Surrey students win big at 2022 Youth Writing Contest

Surrey Libraries has picked the winners of the 2022 Youth Writing Contest, with several Surrey Schools students taking home two awards each for their writing talents.

Students from Earl Marriott, Enver Creek, Grandview Heights, Lord Tweedsmuir, North Surrey, Panorama Ridge, Semiahmoo and Sullivan Heights secondary schools were among the winners, formally announced at an awards gala on Oct. 12.

North Surrey Secondary’s Carolyn Hu took the top spot in Senior Poetry with Tongue, along with second prize in the Random category with A Fractured Home.

Grandview Heights Secondary’s Clary Chow took first place in Junior Poetry with flow as a river, and second in Junior Short Story with In My Memory.

Earl Marriott Secondary’s Audrey Kemp placed second in Senior Short Story with Chicken Soup and also took silver in Senior Poetry with Stitches.

Panorama Ridge Secondary’s Ruby Parker finished third in Senior Short Story with Walking as a Woman, and also received an honourable mention in Senior Poetry for Nyctophobia.

Semiahmoo Secondary had the most finalists, with students Yuan Li and Gurleena Sukhija taking third in Junior and Senior Poetry, respectively, and Celina Qu receiving an honourable mention in Junior Short Story.

The annual writing competition for Surrey youth aged 12 to 18 has been running since 1987, serving as a platform for aspiring young writers to showcase their talent in the form of short stories, poems, comics, essays, screenplays and lyrics. It is organized by the youth library staff at Surrey Libraries and is supported by champion sponsors Khalsa Credit Union and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

The winning entries will be compiled in an anthology that will be available online, at Surrey Libraries branches, or on sale for $8 at the end of October.

For a full list of finalists and more information, click here.

2022 WINNERS

Junior Short Story

First Prize: An Unexpected Beginning by Camden Batenburg

Second Prize: In My Memory by Clary Chow

Third Prize: Grandpa’s Dream by Rishabh Gandhi

Honourable Mention: Down South by Celina Qu

Senior Short Story

First Prize: The Interior of a Filipino Kitchen by Geoff Petines

Second Prize: Chicken Soup by Audrey Kemp

Third Prize: Walking as a Woman by Ruby Parker

Honourable Mention: Buy a Heart by Adella Teja

Junior Poetry

First Prize: flow as a river by Clary Chow

Second Prize: Dementia by Camden Batenburg

Third Prize: Harvest by Yuan Li

Honourable Mention: A Star for Ma by Sienna Chow

Honourable Mention: The Course of Spring by Puneet Dhaliwal

Senior Poetry

First Prize: Tongue by Carolyn Hu

Second Prize: Stitches by Audrey Kemp

Third Prize: i am growing up in the past by Gurleena Sukhija

Honourable Mention: Ai of the Valley by Sophie Choong

Honourable Mention: Nyctophobia by Ruby Parker

Comics

First Prize: Just A Letter by Sukhman Kambo

Second Prize: The Return of Stick Guy by Seth Corbett

Third Prize: Beneath the Glow of the Fireflies by Elizabeth Kovacik

Honourable Mention: Nostalgia by Annie Huang

Random

First Prize: What is Your Soul Worth by Rachael Le

Second Prize: A Fractured Home by Carolyn Hu

Third Prize: Belongings by Richard Su

Honourable Mention: C’est La Vie by Ashmeen Mann

Honourable Mention: A Guide to Advanced Cloud Watching by Emmy Schulz