While the KI kids did not finish in the top for their performance at the Entertainment Centre on Friday last week, Ms Heinrich said neither she nor the kids were disappointed in any way.

“The whole experience is about what happens during the whole day,” Ms Heinrich said. “The overall result becomes insignificant when you’re backstage, and you never go in it to win. These kids have been on an amazing journey.”

The veteran of seven eisteddfod campaigns, Ms Heinrich said “if you wanted to win you’d have to do something really artsy”. She said she gave up a long time ago trying to “work out the judges’ heads”.

The Kangaroo Island students produced “Sirens of Choice”, a hard-hitting piece about the consequences of drink-driving, and received widespread praise after performing the piece in Kingscote two weeks ago.

“I actually thought we had a good chance of placing because of the dramatic nature of the piece but you just don’t know what the judges will be looking for on the night,” Ms Heinrich said.

KICE won the prestigious Gemma Dale Award for the friendliest and most supportive school, as voted by all the schools attending. KICE also won the Excellence for Visual Enhancement and Excellence for Drug Awareness awards, with Achievement awards in Excellence for Stage Use, Concept and Costuming Character.

Brighton Secondary School was the overall winner with Bordertown High and Blackwood High the runners-up.

Each school’s performance can be seen online at www.rockchallenge.com.au as well as appearing on Austar on the Ovation Channel over the coming month. Details on the above website.