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Sarita Reaches Finals of National Writing Competition

Year 10 student, Sarita, has reached the finals of the 2022 Solstice National Youth Nature Writing Prize – an annual showcase for young writers where judges look out for imaginative short stories and poems.

The theme for the competition was Fight for Flight, with the aim of increasing awareness of the dramatic decrease in the British bird population and the impact this will have on our environment.

Indeed, Sarita’s piece of writing – which you can read below – was highly commended by competition judge Gill Lewis – an award-winning and bestselling children’s author.

‘Fight for Flight’ by Sarita

Birds aren’t running out of time.
So don’t try and convince me that
Species around the world are facing extinction. Because at the end of each day,
Why does it matter anyway?
There is no point in saying
These birds make a difference in our lives.
No matter what we do,
There is no solution to oil spills and plastic pollution. Never believe that
We still have hope.
We are in a desperate situation but
Over 20% of birds have been lost since 1970.
What is the point in clinging to what’s already gone? I don’t want to hear anyone say
Let’s fight for flight.

Now read the poem backwards and see what our true attitudes should be towards birds fighting for flight.