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! _