Three grade six Henderson Elementary School students were recently awarded MP Awards for Writing.
The awards were given out by John Weston, MP, West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country to students for the first time in Powell River this year.
“Each year, I am impressed by the students’ knowledge and vision,” said Weston in a media release. “The understanding and perspective of our young people will frame the future of Canada.”
Created in 2010, the competition challenges youth to develop their writing abilities and express their views about Canadian society and politics.
The essay topic that students were asked to write about this year was, “In what way can you teach your friends about the bad effects of misusing drugs?” Henderson’s grade six students were Powell River’s only participants in the 2013 competition.
Entries of up to 400 words were judged on their originality of thought, Canadian content, presentation and grammar.
Winners were chosen from each of the school districts within Weston’s riding.
Alexis Schofield penned the first-place essay, second place went to Sydney Ford and Hunter Baillie wrote the third-place essay. The winners received gift certificates for Breakwater Books and Coffee and the students’ whole class was rewarded with a pizza lunch.
The awards ceremony, held at Vancouver Island University Powell River campus library, was attended by school officials and parents.
“[The ceremony] was very meaningful, given the emphasis I put on linguistic skills for young people,” said Weston.
Alexis’s winning essay is posted on Weston’s website www.johnweston.ca/?p=4380.
