Canada
Surrey Libraries proudly celebrates the triumphant victors of the highly-anticipated 2023 Surrey Libraries Youth Writing Contest. The Awards Gala, held on October 11, was a resounding success, honoring the remarkable young talents in the literary realm.
Many of the talented winners and participants hailed from South Asian descent, adding an enriching and diverse tapestry of voices to this year’s contest.
Showcasing the creative prowess of youngsters aged 12-18, the annual Youth Writing Contest, a cherished tradition initiated in 1987, garnered an overwhelming response, amassing nearly 8,000 entries.
This competition, spanning various categories such as short stories, poems, comics, and a miscellaneous category encompassing essays, screenplays, or lyrics, remains free for all enthusiastic participants.
The extraordinary success of the event is attributed to the diligent coordination by Surrey Libraries’ adept team, magnified through the generous backing of devoted sponsors. Notably, Khalsa Credit Union, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and Surrey International Writers’ Conference stand as champion sponsors, contributing significantly to the contest’s success.
A collection featuring the winning entries will soon be available for borrowing or purchase at a nominal cost of $8.00, allowing enthusiasts to relish the inspiring compositions of these budding literary stars.
Stay tuned for an immersive journey through the imaginative landscapes painted by these young South Asian writers, encapsulated in the upcoming anthology, set to release in early November.
Junior Short Story
First Prize: Henry Wheeler by Rishabh Gandhi
Second Prize: The Throne by Feifan Wang
Third Prize: Altan’s Revenge by Haider Athar Ansari
Honourable Mention: A Day in a Cat’s Life by Jia Lu Hai
Honourable Mention: To Be Heard by Lucy Prior
Senior Short Story
First Prize: Mother Tongue by Sharon Yang
Second Prize: Childish Indulgence by Kristy Tran
Third Prize: It’s Eating Me Alive by Alyana Amadeo
Honourable Mention: Conversations We Forget by Kirat Saran
Junior Poetry
First Prize: To Conquer the Darkness by Lucy Prior
Second Prize: An Ode to Childhood by Isabelle Fan
Third Prize: My Saviour by Landon O’Brien
Honourable Mention: Secrets by Eden Taillefer
Honourable Mention: Broken and Crumpled Up Flower by Alice Su
Senior Poetry
First Prize: Carnage by Carolyn Hu
Second Prize: brown sugar/the grandmothers by James Enns
Third Prize: Hidden by Ruby Parker
Honourable Mention: The Dictionary of Deception by Clary Chow
Honourable Mention: Porcelain Pity by Basma Mangat
Comics
First Prize: Once Upon A Time… by Hui Shwen Neo
Second Prize: The Death of a Hero by Sophia Ng
Third Prize: Nobody Would Remember My Name by Shenelle Villacorta
Honourable Mention: Love, Aro by Esther Park
Honourable Mention: Introvert by Annis Seo
Random
First Prize: On Righting by Teagan Chow
Second Prize: Rust (Driving Away) by Reagan Jaymes
Third Prize: rings, et al by May Chee
Honourable Mention: The Grinding Gear by Rehn Clyde Tan
Honourable Mention: Faith by Aadil Sood
Finalists
Alicia Kardos
Amanda Kwan
Amethyst Lee
Annika Montiel Jorgensen
Annika Gill
Ayla Hamilton-James
Breanna Yang
Camden Batenburg
Divya Sondhi
Donovan Lin
Elayna Robert-Gebert
Ellie Winship
Emmanuella Umar
Gurleen Virk
Gurmahek Athwal
Gursukhmani Basra
Gurvir Muker
Hassan Ahmad
Hayden O’Brien
Japneet Kahlon
Jessica Bhandal
Karina Song
Landon O’Brien
Madison Lee
Manha Khan
Maya Sidhu
Meher Sohi
Mei Ming
Michelle Masood
Moneet Gill
Naomi Wilton-Jenkinson
Naseha Samreen
Natalie Kyon
Navkiran Sandhu
Nita Su
Olivia Kim
Pearl Jakhar
Rachael Le
Rianna Hayre
Rodlee James De Villa
Selah Phommaviset
Shanaya Loi
Shruthi Banka
Sienna Chow
Sofia Sutton
Sonya Ushakova
Sophie Liu
Sowon Kim
Tanushka Sharma
Vennex Hasler
Woorim Choi
Zaden Hasler
Zara Thandhi
