TORONTO – Sixty-two students in publicly funded Catholic schools across Ontario, from 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 Young Authors Awards/Prix jeunes écrivains are a celebration of the exceptional spirit and accomplishments of students and teachers in Ontario’s publicly funded Catholic schools, showcasing the high caliber of writing and critical thinking happening in our classrooms,” says OECTA President Barb Dobrowolski.

“The diversity of topics, perspectives, and styles are amazing to read, and speak to the skills and values that Catholic teachers strive to nurture in our students. The quality of work is especially impressive given the disruption that students, teachers, and education workers have endured throughout this school year.”

This year’s winners were selected from the more than 270 entries elevated for consideration at the provincial level, out of the thousands of entries from students that participate locally.

Some of the winning entries for 2022 include:

What is Home? Where is Home? – a poem about the comfort and solace found wherever you call home.

Murder Strikes the Half Moon Club – a classic whodunnit play, in which all the club members point fingers at each other.

Unclean Drinking Water on First Nations Reserves – an insightful account of the impact of a lack of clean drinking water for First Nations peoples on reserves, and a plea for change.

Est-il bon de conduire des voitures électriques? – an inquiry into the evolution of motor-vehicle transportation.

See the complete list of the 2022 winners and a booklet with all of the winning entries.