2019 Youth Development Award Winners were awarded on Saturday at the Press Service International (PSI) young writers annual conference at the Craigieburn Salvation Army in Melbourne.
Two of the three categories saw joint winners for the Youth Development Awards – this is an award that covers the Panellist perceptions of the young writer’s brilliant potential.
Australian Youth Development Award – Joint (articles hyperlinked)
Laura Miles - Sunshine Coast
Shane Rowney - Gold Coast
Josiah Gray - Brisbane
New Zealand Youth Development Award – Joint
Rebecca Hoverd - Auckland
Jessica Knell - Auckland
Internationals Youth Development Award
Rume Kpadamrophe - Nigeria
The Statisticians recognition
The Panellists of each category spent the first six months of 2019 marking the articles of these young writers. This is a mammoth undertaking by the panellists.
There are 5 Cycles with 5 weeks in each Cycle - and after each Cycle the Panellists send in their points to the four statisticians engaged in the program.
It is they who collate the points by the panellists and by the end of the 5th Cycle the statisticians send those points to Press Service International.
The winners are then collated in each category and sent to Sam Gillespie the chair of the Brain’s Trust whose parents have an awards business – trophies, plaques, Cups, certificates, ribbons etc, who provide these for the young writers.
Statisticians
Australians 18-30s - Bill Chilcott - Canberra
Kiwi Young writers - Liz Hay - Castle Hill (Arthur’s Pass)
Internationals 18-30s - Bill Chilcott - Canberra
Sport - Jeremy Dover - Melbourne
Australians Over 31s - John Grocott - Tweed Heads
NZ / Internationals Over 31s - John Grocott - Tweed Heads
Photo - Kiwi young writers Petro Swart, Jessica Knell and Blake Gardiner
Previous Youth Development winners
Australians
2018 - Cartia Moore, Jesse Moore
2017 - Ashley Menelaws, Meenal Sims
2016 - Emily Black
2015 - Christopher Archibald, Tim Robertson
2014 - Alex Gillespie
New Zealand
2018 - Richard Kwon
2017 - Matt Joils
2016 - Tim Shallard
2015 - Jared Diprose
2014 - Matt Browning
Internationals
2018 - Stacy-Ann Smith
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children. Dr Tronson writes a daily article for Christian Today Australia (since 2008) and in November 2016 established Christian Today New Zealand.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html