South Thames Short Story Competition
South Thames College 100 Word Story Competition 2010
The seventh annual South-Thames College 100 word short story competition opens now for all STC students. The categories are Over-all Winner, Over-all Runner Up, Best ESOL entry, Best Basic Skills entry and Best Supported Learning entry.
The closing date for entries will be 26th March 2010. Winners and runners up will be invited to attend a presentation during Adult Learners' Week in May. The Winners and best entries will be displayed around the college after the competition: The best entries will also be published by Time & Leisure Magazine and appear on their website.
Entries should be typed if possible and not more than 100 words in length including any title [hyphenated words count as one]. The winning entries will be selected for their originality, storyline, quality of writing and the imaginative treatment of the theme - ENERGY. The topic may be treated as broadly and imaginatively as the writer wishes but try to write a complete story, whether it's comic, dramatic, spooky or realistic.
All entries must be accompanied by a completed entry form (download from the right hand side of this page) and handed in to Student Services at any of the South Thames College centres or sent to the competition organiser, Creative Writing lecturer, Ardella Jones (Room 271 at South Thames College, Wandsworth High St, SW18 2PP) who will head the panel of judges. Examples of previous winners are available via email from: Ardella.jones@south-thames.ac.uk
2009 Competition
South Thames held it's annual short story competition in 2009, open to all students at the College. As usual the brief was to write a story of just one hundred words and, as usual, the standard was very high. The winners were announced at the College's Adult Learners' Awards 2009 event at the Wandsworth Civic suite on the 12th May 2009 and published below are the winning entries and runners-up.
This year the theme was NATURE and the winning entries were selected for their originality, quality of writing and imaginative treatment of the theme. The topic could be treated as broadly and imaginatively as the writer wished to create a complete story, whether comic, dramatic, spooky or realistic!
Overall Winner 2009
Ted Aves, Roehampton Creative Writing course, wrote this reflection on life and nature...
THE SALMON
Rising unsteadily to his feet, he raised his whisky to the salmon, showcased over the Surrey bar.
"Slainte," he said respectfully.
His English-made fortune had been consumed by booze, 
lawyers and trophy wives. He felt a kinship with the salmon. They were Scottish. They left their remote spawning grounds to challenge the world's oceans and get fat. They then went home to die. But a few regained their prime condition and returned to the open waters. The whisky worked its brief magic. The salmon looked down.
"Go home," he heard it say. "Rest up. The world's still ours."
Runner-Up 2009
James Thresher, Tooting Creative Writing course, wrote this interesting observation of both human and animal nature...
ROBIN
She first saw the robin the day she viewed the house. Admiring its vibrant red breast she thought what a beautiful thing it was.
She next saw the robin on the day she moved in. Laughing as it cheekily scoured for food she thought what a funny thing it was.
She saw the robin again on the day she had a guest. Listening to its evening song she thought what a romantic thing it was.
She last saw the robin on the day she moved out. Watching it kill a rival she thought what a horrid thing it was.
Category Winner – Basic Skills
Shakila Hassan, L2 English Functional Skills Roehampton, wrote this delightful tribute to the honey bee...
HUMBLE BEE
I am a honey bee. My job is to gather pollen to make delicious honey.
I have a lovely job because it takes me on a colourful and fragrant journey everyday. I visit beautiful flowers to collect pollen from them.
My day starts with the rose garden. Roses are lovely, they grow in different colours. When I sit on them I feel like I am sitting on different coloured garden chairs! It does not stop there. I also visit daffodils, lilies, tulips and marigolds. My favourite flowers are round, orange marigolds as I can bounce on them.
Category Winner – English for Speakers of Other Languages
Marta Jarnot, L2 English at Roehampton, wrote this moving piece....
LULLABY
Deep inside you are swinging, surrounded by warmth and dark, sweet water.
Water of life, your loving environment.
You are alert but calm. Magnificent and fragile altogether.
Enjoy your time so close to my heart. You will always be part of me.
I know your face even though you are still part of the space.
Can you hear the music, my darling? The music which flows through your little universe? Serene lullaby. Sleep calmly and dream about rainbows and butterflies shimmering in the summer sun. Think how happy we will be together. See you soon, little one.
Category Winner – Supported Learning
POLUTED NATURE
Adam Andrews, Design Project at the Roehampton Centre, wrote this piece on global warming and pollution.
There are too many cars on the road and you just can't see the road for the cars.
The forests in Brazil are being felled for McDonalds to raise cows for the beef in hamburgers and for timber to make furniture and other things like newspapers and magazines.
Cities are getting bigger and bigger and more noise and pollution.
Factories are pouring out smoke and chemicals and tainting the atmosphere.
Aeroplanes are making a lot of noise pollution and a lot of fuel pollution as well. Golf courses are a pollutant because of the pesticides they use.