What's Happening in Oakville, ON…

The Oakville Public Library has announced the winners of its 2021 Write2Xpress contest, a competition aimed at encouraging writing in teenagers.

The competition asked entrants to write a short story or poem inspired by a photograph of Tannery Park’s HMS Oakville Memorial. Entrants were divided into categories based on age and genre. There was a tie for first place in the 15 to 18-year-old age group, with Giulia Cash’s untitled short story and Tessa Koster’s “The Beacon of Magic” sharing the prize.

The top story prize winner in the 12 to 14 category was “Old Martha and the History Thief” from Andelka Peric. The poetry prize winner, the category for which was not divided by age, was Joy Fam, whose poem “The Structure” found philosophical inspiration.

The Write2Xpress contest is part of the Oakville Public Library’s efforts to encourage reading and writing in teenagers and young adults. In addition to the competition, the library also runs a Youth Library Leadership program. Libraries and schools often use tools like brochure printing and social media to help communicate news of competitions like this to a younger generation.

The winners of the 2021 Write2Xpress contest were announced on December 16, with first and second place winners receiving bookstore gift cards. Samples of each winning entry have been posted on the Oakville Public Library website.