This year, the school won the national Story Award for Best Social/Current Affair Story, and were nominees for Story of the Year.

Last year they won the Best Indigenous Australian Story, a Cultural Category Award and the 2019 Secondary Reconciliation Story Award judged by Reconciliation Australia.

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Their 2019 story-dance, 403, told the local story of the dispossession of the traditional lands of Wreck Bay and subsequent pain and heartache caused.

A Wakakirri story-dance is a three-to-seven minute performance by a group of students that theatrically tells a story using a combination of dancing, acting and creative movement to pre-recorded music.

For this year's Wakakirri Vincentia High once again explored racism and how we can do better and make a difference in their story-dance, "Racism is Learned'.

This performance earned a nomination for Story of the Year and a Story Award for 'Best Social/Current Affair'.

The ideas underlying their production were that: "Children do not see differences, they are happily connected. Racism is learned. It takes one person to make a difference."

The judging panel, made up of entertainment industry professionals, praised the student's efforts.

"Lovely ensemble teamwork and great performance focus throughout the story," they commented.

Established 28 years ago, the Wakakirri Challenge traditionally takes place in professional theatres across the country, however the 2020 festival was restructured into an online-only format due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Head member Kat Hoyos said the entries were impressive.

"In a year like this one, it's incredible that students and teachers have created such solid stories and performances," she said.

Kat was joined on the judging panel by Andrew McFarlane, Luke Carroll and Emma Watkins.

Wakakirri will return to theatres nationally for their 2021 Story-Dance Festival using a COVID-Safe format.