2020 winner Keschrie Booysen, right, in real life, and how she appears in the ‘Story Stars’ animated film. Image: Supplied
‘Story Stars’: Girl, 10, writes and stars in her own animated film
Keschrie Booysen shone brightest in the 2020 ‘Story Stars’ competition for grade 4s. Here’s how pupils can enter this year’s competition.
2020 winner Keschrie Booysen, right, in real life, and how she appears in the ‘Story Stars’ animated film. Image: Supplied
Story Stars is an animated short film created by using stories written and narrated by grade 4 pupils of the Western Cape. Keschrie Booyen, 10, of Philadelphia Primary School outside Cape Town, shone brightest of all in the 2020 edition of the competition.
Young Keschrie got to write, narrate and star in the animated film, which will be watched by thousands of pupils across the Western Cape. She also won a tablet, book bag and stationery — and her school received R10,000 towards educational support materials. Even Keschrie’s grade 4 teacher, Elzanne Loubser, won a R2,000 gift voucher and other prizes.
Watch or download Keschrie’s animated film here.
Next instalment of the competition
Western Cape Education Minister Debbie Schafer visited Philadelphia Primary this week to officially launch the next instalment of Story Stars: The adventures of Felix and Felicity. The story now also includes Keschrie’s contribution. In addition, Keschrie appears as a character alongside Felix and Felicity in the film.
2021 Grade 4 pupils of the Western Cape now have the chance to write the next instalment of Felix and Felicity’s Story Stars adventures.
The idea behind the competition is to get pupils excited about creative writing and the opportunities it can bring. In a survey of grade 4 pupils in 2019, it was evident their interests lay in watching cartoons and becoming YouTube stars.
The education department then decided to create a competition encouraging reading and writing that would ultimately result in an animated film – written, narrated and starred in by the winners themselves.
2020 ‘Story Stars’ top three
Western Cape schools submitted hundreds of entries for the 2020 Story Stars competition. After lengthy adjudication, the top three spots went to:
- First: The Last Adventure in Shoe Land, by Keschrie Booysen – Philadelphia Primary;
- Second: Green Saves the Day!, by Kylie Muller – Mitchells Plain Primary; and
- Third: Felix and Felicity, The Two Adventurers, by Mibono Cekeshe – Laerskool Volschenk, Eden and Central Karoo.
How to enter 2021 ‘Story Stars’ competition
The Western Cape Education Department is encouraging all grade 4 teachers in the province to show their pupils the latest booklet that was sent to schools about the next instalment of the Story Stars competition. They must also show pupils the animated film so the youngsters can complete the story by including themselves as a character.
Participating grade 4 teachers must submit their class’s winning 2021 entry to the education department by 23 April. For more information, send an email to media1.media1@westerncape.gov.za with “Story Stars Essay Competition 2021” in the subject line.
