Ottawa Public Library celebrates youth writing at the Awesome Authors awards ceremony

_ (press release) _ The winners of this year’s Ottawa Public Library (OPL) Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest were announced yesterday, Tuesday, March 29, at Centrepointe Theatre. Prizes were handed out to honour Ottawa-area youth between the ages of 9 and 17 who submitted poems and/or short stories in French and/or English, between December 2015 and February 2016.

The annual contest is sponsored by the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association (FOPLA). This year, an impressive 392 entries were received. Local authors Caroline Pignat, Catherine Austen, Sylvie Frigon and JC Sulzenko judged the submissions.

“I’m thrilled to once again see an overwhelming response to this contest,” said Tim Tierney, Chair of the OPL Board and Councillor for Beacon Hill-Cyrville Ward. “Year after year, Ottawa youth demonstrate their enthusiasm and passion for writing. We are all fortunate that OPL and FOPLA can provide children and teens with an opportunity to express and showcase their creativity.”

Here is the list of winners, organized by writing category, includes each winner’s name, the title of their winning work, their age and their standing. ** POEMS ** _ Ages 9-11 _ Shared 1st Place

Maleeka Ellaithy (Age 11), _ Hand in Hand _ Jack Donohue Public School

Shared 1st Place

Leeah Sullivan (Age 10), _ The Seamstress _ Home School

3rd Place

Shannon Creelman (Age 11), _ Fly like a Bird _ Meadowlands Public School

Honourable Mention

Francine Stripinis    (Age 11), _ Eternally cursed _ École Catholique Franco-Cité

Honourable Mention

Alyson Moncur-Beer (Age 10), _ Girl Power _ Mutchmor Public School

Honourable Mention:

Owen McKibbon (Age 11), _ What’s Around You and Living in Love _ Meadowlands Public School _ Ages 12-14 _ 1st Place

Maariya Toman (Age 13), _ Breathless _ Greenbank Middle School

Shared 2nd Place

Irene Stripinis (Age 13), _ Fall from Grace _ École Secondaire Catholique Franco-Cité

Shared 2nd Place

Shannon Noah (Age 13), _ Awakened _ Maple Ridge Elementary School

Honourable Mention

Mitra Dadjoo (Age 12), _ Summer _ Vincent Massey Public School

Honourable Mention

Julia Dolansky-Overland (Age 12), _ Lost _ Home School

Honourable Mention

Zara Hewson (Age 13), _ Powerless or Powerful? _ Zion Lutheran School _ Ages 15-17 _ Shared 1st Place

Lucy Boyd (Age 15), _ Lily Flies _ Canterbury High School

Shared 1st Place

Kara Cybanski (Age 17), _ The Mistake of Solitude _ École secondaire catholique Pierre-Savard

3rd Place

Sara Rwentambo     (Age 17), _ Creativity _ Nepean High School

Honourable Mention

Lily Inskip-Shesnicky (Age 15), _ Solo _ Canterbury High School

Honourable Mention

Belinda Xu (Age 15), _ Pins and Needles _ Earl of March School ** SHORT STORIES ** _ Ages 9-11 _ 1st Place

Maya Mohammed (Age 10), The Fire

Vincent Massey Public School

2nd place

Tabeeb Howlader    (Age 9), _ Slept in Again _ Jack Donohue Public School

3rd Place

Xiaoyu Xu (Age 11), _ Blue _ Adrienne Clarkson Elementary School

Honourable Mention

Arianna Dordari (Age 10), _ Never Forget _ Steve MacLean Public School

Honourable Mention

Bei Di Liu (Age 11), _ Hope _ Earl of March School _ Ages 12-14 _ 1st Place

Tanae Rao (Age 13), _ Old Gribbs _ Earl of March School

2nd Place

Annie Zhang (Age 14), _ Why the Raven has Black Feathers _ Earl of March School

3rd Place

Bethany Scherr (Age 12), _ To Reach Journey' s End _ Home School

Honourable Mention

Bonnie Chin (Age 13), _ The Escape Conspiracy _ Jack Donohue Public School

Honourable Mention

Anna Berglas (Age 13), _ My Sister _ J.H.Putman Public School

Honourable Mention

Luke Pollex   (Age 12), _ Room Cleaning - Pro Style _ Home School _ Ages 15-17 _ 1st Place

Ian Kemp (Age 17), _ Mindfulness _ Nepean High School

2nd Place

Benjamin MacLean-Max (Age 17), _ Shadow _ Glebe Collegiate Institute

3rd Place

Sandunya Nadugala (Age 15), _ The Evil Snowman _ Longfields Davidson Heights Secondary School

Honourable Mention

Shawna Bertin (Age 16), _ Crumble _ Bell High School ** POÉSIE ** _ 9-11 ans _ 1er prix

Francine Stripinis (Age 11), _ Maintenant _ École catholique Franco-Cité

2e prix

Amanda Patricia Vadon (Age 11), _ La dernière danse _ École élémentaire publique Le Prélude

3e prix

Zoé Cliche (Age 9), _ Partons à l’aventure _ École élémentaire catholique des Voyageurs

Mention honorable

Charis Nobossi (Age 10), _ Le Vent _ Chapman Mills Public School _ 12-14 ans _ 1er prix

Sabrina Touabi (Age 12), _ Ô Gloire _ École élémentaire publique de Kanata

2e prix

Allison Wang (Age 12), _ La signification des couleurs _ Earl of March School

3e prix

Joy Liu (Age 12), _ Pour chaque fille _ Earl of March School

Mention honorable

Noor Labed   (Age 14), _ Vagues de vent _ École secondaire publique De La Salle

Mention honorable

Tess TROP (Age 12), _ Le temps _ École élémentaire Trille des bois _ 15-17 ans _ 1er prix

Maxine Montpetit     (Age 15), _ Coup de coeur _ Collège catholique Franco-Ouest

2e prix

Allison White (Age 15), _ L’orphelinat _ École secondaire catholique Pierre-Savard

3e prix

Lila Amani NDINSIL (Age 15), _ Éphémère _ École secondaire publique Louis-Riel

Mention honorable

Amelie Cadieux (Age 17), _ Mélancolie _ Lycée Claudel ** NOUVELLE ** _ 9-11 ans _ 1er prix

Karianne Cliche (Age 10), _ Un vol au dessus du Maroc _ École élémentaire catholique des Voyageurs

2e prix

Isabelle Guillemette (Age 11), _ Du désert aux nuages _ École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Geneviève

3e prix

Raphaëlle Strub (Age 11), _ Le faux Père Noël _ École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Geneviève

Mention honorable

Balatchev Virginie (Age 10), _ L’armoire magique _ Lycée Claudel

Mention honorable

Ana Bjelakovic (Age 11), _ Le journal de Liliana _ École élémentaire publique Francojeunesse _ 12-14 ans _ 1er prix

Tallulah Blais (Age 12), _ Xéféka _ École secondaire publique De La Salle

2e prix

Irene Stripinis (Age 13), _ Je l’ai promis _ École secondaire catholique Franco-Cité

3e prix

Yasmine Zemni (Age 13), _ Des larmes et des mots _ École secondaire publique Gisèle-Lalonde

Mention honorable

Olivier Bellavance   (Age 12), _ La Loupe (Un monde parallèle) _ École élémentaire publique Le Prélude

Mention honorable

Zeinab Hussein (Age 14), _ Un vol vers demain _ École secondaire publique Omer-Deslauriers

Mention honorable

Zoé Roy-Stang (Age 14), _ James _ École secondaire catholique Garneau _ 15-17 ans _ 1er prix

Rebecca Kwan (Age 15), _ Attraction Soleil _ École secondaire catholique Garneau

2e prix

Isabela Bouffard Lima (Age 16), _ Fermement attachée _ École secondaire publique De la Salle

3e prix

Maxine Montpetit     (Age 15), _ Vérité caché _ Collège catholique Franco-Ouest

Mention honorable

Catherine Despatie (Age 16), _ Des intentions différentes _ Collège catholique Franco-Ouest

The winners’ works will be included this fall in _ pot-pourri _ , an anthology of short stories and poems published by FOPLA. To pre-order a copy of _ pot-pourri _ , call 613-580-2424 ext.14383 . _ The Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is the largest bilingual (English/French) public library system in North America. The OPL extends public access to information and services through the library’s 34 branches, physical and virtual at _ _ www.BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca _ _ , as well as two mobile libraries and a vending machine-style lending library service. Serving close to one million Ottawa residents, OPL’s mission is to inspire learning, spark curiosity, and connect people. Follow us on Twitter _ _ www.Twitter.com/OPL_BPO _ _ and like us on Facebook _ _ www.Facebook.com/OPLBPO _ _ . Contact us at 613-580-2940 or _ _ InfoService@BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca _ _ . If it’s out there, it’s in here! _