ACARA Years 3-6

Poetry·Mia Xu, age 11 — A child observes her father's emotional state mirroring stock market fluctuations during COVID-19, realizing she cares about stocks because they affect him.

Story·Sol Smith — A mare discovers humans have tagged her foal for removal and escapes the stable with him, joined unexpectedly by her best friend.

Story·Emily Chang — A competitive swimmer's rivalry with her perfect cousin intensifies when an injury sidelines her from the season's final meet, revealing unexpected connections between them.

Story·Emory Lim — A field guide to endangered fairy species reveals how moonglow, willow, and honeybee fairies serve as keystone species in their ecosystems, calling for conservation action.

Poetry·Celia Chen — A speaker anxiously checks for signs of spring's arrival, moving from uncertainty to joyful confirmation as frost melts and soil awakens.

Story·Ellie Wang — A wizard searches for her broken wand, reconnects with her grandfather oak tree, and together they send dreams to humans to inspire forest conservation.

Fox

Poetry·Jessica Xu — A speaker encounters a red fox carrying prey, observing its sharp features and alert posture before it disappears into the bushes.

Personal Narrative·Louise Johnson — Two cousins skip watching their brothers' soccer games to clean up trash from a forest stream, turning a boring morning into a meaningful adventure.

Story·Natalie Yue — A daddy longlegs trapped in a shower fears death when children find him, but one girl carefully releases him outside, granting unexpected freedom.

Personal Narrative·Gabrielle McCaskill — A girl reluctantly moves from Bellevue to New York, clinging to memories of her neighborhood, best friend, and the places that shaped her childhood.