Earlier in the year our students entered a creative writing competition as a culmination of their work in religious education. The competition, Arts and Minds, was an opportunity for students to write about their understanding of the importance of equality whilst reflecting on the experiences of Anne Frank. We were delighted as a school to learn over the summer that several of our students had entered work that was highly commended by the competition organisers. We also learnt that one of our students, Harleen, had actually won the competition and was to be the recipient of the prestigious Anne Frank Literary Award.
Harleen’s entry, Dear Fellows, was selected for the prize from over 1000 entries and as a result she won a trip to London with her family including a ride on The London Eye. She was then invited to a prestigious award ceremony in central London to receive her award. Harleen’s Award was presented by Uzma Zahid, a trustee of the Anne Frank Trust. She also received praise from Tim Robertson, the CEO of the Anne Frank Trust who described Harleen’s work as gutsy with a superb link to the experiences of Anne Frank. He said that her work ‘said what needed to be said in a powerful way.’ Harleen impressed everyone at the awards ceremony with her ability to explain what had inspired her work. She was also presented with a very special signed copy of Anne Frank’s diary. Our school also received praise for finding time in the curriculum to provide students with the opportunity to be creative.
We are incredibly proud of all of our students who were commended for their work in this competition and also of Harleen for setting the bar so high and representing our school on this national platform so well. We know that we are a school full of amazing students and it is wonderful when other people recognise that too. Hard work really does pay off!
Dear Fellows
“I simply can’t build my hopes on a foundation of confusion, misery and death...I think...peace and tranquility will return again,” Anne Frank.
Discrimination is a blanket of ample agony.
Prejudice is a desire to destroy someone’s initial feelings.
Diversity is an unsolved question roaming in each human being.
Dear fellows, it’s merely us who can change the world,
Do something that stands out and gain love no matter
What skin colour or race we are.
Racism is an enduring discrimination which comes in many shades.
The earth for instance, is a mixture of different races which can’t be changed.
Dozens and dozens of evil demons come and go on earth.
Dozens and dozens of upsetting ideas come and go on earth.
However, dozens and dozens of remedies and healings come and go on earth too.
Dear fellows, it’s merely us who can change the world,
Do something that stands out and gain love no matter
What skin colour or race we are.
Many types of ups and downs come and go in our lives,
Yet it’s merely us who can turn them away.
A steady beat is never the right pace to be walking on,
As it can always take a different turn.
Peace is not always presented as a sweet piece of cake,
As it sometimes times can taste sour.
Appalling death tolls in the holocaust for instance,
were incredibly abundant which is why they seemed endless.
Swastikas for instance, were a symbol of hope,
But then, turned into disaster. They weren’t just tattooed on people’s heads, But also minds.
Dear fellows, It’s merely us who can change the world, Do something that stands out and gain love no matter What skin colour or race we are. And, its merely us who can liberate people from prejudice, And break the chains of hatred people have against different races and religions.
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