The Mayors' Short Story
Challenge -  It's on again!

Alexandrina Council, City of Victor Harbor and the District Council of Yankalilla have been running the Mayors’ Short Story Challenge since 2010 and we invite your school and students to join the  Challenge.

The creative writing “Challenge” is held during term two each year for school aged children, from reception to year 10 and each school is invited to participate.

For each year’s ‘Challenge'...

There are six group categories:

Reception - Year 2 Category

Year 3 - Year 4 Category

Year 5 - Year 7 Category

Year 8 - Year 10 Category

Special Options  Students - Primary level (Reception to Year 6)

Special Options Students -  High School  level ( Year 7 to 10)

The winner from each section will receive a $50 gift voucher with the overall winner for each Council receiving a $50 gift voucher. The winning school in each Council District receives $1000.

Winners will be announced at a joint regional presentation.

We look forward to receiving your schools’ entries each year.

Challenge Details...

The Challenge opens at the beginning of Term 2 and closes at the end of Term 2 each year.

Entry is open to all registered school aged children (Reception to Year 10) in the City of Victor Harbor, Alexandrina Council and District Council of Yankalilla.

Entries must be submitted to your schools Council area library by 5pm at the end of Term 2.

2023 Mayor's Short Story Challenge Results

Mayors’ Short Story Challenge 2023 is an annual partnership between Alexandrina Council, City of Victor Harbor and the District Council of Yankalilla.  The Challenge is about encouraging school children to let their imaginations run wild and share stories through creative writing.

The winners of the 2023 Mayors’ Short Story Challenge were announced at a celebration held at the Victor Harbor Library on September 7th.

District Council of Yankalilla’s over-all winner was Emma Potter, Rapid Bay Primary School student with her story ‘Milky the Hamster’.

District Council of Yankalilla’s Shortlisted and Section winners were:

Years Reception – 2 Category:
Short listed students:
India Edwards, Year Two, Yankalilla Area School ‘The Big Advencher’
Judd Hicks, Year One, Yankalilla Area School ‘Fly’
Ethan Brockman Year Two, Yankalilla Area School ‘Among us and the evil inposter’
Hugo Vaughan, Year One, Yankalilla Area School ‘The heroes’
Category Winner Hugo Vaughan, Yankalilla Area School ‘The Heroes’

Years 3 – 4 Category: 
Short listed students:
Harper Dowling, Year 4, Myponga Primary School student ‘The Unexpected Journey’
Addie McArdle, Year 4, Rapid Bay Primary School ‘The Dark Seas of the Atlantic’
Benjiman Nichols, Year 3, Rapid Bay Primary School ‘The Speedy Cheetah’
Emma Potter, Year 4 Rapid Bay School ‘Milky the Hamster’
Category Winner Emma Potter, Rapid Bay Primary School student ’Milky the Hamster

Years 5 – 7 Category:
Short listed students:
Tayla Deacon, Year 6, Myponga Primary School ‘Shark Teeth ’
Willow Russo, Year 6, Rapid Bay Primary School ‘The Figure’
Layla Hibbird-Peters, Year 7, Myponga Primary School ‘The Mysterious Pyramid ’
Sage Vessey-Thomas Year 5, Rapid Bay Primary School ‘The Apocalypse’
Category Winner Tayla Deacon, Year 6, Myponga Primary School ‘Shark Teeth ’

Years 8 – 10 Category:
Short listed students:
Alice Maclay-Ross, Year 9 Yankalilla Area School “Missing’
Ella Lovelock, Year 9 Yankalilla Area School ‘The Nightmare’
Lilly Wenham, Year 9 Yankalilla Area School ‘Pirate Life’
Riley Wake, Year 9 Yankalilla Area School ‘A Hopeless future’
Category Winner Lilly Wenham, Year 9 Yankalilla Area School ‘Pirate Life’

The Yankalilla Library would like to thank our local judges, teachers, students and parents for supporting the program.

Contact Information.

Alexandrina Libraries - Karen Barrett on 8555 7000

Victor Harbor Public Library - Gabbie Nottle or Lisa Manhire on 8551 0730

Yankalilla Library – Linda Ross or Kathryn Prenzler  8558 2043

Past Winners & Short Listed Stories.

2023 Winners and short listed stories:  MSSC 2023 Booklet

2022 Winners and short listed stories: MSSC 2022 Booklet

2021 Winners and short listed stories: MSSC 2021 Booklet

2020 Winners and short listed stories: MSSC 2020 Booklet

2019 Winners and short listed stories: MSSC 2019 Booklet(9546 kb)

2018 Winners and short listed stories: MSSC 2018 Booklet(13079 kb)