If our readers have heard rumours about the decline and fall of literacy among today’s youth, they were proven false by this year’s Driftwood holiday story writing contest.
It seems that teachers of more island classes and homeschooling groups than ever guided their students through the process in 2023, and individual writers also submitted stories on their own initiative. Most of the younger participants wrote out their stories by hand and provided illustrations as well.
Thank you to our judges Victoria Olchowecki, Joan Gage, Donna McWhirter and Sheila McEachern, who took on four of the seven age categories, up from last year’s five due to the sheer volume of stories submitted. First- and second-place winning stories are printed in this issue of the paper, with the exception of the Grade 11 winners, whose stories will appear in next week’s issue.
Winners are: Age 6-7 category: First place, Elora King; second place, Levi Venter; honourable mention, Meira Diamond.
Age 8 category: First place, Charlotte Chutter; second place, Ellie Clemson; honourable mention, Naiya Hamilton, Lula Lidster.
Age 9 category: First place, Buddy Pyper; second place, Millie Smid; honourable mention, Angus Bestwick, Duke Fossen and Duke Boraski, Nathan Silva, Zavy Van Ommen.
Age 10 category: First place, Violet Penner; second place, Marrella Hoffman; honourable mention, Penelope Crabtree, Edie Keefer, Matisse Richard, Leona Waters.
Age 11 category: First place, Inara Demich; second place, Noelle Burgess; honourable mention, Shyanna Spencer, Lizzy Phillips.
Age 12-13 category: First place, Ana Roy; second place, Bryn Pyper; honourable mention, Owen Dyck, Cameron Kalf, Scout Kellow, Mira Mills.
Grade 11 at GISS: First place, Ben Atkinson; second place, Yuto Nakabayashi; honourable mention, Sven-Guido Schultze.
Several GISS art students submitted cover art entries, as did Fernwood Elementary School students. This year’s winner is Oscar Scaia.
Scaia, as well as first- and second-place story winners, can pick up vouchers for gift certificates to Salt Spring Books at the Driftwood office at 241 Fulford-Ganges Rd. as of Thursday, Dec. 21. The vouchers must be taken to the bookstore by Jan. 31, 2024 to be exchanged for gift certificates. Thank you to Salt Spring Books for once again participating as a much-valued contest sponsor.
Thank you for publishing these amazing, brilliant & creative stories by our young folk here on SSI. They brought back memories, revived hope for our future, & are Christmas gifts for many elders spending Christmas here alone.