The Press Service International young writer program with Christian Today 'awards' schedule is determined by four sets of Panellists who each have specific young writers to mark through to mid July for the 1 August awards.
The Young Writer Australian / New Zealand Leadership Group met last September on the Gold Coast. One of the issues they discussed was the timing of the annual awards conference. September was deemed too late and the pressure upon the Panellists marking for additional months was too great.
They came up with an 1 August awards proposal. The annual conference at that time of year was more in line with what was suitable to them as busy people finding time to have a weekend away. It also reduced the heavy duty work load of the Panellists.
But there was more in relation to reducing the work load of the Panellists. This was not only the number of 5 week Cycles the Panellists were required to mark, but to reduce the number of articles to mark – here's the key, with an increased number of young writers involved in overall the program.
The solution to that was to create a fourth Panellists roster. A fourth tier.
Last year there were three rosters for the Panellists.
Australian young writers,
New Zealand young writers and
Sport young writers.
To reduce the number of young writers being marked for each Panellist, the solution was to create a fourth roster:
the International young writers.
Australian Panellists
Aira Chilcott - Canberra
Gavin Lawrie - Tweed Heads
John Skinner - Warwick
Deidre Tronson - Sydney
Natalie Chu - Sydney
New Zealand Panellists
Brian Carrell - Christchurch
Liz Hay - Christchurch
Deidre Tronson - Sydney
Natalie Chu - Sydney
Peter & Katherine Yaxley - Launceston
International Panellists
Christina Tyson - Wellington
Euan McDonald - Brisbane
Vic Matthews - Moruya
Deidre Tronson - Sydney
Natalie Chu - Sydney
Sport Panellists
Peter Nelson - Canberra
Ruth Sellers - Hong Kong
Tim Wilson - Canada
Simon Farrer - Melbourne
David Burr - Melbourne
Spreading the work load
This model has the International Panellists only marking the International Week 1 of the 5 Week Cycle – or they can relax and mark the articles over the four week period at their leisure.
The Australian and New Zealand Panellists mark their young writers between Weeks 2-5 and take Week 1 off (International young writer week). This reduces their work load.
Sport Panellists like last year has 1 article each week to mark, each Wednesday.
The entire Panellist program is (1) reduced to 6 Cycles and (2) less marking. This has become a win-win for their remarkable duty, marking every young writer's article for the annual Basil Sellers Young Writer Awards.
The diversity of these Panellists?
There is not enough space to go into each and every Panellists' pedigree, but here are a few to whet the reader's appetite.
Christina Tyson is an award winning Chief Editor of NZ Salvation Army publications. Vic Matthews is a theologian. Gavin Lawrie a retired barrister, Ruth Sellers an international wine merchant. Peter Nelson the Australian Institute of Sport chaplain.
Aria Chilcott a school teacher who takes students on OM missions to India. John Skinner a retired journalist and an Australian Rodeo Judge. Brian Carrell a ret. NZ Anglican Bishop. Dr Deidre Tronson a retired academic. Liz Hay an established writer and editor.
Euan McDonald a Uniting Church minister and a former shearer. Peter and Katherine Yaxley have been home missionaries based in Tasmania for 25 years. Tim Wilson is in the corporate sector in Canada. Natalie Chu is an editor. David Burr is a Melbourne businessman.
The Panellists diversity provides them a breath of experience and expertise that has bought the young writer's program much respect and solidarity. Their work (the awards) can be viewed on the PSI Awards page below the videos.
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.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html
