The Springfield Anglican College is excited to celebrate Book Week on Friday, 25 August 2023, which featured a workshop by Australian author, Sarah Armstrong, and marked the launch of a captivating book of short stories authored by 16 talented students.
The Springfield Anglican College’s Book Week celebration was an inspirational event that brought together students from Kindergarten to Year 12, educators, and literature enthusiasts alike.
Mr Steven Morris, Principal at The Springfield Anglican College, says, “This year, The Springfield Anglican College marks its 25th year of educating young people in Springfield. Book Week is a fun way to reintroduce the power of reading to all our students.
“In an age when streaming, social media and television are the mainstream way for young people to consume information, we strongly encourage reading as a way to help students improve their mastery of language, boost their communications skills, increase their creativity, and develop their imaginations. As importantly, reading is a fantastic way to relax and look after your mental health.”
This year, The Springfield Anglican College is excited to launch Unleashed: A Collection of Short Stories authored by 16 Secondary students. These stories and poems, carefully crafted by the students, cover a wide range of genres and themes and reflect their unique perspectives and literary prowess.
Mr Steven Morris, College Principal, says, “We are thrilled to celebrate the literary achievements of our students. The Unleashed short story collection shows the boundless potential of our students’ literary minds. Each author takes you on a journey and demonstrates extraordinary courage to explore themselves and their stories.”
Olivia Harding is the College Captain and a contributing author. She says, “I love books because they are different for everyone. No one person will ever read a book and feel the same way about it or understand it in the same way. They are what you make of them. I enjoy writing in my spare time and like to write about situations and feelings I can relate to. I am proud to have my two works displayed because I worked really hard on them, and I’m pleased with how they turned out.”
The youngest author to contribute a story to the collection is Olivia Stephenson, in Year 7. She says, “I enjoy writing in my spare time and creating fantasy short stories for pleasure. I love that you can enter a universe within a few moments and go on adventures with characters. You can be someone completely different and be transported somewhere else completely. I feel incredibly proud that my story got into the College’s short story collection and hope I can make a difference with my writing.”
Fans of literature on the Secondary Campus were also excited to join a writing workshop with renowned author Sarah Armstrong. Known for her captivating storytelling and thought-provoking narratives, Sarah Armstrong shared insights into her writing journey and the power of literature to ignite imaginations and inspire change.
The Book Week celebration is part of The Springfield Anglican College’s ongoing efforts to promote literacy and a lifelong appreciation for literature within the College and the wider community. This year, the College has again raised funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
“We believe that fostering a love for reading and writing is vital for all young people, and are excited to support the ILF’s vital work in remote Indigenous communities to shape the direction of young people’s literacy future,” Mr Morris adds.
The College’s Unleashed short story collection is available from The Springfield Anglican College.