Toronto Ontario — Fifty-five students across the province, from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 12, have been recognized by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) for excellence in writing. The Young Authors Awards/Prix jeunes écrivains acknowledge English and French writing in categories ranging from poetry and short stories, to plays and non-fiction.
“The winning submissions for this year’s Young Authors/jeunes écrivains awards are a testament to the talent and creativity of students across Ontario,” says Ann Hawkins, President of OECTA. “I am always amazed not only by the breadth of topics students write about, but also by the passion and imagination of these young writers. It is important to also acknowledge the support and encouragement students receive from Catholic teachers, who contribute to the finished product.”
Winners are selected from hundreds of entries from across the province. For every student who makes it to the provincial level of competition, there are thousands more who participate in the program locally.
Winning entries for 2017 include:
Moi, Malala, a work of non-fiction that recounts the harrowing story of Malala Yousafzai, and the inspiration she provides to people everywhere.
Elles ne mourront jamais, this poem offers an emotional and poignant exploration of life, loss, and the importance of honouring those we love.
Fixing the Fixed, a short story about a teacher’s encouragement, and a student’s perseverance in the face of adversity.
Don’t End our Story – a Contemporary Play, loosely based on the true story of Tilakum the whale, this play dives into the topic of ethics and animal cruelty, from the animals’ perspective.
The complete list of the 2017 winners and a commemorative book of all winning submissions is available at catholicteachers.ca.