Goodbye Dino Juice
Teacher Kirsty White listens to Oli Kirke, 12, talk about his winning story entry.
Timaru 12 Year Old Wins Contest in Protest About Petrol Cars and Bullying
Oli Kirke's protest against petrol cars and bullying has earned him the top prize for his age group in a Department of Conservation writing competition.
The 12-year-old Grantlea Downs School pupil won the age 11-14 category of the summer writing competition hosted by DOC's Arthur's Pass branch, for his short story Goodbye Dino-juice.
The story, set in 2024, follows a 1950s Cadillac named Bailey as he leaks petrol and yearns to stop "destroying this planet". Nople, the latest Tesla Model X, teases him for his "stinky old butt" until he stands up to her - after which she fits him with an electric motor.
Oli said his story was a protest hoped to encourage people to swap their petrol cars for electric, and to put more effort into understanding and helping each other.