Young Teesside Poet Proves Popular at Wicked Writing Contest

A nine-year-old Yarm Prep School pupil with a passion for poetry has been recognised twice in a national writing competition, established by the long running West End musical, Wicked.

Alexandra Prideaux’s poems Wynyard Woods and I’ll Never Have Tea (with a Bee) were two of 20 shortlisted poems which will be published in the tenth anniversary Wicked anthology.

The Wicked Young Writers Awards is judged by a host of well-known figures in children’s literature, including head judge Cressida Cowell.

Wicked tells the story of Elphaba, a green-skinned young woman from the Land of Oz, who is destined to become the Wicked Witch of the West.

The contest, which was due to be judged in 2020 but postponed until this year, aims to inspire young people to use creative writing to explore the messages of the musical.

Due to the delay in judging, there was no physical awards ceremony, and Alex received four tickets to see Wicked at the Apollo Victoria in London.

Alex was previously shortlisted for this prize in 2018. She also won the U11 2021 Terry Kelly Poetry Prize and has been a prize winner in two Poetry Zone competitions.

Alex said: “I’m really proud to have two of my poems shortlisted for the Wicked Young Writers Awards and I’m very excited to go to London with my family to see the musical. I love writing poems and I’m already working on more competitions to enter in the future.”

Bill Sawyer, Headmaster at Yarm Prep School, said: “Alex is an exceptional talent, and her superb poems are consistently bringing her accolades.

“At Yarm Prep school, we encourage all our pupils to develop the skills they are passionate about and to take part in competitions and awards which further develop their confidence and add excitement to the creative process.”