The 2017 Australian young writer program is shaping up well and we invite young Australians 18-30 interested in a monthly column in Christian Today to make contact (see below).
The annual awards are determined by four sets of panellists – but first things first.
The young writer program consists of five weeks. Each set of five weeks is called a Cycle. There are 10 Cycles in the year.
2017
Week 1 - Internationals
Week 2 - Australians
Week 3 - Australians
Week 4 - Australians
Week 5 - New Zealand
Editors
Week 1 - Emma Seabrook
Week 2 - Rebecca Moore
Week 3 - Rosanne Menacho
Week 4 - Aira Chilcott
Week 5 - Irenie How
Week Co-ordinators
Week 1 - Dr Mark Tronson
Week 2 - Russell Modlin
Week 3 - Rosanne Menacho
Week 4 - Bridget Brenton
Week 5 - Irenie How
Panellists
The 2017 annual young writer awards are presented on 12 August next year on the Sunshine Coast. These various awards are determined by four sets of Panellists who mark the young writers articles out of 10 points.
The major awards are the Basil Sellers Awards for first place, the Consistency M & D Tronson for second place (Australian, New Zealand, Internationals) and the Tony Dunkerley Sport Writer Award.
Australian Panellists
Gavin Lawrie
Aira Chilcott
Vicki Nunn
Deidre Tronson
Laura Veloso
Stephen Urmston
New Zealand Panellists
Brian Carrell
Liz Hay
Tash McGill
Sophia Sinclair
Peter Rope
Brent Costley
Internationals Panellists
Vic Matthews
Euan McDonals
Daniel Stott
Nathanael Yates
Deidre Tronson
Danielle Stott
Sport Panellists
Peter Nelson
Simon Farrer
Tim Wilson
John Skinner
Rose Timmins
The policy is as-far-as-possible to have current or former young writers as Panellists – in 2017 these 10 young writers are Panellists.
Panellists as former young writers
Laura Veloso
Stephen Urmston
Tash McGill
Peter Rope
Sophia Sinclair
Daniel Stott
Nathanael Yates
Tim Wilson
Rosie Timmins
Danielle Stott
Changes
John Skinner has swapped from being an Australian Panellists to a Sport Panellist. John is an Australian Rodeo Judge and a former CEO of the Australian Rough Riders Association.
Sophia Sinclair has swapped from being an International young writers panellist to a New Zealand panellist as the Kiwi young writer program required a full house of New Zealanders as panellists.
2017 looks to be a fabulous Panellist marking period from January to July.
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