Trinity Academy: Halifax teen wins national writing contest with prize that will mean her whole class can go and see West End show Wicked

Trinity Academy Halifax pupil Hannah Firth was chosen as the winner of the 2023 Wicked Writers: Be the Change competition – a collaboration between the National Literacy Trust and the stage musical Wicked.

The contest saw children across the UK asked to submit persuasive essays to make their voices heard about what they would like to change for the better in society.

The prizes for 14-year-old Hannah include a trip to London to see the West End show.

She also won a workshop for her class with author Sharna Jackson, learning more about writing compelling stories and arguments, and how to champion social justice.

Hannah wrote her winning essay on protecting and supporting refugees.

The judges were Sharna Jackson, Wicked cast member and former Blue Peter presenter Mark Curry, Wicked Executive Producer Michael McCabe and CEP of the National Literacy Trust Jonathan Douglas.

They said “This piece commanded our attention from its first words, engaging us on both a societal and personal level.

"The writing is highly effective, with a variety of styles deployed, emotive and fact driven. It’s highly persuasive, conveying deep personal pain about injustice.”

Hannah was delighted to have won. She said: “I feel incredibly lucky to have won the Be the Change competition!

"I wanted people to read my piece and feel something, be moved, and see refugees not just as statistics but as individuals who need our support.

"I spent a long time editing and re-drafting my piece of writing due to my dyslexia as if I wanted people to care about my chosen topic, I realised I needed to show how much effort I was willing to put in too.”

Hannah’s teacher, Bethany Deighton, said: “Hannah is a motivated student who sets high expectations for herself.

"She was inspired to write about refugees after studying Benjamin Zephaniah's Refugee Boy as part of our curriculum, in which we also explored global news coverage to understand how literature sheds light on real-world issues.

“Her compassionate nature really came to light as we discussed the dangers refugees place themselves in to seek refuge and the daily struggles they encounter even once they have reached this milestone.”