Bermudian writing featured in online anthology
Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, congratulated 15 Bermudian students whose writing has been published in an online anthology.
UK-based children’s author Ele Fountain, Gibraltar writer Jonathan Pizarro and Ayesha Harruna Attah, a Ghanian novelist, read and judged hundreds of submissions in last year’s Rock Accord young storytellers competition.
Students from Gibraltar, Ghana and Britain also submitted work for the project. Participants wrote about topics such as community, friendship and caring for one another.
Nekesha Holdipp, the Department of Education’s social studies education officer, said: “This experience further developed Bermuda’s creatives, helping budding authors find their writing voice.”
Of the 15 Bermudian students featured in the anthology, ten attend public schools and two – Eshe Holdipp-Lynch from CedarBridge Academy and Evangeline Worsick from the Bermuda High School for Girls – were among the overall winners of the competition and have their pieces featured in hard-copy form.
Local playwright Patricia Pogson-Nesbitt helped turn participant Kisaye Bell’s piece, Through Shira’s Door, into a play, which premiered last summer and was nominated for Community and Culture’s Literary Awards.
Eshe Holdipp-Lynch (CedarBridge Academy): Chance Encounter
Evangeline Worsick (Bermuda High School for Girls): The Ring
Kisaye Bell (CedarBridge Academy): Through Shira’s Door
The other Bermudian students whose work is in the anthology are:
Alaire Brown (Whitney Institute Middle School): Family Secrets
Ryunn Wong (Whitney Institute Middle School): The Monster on Mars
Ryundae Wong (Whitney Institute Middle School): The Meme Block Falls into Ryundae’s Hands
Etana Holdipp-Lynch (Whitney Institute Middle School): Beware of Lies
Jedzia Williams (Whitney Institute Middle School): The Beginning of the End
Ekene Holdipp (Elliott Primary): The Evil Gnome BFF
Ruth Odede (Elliott Primary): The Chosen Ones
Yajha Brangman (Sandys Secondary Middle School): Blacked Out
Savannah Greenslade (Warwick Academy): The Ring
Keimani Trott (The Berkeley Institute): Peering through the Keyhole of Time
McKenzie Bean (Bermuda High School for Girls): Dark and Light
Marlee Wilson (Bermuda High School for Girls): Factory Magic
Mr Rabain and Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport handed the two winners trophies and gave certificates to the other participants in November.
Mr Rabain called Ms Holdipp-Lynch’s and Ms Worsick’s wins “a testament to their talent and hard work”.
“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the participating students and express my gratitude to the school leaders and local artists who offered invaluable guidance and feedback,” he added.
Yesha Townsend, local author and lecturer at the Bermuda College and poet Benjamin Zephaniah visited the students while they were writing and artists Margaret Giloth, Gavin Smith and Joanne Ball-Burgess offered feedback.
Kalmar Richards, the Commissioner of Education, said: “I was excited to learn of the achievements of our students and congratulate all of them for making us proud.”
The online anthology and the hard-copy version with the winners’ submissions will be available at CedarBridge, BHS and the Bermuda National Library.
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