OTTAWA- There's no doubt that our City has been through a lot the past year. But, regardless of the challenges, hundreds of Ottawa youth aged 9 to 18 answered the call to participate in the 2021–2022 Awesome Authors writing contest.
Kids and teens from across Ottawa were invited to submit their original writing in one of the following six categories: short story, poetry, or comic in English, and nouvelle, poésie, or bande dessinée in French. And they did: OPL received 518 entries this year, which is more than we received the year before.
The jury, made up of Catherine Austen, Amelinda Bérubé, Éric Péladeau, Pierre-Luc Bélanger and Khaleefa “Apollo the Child” Hamdan, hosted various workshops that contestants could attend to polish their writing skills and prepare them for the competition.
After lengthy deliberations, the jury members revealed today the happy winners in a series of videos available now on the Ottawa Public Library's website and on OPL's YouTube channel.
The list of winners in each category is also included below this announcement.
The annual Awesome Authors contest was created by OPL to encourage creativity and encourage the art of writing. And it is sponsored by the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association (FOPLA), which publishes Potpourri, an annual anthology of all the winning poems, short stories, and comics. The next edition, out at the end of the year on FOPLA’s website, will feature all of this year’s winning writing pieces. Put it on your holiday gift list or pick up a copy for yourself next December!
Congratulations to all the winners! The official list of winners, organized by writing category, with each winner’s name, the title of their work, age, school, and standing follows this announcement.
For the young scribes who would like to be part of this adventure in 2023, please keep an eye on our website and social media for updates about the contest. See you next year!
2021-2022 Awesome Authors Contest Winners / Gagnants du concours d’écriture Supers auteurs 2021-2022
Ages 9 – 12 / Groupe d’âge des 9 à 12 ans
COMICS
1st place
James Parraga (12) Ginger Cat
Broadview Public School
2nd place
Lina Al-Natour (11) Traveler's Gift
Half Moon Bay Public School
3rd place
Sofia Cipcigan (12) Adventures in Space
École publique Omer Deslauriers
Honourable Mention 1
Olivia Ruseski (12) Self Love
Broadview Public School
Honourable Mention 2
Rosie Lee (12) Real or not?
Glashan Public School
Honourable Mention 3
Hannah Singh (12)
The Dream
School not provided
***
POEMS
1st place
Amélie Pichette (12) Freckles like Stars
School not provided
2nd place
Nura Rowhani (12) Can’t Go Back
Emily Carr Middle School
3rd place
Edelawit Tomsic (12) We are not ready to lose
Glashan Public School
Honourable Mention 1
Shayne MacDonald (11) Bad Birthday
Westwind Public School
Honourable Mention 2
Sarina Pasha (9) Summer Fun
School not provided
Honourable Mention 3
Chloe Smith (12) Hope
Emily Carr Middle School
***
SHORT STORIES
1st place
Aditi Dinesh (12) The Theft
Cedarview Middle School
2nd place
Lily Burton (10) The Witch
School not provided
3rd place
Asiyah Iqbal (10) The Mysterious Well
Al-Furqan Elementary School
Honourable Mention 1
Brooke Durksen (11) Not My Time
Kars on the Rideau Public School
Honourable Mention 2
Jacob McNamee (12) My Darkness
Broadview public school
Honourable Mention 3
Ava Banihashemi (10)
Where My Focus Is
Hopewell Avenue Public School
***
BANDE DESSINÉE
1er prix
Aïda Ndiaye (10) La famille farfelue
École publique Trille des bois
2e prix
Aubrey Caron (11) Emilie et la 7e Annee
École élémentaire catholique Lamoureux
3e prix
Sofia Cipcigan (12) Oups!
École publique Omer Deslauriers
Mention honorable
Younous Azmi (11) Les mal-jugés
École élémentaire Julie-Payette
***
POÉSIE
1er prix
Alexa Jacob Fisher (11) Réveille toi
Manordale Public School
2e prix
Florence Swanson (11) Les premiers flocons
3e prix
Sean Grebale (11) A toi ma belle prunelle
NOUVELLE
1er prix
Raphaël Rival (10) L'armoire magique
École Élémentaire Trille-des-Bois
2e prix
Rosalie Penner (10) Un monstre pris à se faire manger!
École Reine-des-bois
3e prix
Florence Swanson (11) Poursuite
Mention honorable 1
Marie-Louise Carisse (11) La plante mystérieuse
École Des Voyageurs
Mention honorable 2
Branden Cheung (12) Citrouille
Mention honorable 3
Émilie Gurnick (12) Ma pomme jaune
EEP Julie-Payette
2021-2022 Awesome Authors Contest Winners / Gagnants du concours d’écriture Supers auteurs 2021-2022
Ages 13 – 18 / Groupe d’âge des 13 à 18 ans
COMICS
1st place
Sienna James (13) Homework Help
Longfields Davidson Heights Secondary School
2nd place
Amal Khan (15) Little Astronaut
School not provided
3rd place
Dayna Xiao (14) X = Off the Pages
School not provided
Honourable Mention 1
Sèna Rose Greig (13) The Adventures of Moo and Spec: Not Muchroom!
Collège catholique Franco-Ouest
Honourable Mention 2
Anna-Sofia McLaughlin (13) Death From Above
School not provided
Honourable Mention 3
Louiza Al-Jarrah (13) Pancake Fun
Al-Furqan School
POEMS
1st place
Mallory Quinn (17) Black Picket Fence
School not provided
2nd place
Chloe Danks (15) Free Flying Raven
School not provided
3rd Place
Alissa Khan (17) From Soot and Coal
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School / Ottawa Carelton Virtual School
Honourable Mention 1
Dayna Xiao (14) Love Letters
Honourable Mention 2
Cleo Carney (15) Polished Marble
Elmwood School
Honourable Mention 3
Andra Fofuca (17) Whatever is Audible Wishes to be Heard
School not provided
SHORT STORIES
1st place
Mariam Gabr (14) Destroy or be Destroyed
School not provided
2nd place
Sofia Hughes (15) The Ravens Gold
3rd place
Lucy Hambly (13) The Fourth Planet From The Sun
A. Lorne Cassidy Elementary School
Honourable Mention 1
Mac Guerard (13) Where Did All The Time Go?
Holy Trinity Catholic High School
Honourable Mention 2
Max Szostalo (13) The Queen of the Mind
School not provided
Honourable Mention 3
Alexandra Wallace (13) Kitty Cat
École secondaire Franco Cité
BANDE DESSINÉE
1e prix
Danica Xiao (16) La poubelle
Merivale High School
POÉSIE
1e prix
Toby Guillemette (17) Facteurs biologiques
École secondaire De La Salle
2e prix
Éva Gagosz—Faure (13) La mort
École secondaire Franco Cité
3e prix
Claire Guillemette (15) La fenêtre
School not provided
Mention honorable 1
Krys Iyela (16) Aimer
École secondaire catholique Garneau
Mention honorable 2
Isnèle Hounkpe (15) Feu tricolore
Collège Catholique Mer Bleue
Mention honorable 3
Sophie Charron-Groulx (16) Étude en ré mineur
École secondaire De La Salle
NOUVELLE
1e prix
Maïa Hijal (14) Mens pour moi
École Lycée Claudel
2e prix
Isnèle Hounkpe (15) Edwin
Collège Catholique Mer Bleue
3e prix
Claire Guillemette (15) Seule
School not probided
Mention honorable 1
Éva Gagosz--Faure (13) Ça va mieux
École secondaire Franco-Cité
Mention honorable 2
Finlay Bouffard Lima (15) La chute de la GauleShort Story
Collège Catholique Franco-Ouest