CONGRATULATIONS TO COSTI'S 2022 REFUGEES & HUMAN RIGHTS CHILD & YOUTH POETRY CONTEST WINNERS!
The winners of COSTI’s 2022 Refugees & Human Rights Child & Youth Poetry Contest were announced on June 20 2022, in recognition of World Refugee Day. Pina Alberelli-Arone, President of COSTI and Executive Director, praised participants for their achievement during our virtual event.
The leadership team from participating schools, family and friends, came together to congratulate the students and celebrate their achievements. All the winners had an opportunity to read their poems.
While pandemic continued to create challenges for both students and teachers, we were thrilled o receive a good representation of poems from schools across the Greater Toronto Area - over 200. The poems were evaluated by a selection committee and judged on the basis of originality, creative imagination, characterization, artistic quality, and adherence to the topic. Thanks to our selection committee for their ongoing support for the contest.
The purpose of COSTI’s Refugees & Human Rights Child & Youth Poetry Contest is to bring greater attention to human rights abuses and the plight of refugees. The competition was open to all students in Grades 4-12 that attend school in the Province of Ontario.
Please join us in congratulating the winners of the 2022 Poetry Contest! First Prize winners received Apple Airpods with Wireless Charging Case, Second Prize winners received Beats by Dre Solo3 Wireless Bluetooth Headphones and Third Prize winners were presented with Bose SoundLink Flex Booth Wireless Speakers.
DIVISION I: GRADES 4 TO 6 WINNERS
1st Prize
CHLOE KIM
Grade 5
The Dalton School
2nd Prize
KRISTEN PEREIRA
Grade 4
Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic School
3rd Prize
MAXINE CHOU
Grade 4
Muirhead Public School
3rd Prize
MELANIE MARKAS
Grade 5
Muirhead Public School
DIVISION II: GRADES 7 TO 8 WINNERS
1st Prize
LYLA BIRRELL
Grade 7
Fern Avenue Public School
2nd Prize
ALYSSA RAMIREZ
Grade 7
Fern Avenue Public School
3rd Prize
FRANCESCA WARREN
Grade 8
St. Christopher Elementary School
3rd Prize
JIAXUAN ZHANG
Grade 8
Lynn Rose College
DIVISION III: GRADES 9 TO 12 WINNERS
1st Prize
MIKAELA PEREIRA
Grade 9
Assumption Catholic Secondary School
2nd Prize
STERLING HUANG
Grade 9
University of Toronto Schools
3rd Prize
ALI ALVI
Grade 10
University of Toronto Schools
About the Contest
Originally launched by UNHCR and COSTI, the contest provides students with the opportunity to express their feelings and thoughts in English or in French on the theme of refugee and human rights issues, including those fleeing from violence and persecution, seeking refuge from war, pain and isolation, cultural/religious differences, and co-existence, the importance of welcoming refugees, the challenges of adapting to life in a new country, and the need for being welcomed and learning to live together in our society
