Story of great-grandfather wins prize

Rosie Horsley, 12, with a picture of her great-grandfather George Peterson. Photo / George Novak

Rosie Horsley's great-grandfather always insisted he wasn't a war hero, but he'll always be a hero in her eyes.

By avoiding her homework, Rosie Horsley, 12, managed to win first place in a national essay writing competition. Back in about October last year, Rosie's Tauranga Intermediate School teacher gave her class the option of either doing a week's worth of homework or to take part in an Office for Senior Citizens' essay project, where the students had to write about an older person who was important to them.

"Being the lazy person I am, I chose the essay. When the teacher told us the topic, I immediately had ideas that came to mind," Rosie said.

She chose to write about her great-grandfather George Peterson's war time experiences as a medical orderly. But she underestimated the workload. Rosie spent three or four nights writing her essay, similar to the amount of time she would have had to spend on homework.

She sat down and had a good chat with her mother to find out all she could about her great-grandfather, then set out a plan for her writing. "I did a general plan, then did a draft, then did some editing and revising."

Until writing the essay, all Rosie really knew about her great-grandfather was that he fought in World War II. "He passed away before I was born. Mum told me he always said of himself he's not a war hero - but he is to me."

She found out last week she had won the top prize when her teacher read it out in front of her class. "I was kind of hoping it was me when he read the letter, but I was genuinely shocked that I had won."

Rosie won a $500 Whitcoulls voucher for her school and a $100 voucher for herself. Next Monday, she will be travelling to Wellington to have afternoon tea with Minister for Senior Citizens Maggie Barry. Rosie was not sure what she would talk about with Ms Barry but was excited to meet her.