The Thunder Bolt
Concordia Students Place in Prestigious Southeast Asian Writing Competition
Two Grade 12 students from Concordia International School Hanoi have made their mark on the international literary stage, winning top honors at the highly competitive Southeast Asian Writing Competition, hosted by the University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, England.
Out of 150+ submissions from across the region, Charlotte (G12) captured Second Prize for her poem, “Swipe,” while Minh (G12) was named a Highly Commended Writer, earning ninth place for his short story, “Nikador.” The theme of this year’s competition, “Attention,” was inspired by Nobel Prize-winning author and UEA alumnus Kazuo Ishiguro, celebrated for novels such as Never Let Me Go and The Remains of the Day.
“Writing this poem was a rigorous but rewarding process. The theme pushed me to not only experiment with a new writing style, and also reflect on how I manage distractions in my own life. I would have been happy with my work even if I hadn’t placed, but earning 2nd made the experience especially meaningful!” - Charlotte (G12)
Both Charlotte and Minh took Concordia’s Creative Writing course last year and, encouraged by their teacher, submitted their work to the competition. As a result, Concordia is the only school in Southeast Asia to have two students placed in the top ten!
Charlotte’s prize package includes:
- An Apple iPad Mini
- A writing mentorship with UEA Creative Writing professors (three online sessions across three months)
- Certificates of Mentorship and Achievement
- A copy of Ishiguro’s acclaimed novel Never Let Me Go
- A celebratory dinner in Hanoi with representatives from UEA, her teachers, and fellow award-winner Minh
The judges praised Charlotte’s poem, noting:
“We were really impressed with this poem. ‘Swipe’ is a subtly-sophisticated piece of writing. Employing a clever juxtaposition of two frames, it invites its reader to ‘swipe’ between a found poem of clamorous contemporary urban life and a curiously moving lyric portrait of a family card game. This is the work of a really promising young writer, and we look forward to seeing how they develop as a poet in the future.”
Minh’s work, “Nikador,” was lauded for its creativity and promise, placing him among only nine students to receive the Highly Commended distinction. Judges wrote:
“Minh’s 'Nikador' showed considerable promise, and we look forward to seeing what this young writer will produce in the future.”
Minh will receive a Certificate of Achievement and a copy of Never Let Me Go from UEA as part of his award. In addition to their prizes, both students will be honored in a special ceremony when a team from UEA visits Concordia in September. This event will include a celebratory meal with the award-winning students, their teachers, and school leaders.
“I actually didn't have a lot of hope for the story. Being a good storyteller and being a good writer are two very different things. As I am right now, I think I'm a good storyteller, but my writing skills aren't developed enough to execute my ideas as I see them. I hope to use this experience to learn and give my next project even more effort and continue honing my skills.” - Minh
Both of these students were in Concordia’s Creative Writing course, taught by Mr. Sanders, who expressed immense pride in their achievements:
“It is incredibly rewarding to see our students' voices celebrated on an international level. Charlotte and Minh's success not only highlights their skill and imagination, but also the supportive, creative community we foster at Concordia.”
With Charlotte and Minh’s recognition, Concordia continues to set a high standard for creative writing across the region. Their achievements are testament to what can happen when hard work, inspiration, and mentorship come together. Congratulations to Charlotte, Minh, and the entire Concordia community!
Click the links below to read the submitted poems:
Learn more about Concordia's High School program here.