Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School
2nd Prize
Edmund Lee Man Hei, Elias Park Primary School
3rd Prize (tied)
Lau Jan Hay Rayden, Temasek Primary School
Ng Xiang Qing, Woodlands Primary School
Merit
Zarah Koh Zhiqi, Cedar Primary School
Tan Jie Min, Gongshang Primary School
Lee Jia Min, Kheng Cheng School
Kng Li Lin Crista, Qifa Primary School
Kaydon Arianne Tan, Rosyth School
Dylan Gabriel Tan Jun Aik, St. Joseph’s Institution Junior
Yuvis Chan Hwee, Tampines Primary School
Tan Yean Zuo Owen, West Grove Primary School
Ang Rae Shyn, Yu Neng Primary School
2019 Category 2 (Primary 5 & 6) Winners
1st Prize (tied)
Leandre Huang Guang Qi, Greendale Primary School
Ryan Chia, Fuhua Primary School
Celestyn Yeo Xiao Han, Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School
Darice Chong Zi Ning, Rulang Primary School
Merit
Glenda Lim, Kheng Cheng School
Leong Yin Xuan, Pasir Ris Primary School
Tan Ting Xuan, Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ School (Primary)
Heidi Wee, Riverside Primary School
Alessandra Edic Dela Cruz, Teck Whye Primary School
Thank you everyone for your support and we look forward to seeing you again at our next edition!
