At Sacred Heart College, we encourage our students to aim high and reach for the stars, and Year 7 student Sophia de Woolfrey has done so quite literally! We are beyond thrilled to share the incredible news that an original haiku poem written by Sophia has been selected to be inscribed and sent to the moon later this year as part of the Lunar Codex cultural archive.
Out of entries from across the globe, Sophia was chosen as one of only 50 children worldwide to have her work preserved on the lunar surface for future generations. Her haiku below will travel into space as a lasting artifact of human culture and art through the Lunar Codex.
The Lunar Codex represents one of the most ambitious artistic preservation projects of our time. The archive gathers a diverse global collection of art, literature, music and poetry. Sophia’s inclusion in this prestigious repository places her work alongside world-renowned creators, making her selection a monumental achievement for such a young writer.
Writing a haiku demands extraordinary precision, emotional clarity, and a keen sense of perspective. To realise that words composed by one of our own students will soon rest permanently on the quiet plains of the lunar landscape is truly inspiring. Sophia’s piece will stand as a timeless testament to youthful vision and artistic storytelling.
As we eagerly anticipate the launch date later this year, the College joins together in celebrating Sophia’s historic milestone. Her journey proves that when you dare to dream boldly, the sky is truly no limit. Congratulations Sophia on this stellar, once-in-a-lifetime achievement! Please see below Sophia's reflection on being involced in such a momentous event.
To celebrate this amazing achievement, we asked Sophia to discuss her poem, her love for writing and what it feels like to know her words are heading to space.
Q: How did you feel when you found out that your haiku was chosen as one of only 50 children’s poems worldwide to go to the moon?
A: I felt very shocked but excited and I am still trying to process this fact. I love anything to do with the moon as I was gifted the middle name Marama, which means moon in Māori as I was born in New Zealand.
Q: How did you find out about this Lunar Codex and this competition?
A: I joined a club called Future Council two years ago after watching the Future Council documentary and then going to a meet and greet. A few months ago they sent an email to everyone in Future Council and other people all around the world about the Lunar Codex competition, and I decided to enter it.
Q: A haiku is a very focused form of poetry. What inspired the theme of your haiku, and what was it like fitting your ideas into just three lines?
A: I was inspired by the fact that the moon has been here almost as long as earth has, and has circled around the earth for 4.45 billion years and seen everything on earth. I was also inspired by the lunar phases, how the moon shows balance in the ecosystem and how the moon will always be there and listen, so you’re never alone even if you think you are. It was hard for me to fit it in three lines as I wanted to say way more but I did the best I could.
Q: What advice would you give to other students who might be nervous about sharing their poetry or entering writing competitions?
A: If you succeed then be proud of yourself, but respect everyone else who didn’t succeed as they tried their hardest. If you don’t succeed, please don’t be harsh on yourself, because the only way to succeed is to try again and learn from your mistakes.
