Kate, who hopes to make a career as an author, improved on her high distinction last year by finishing first in writing in NSW/ACT for year 10 in the International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS).

She was presented with her medal, for finishing first, at a ceremony held recently at the University of NSW.

“I entered it [the ICAS] last year and got a high distinction,” she said.

“That’s what I thought I was going to get this year, but obviously I did a bit better than that.”

In taking part in the writing section of the ICAS this year, Kate was given a line of text – “And Sam turned out the light” – and was asked to use it as the start of a two-page narrative while she sat in test conditions.

The MacKillop student used her narrative to explore the subject of domestic violence.

“I used the dark as a kind of safety - what you don't see does not necessarily have to happen,” she said. “I made it [the story] grow from there.”

Kate, who is working on a novel with the help of a mentor, hopes to go to Melbourne University to major in creative writing and, eventually, to be a published author.

“I try to write whenever I can,” she said. 

She was the only medal winner in the competition – which is for primary and secondary students and includes other subjects such as English and mathematics - in the Central West.