USA's Charis Jackson took home the Press Service International 2015 International Basil Sellers "Most Outstanding" Young Writer on Saturday 1 August in Sydney.
Charis Jackson as the Most Outstanding "international young writer" award winner was a popular choice and has already connected with fellow young writer Charley Goiris involved with Pagenting in relation to film.
The international young writer program necessarily functions in a different way to the Australian and New Zealand young writer programs.
The 17 international young writers are housed in Week 1 of the 5 Week Cycle of the young writer program. The reason for this is due mainly to time zones. A dad joke of mine with West Indies young writer Stacy-Ann Smith convincing her that her Monday was my 'down under' Tuesday for her article dead-line. It was best explained by why Australian cricketers have traditionally done so poorly in the West Indies - because when they went in to bat, they discovered the ball was bowled yesterday.
In addition, is the nature of the international component of the young writer program, in that they are more often than not writing on their local issues – these may not have the same association in Australia or New Zealand. Therefore by placing them all within the one and same week provides regular readers scope for recognition.
Charis Jackson was deemed the "Most Outstanding" international young writer. Charis is living in Brisbane Australia working as a full-time missionary with Youth With A Mission (YWAM). During the day she makes movies and in her spare time is writing a novel. www.charisjoyjackson.com
Charis finished one point behind both Paul Lewis (West Indies) and Genevieve Wilson (Canada), who are deemed the 2015 international young writer winners. Since 2008 Press Service International has had articles published in Christian Today in a young writer program which today boasts 85 such young people writing a monthly 'Comment' piece along with some 'Christian News' articles.
Five Panellists marked every international young writer article from January 20 to July 10 and it was these tallies that determined the winner.
These five Panellists were
Christina Tyson - Wellington NZ
Euan McDonald - Brisbane
Vic Matthews - Moruya
Deidre Tronson - Sydney
Natalie Chu - Christian Today
Press Service International young writer program with Christian Today, the 3rd largest Christian News provider in the world – a most astonishing feature in publishing young people.
Basil Sellers International Young Writer Awards
2015 winners - Paul Lewis and Genevieve Wilson
Outstanding Award – Charis Jackson
We look forward to the years ahead as this honour board boats additional names.
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
