The MP awards have been going for some years now, and I've judged in different categories over four years. I always feel excited to read the stories because you can feel the energy that's been put into entering by both the kids, and their enthusiastic teachers and parents. This year two sisters were awarded in the primary category, and a very creative young lady from my school was awarded second in the secondary category (I judged primary). Nancy Bates, editor of the local newspaper, read a precis of each writers' fantasy story which drew ooohs and aaahs from the audience. We heard tales of haunted houses and destroyed planets, military standoffs, vengeful dragons and happy endings in a fairyland.
The story with time capsules drew a few appreciative nods as our city's time capsule from long ago was buried but cannot be found. Curiouser and curiouser.
Winners were awarded lovely large sums of money each and certificates, and the winning drawing was also framed. The children of Mungar School had produced a vibrant illustrated book, and two participating students gave a wonderful thank you speech.
After photographs the party moved upstairs to partake in tea and creamy treats. Yum.
A special thank you to the Annes and the Proud Marys for their enthusiasm for young people's artistic pursuits, and for making me feel so welcome.
Ten points to the sponsors including the Cherry Tree Foundation and Anne Russell, and to the Councillors who attended, including Debbie, also leader of a great writing group.
And a big hurrah to Robyn, a wonderful child-friendly City Librarian (or whatever her title is after amalgamation).
And lest you think it was all chat, consider our own Mary Poppins was in attendance so what do you think we sang?
Yes, of course we did. Now let's see if I can spell it. Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious... spell check!
And Spoonful of Sugar.
Nothing like a song to loosen a crowd.
* update Saturday 18th: 'Creative students reap Poppins prizes' in the newspaper. Congratulations!
And earlier today... remember Kyle McDonald's One Red Paperclip (ORP) swap from 2006? Today a young girl came into the Library and offered me a swap - her little star notebook f
or whatever I had. She and three others were involved in a class project ala ORP which perhaps the teacher had read about but the girls had no idea. So I told my swapper anyway. 'cause it was a cool project. I was in the Library though, surrounded by expensive, gorgeous, resources and none of it mine to swap. I can't just give away the latest YA book or a laptop can I? No. No I can't. But, aha, I found something to swap. A freebie from two years ago so it was swappable - a paper Queensland flag on a stick. So I got a notebook and she got a flag to swap on (and she learned what the Queensland flag looked like - so not a bad day in the Library).'night.
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