Mia’s ‘Reflection’ scoops top national literary prize

Story: The Eyes of War impressed contest judges

A “truly talented” Dundee school girl has been awarded one of the country’s top children’s writing awards.

Mia Kellner, a pupil at Grove Academy, won the National Young Writer Award, a competition open to schools and colleges from across the UK and Ireland.

The entrants were challenged to produce a written or typed story in prose entitled, Reflection. The submitted entry could be fiction or non-fiction, a story or a poem.

The 15-year-old’s article, The Eyes of War, in which she imagined the story behind National Geographic’s 1984 cover, Afghan Girl, beat off competition from more than 5,000 pupils in the senior level for students aged 14-17.

Her short story recounts the journey to the place where the photo was taken, placing the photographer among a tormented people who have lived with cycles of invasion and civil war for centuries.

Mia said: “What provoked me to write it was the look in her eyes.

“Her stare epitomised the indifference that is omnipresent in every war and the people who bear its brutal consequences.

“But in my writing, I wanted to portray the humanity and hope that can be found in these war-torn countries and how these emotions manifested themselves in the eyes of this one young girl.”

Having been recognised by local judges as a fine piece of literary work, Mia’s entry progressed through to the district heats and on to the national final.

A spokesperson for the Rotary in Dundee, who sponsored Mia, said: “Hopefully Mia’s success will inspire more schools to take part in the 2018 Young Writer Competition.”

Phoenix Gibb, from Braeview Academy, also progressed through to the national final in the intermediate section for 11-13 year old students.

Mia Kellner saw off more than 5,000 entrants to take top prize.