GSA Senior Writing Award 2025: Longlist Featured Piece from Orissa

By Orissa, student at Tormead School

The following is one of a number of standout entries submitted for the GSA Senior Writing Award, showcased here to celebrate the voices and creativity of our students.

I just don’t understand why boys think they are better than girls. Maybe they are just scared, if girls are faster than them, I was not sure. But my 9 year old self was determined to change that. It started at a holiday camp that I went to in the summer holidays.

One afternoon at holiday camp, I overheard a boy who was 13 saying to his friends, “Oh my gosh, girls are so slow at running.” It wasn’t the first time I’d heard someone make a comment like that, but something about his tone made me decide that this time, I wasn’t going to let it slide. Without thinking, I stood up to him and said, “You know what, I’ll race you at lunch.”But then I realised that what I had done was very stupid, because he was so much bigger than me. His friends laughed and looked at me as if I was a baby and said, “Yeah, right, like a girl like you can beat him”.

It felt like a bold move, challenging him. I wasn’t exactly sure if I could win, but I knew I couldn’t back down. At lunchtime, we lined up on the grass. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw everyone watching while they munched onto their sandwiches. There was no turning back now.

As the race started, all I could focus on was the bench which was the finish line. I pushed myself harder than I’d ever run before, determined to win. My legs burned, my breath came in sharp gasps, but I kept going. When I finally crossed the finish line first, I couldn’t believe it. I had won.

The boy, clearly surprised, rolled his eyes and said, “Uh.” It wasn’t the kind of reaction I was expecting, but it didn’t matter. His words didn’t affect me anymore. The victory wasn’t about him—it was about showing that standing up for what’s right can make a difference, even in small ways.

I had proven my point, not with words, but with action. That race wasn’t just about speed; it was about breaking down the stereotype that boys were faster than girls. The way he reacted didn’t bother me. What mattered was that I had made my statement.