Mila Antonios Crowned Winner of the Asian and Cultural Heritage Competition!
We are thrilled to announce Mila Antonios as the winner of the WRITE TO WIN: Asian and Cultural Heritage Competition for her powerful and personal essay All About Charlotte Baskaran!
Open to students in Years 5-10, the competition invited entries that explored Asian heritage in Aussie Rules, encouraging young writers to reflect on their personal migration stories or research of an Asian Australian football pioneer. The most creative response, as determined by the judges, would win an unforgettable experience - a corporate box package for 12 at an AFL match!
Mila’s winning piece captured the essence of the competition theme with an inspiring narrative about AFLW star Charlotte Baskaran. Through heartfelt storytelling and strong research, Mila celebrated Charlotte’s achievements and reflected on how they influenced her own sense of identity and aspiration as an Asian Lebanese girl living in Australia.
“Charlotte has shown perseverance and accomplishment, which inspires me as an Asian Lebanese girl who calls Australia home, to live out my dreams and inspire others to do the same!”
The Prize:
Mila has won one (1) x corporate box experience for 12 people (the winning entrant, their parent/guardian, and five friends, each with an accompanying parent/guardian) to attend the Round 9 AFL Toyota Premiership match between Melbourne and Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday 10th May at 1:20 pm.
Her essay stood out for:
Relevance to the theme – Honouring Asian Australian contributions to AFL
Creativity – A unique and engaging narrative style
Research – Strong use of facts and examples
Presentation – Clear structure, excellent grammar, and flow
A special thank you to all the students from across Victoria who participated in the competition. Your stories and perspectives were thoughtful, creative, and a testament to the powerful role that footy plays in connecting us to our identities and communities.
Congratulations again to Mila and thank you to every student who wrote to win!