Henley Shines at the Make Your Own Story Book Awards

Earlier this year, our Years 2–5 students were treated to a special visit from author and illustrator James Foley. James shared his journey into writing and illustrating, beginning with the very first books he created in Pre-Primary. He spoke about how his Year 7 teacher encouraged him to enter the Make Your Own Story Book competition — where he placed third — and how that experience set him on the path to becoming the author he is today. His words inspired many of our students to pick up their pencils and start creating stories of their own.

Lots of students left that day feeling inspired to write their own stories, and one of them was Year 4 student Henley. Henley decided to give the same competition a go — and guess what? He did an amazing job! Over the weekend, Henley went to the Make Your Own Story Book Awards Ceremony, where he got to meet other authors, including Kathryn Lefroy and Sean E. Avery. He even took part in a special writing masterclass.

Henley was so excited to have his hard work recognised, and now he’s already busy planning a sequel to his book! Who knows — maybe we’ll see it on the shelves one day.

A huge thank you goes to James Foley for sparking inspiration during his visit, and to our dedicated staff for encouraging students to embrace opportunities like this. Henley’s success is a fantastic example of what can happen when imagination, encouragement, and perseverance come together.