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This was our second PROVINCE-WIDE CONTEST. We would like to thank the hundreds of students who entered the contest with their stories, essays, poems, videos, artworks, and other media. The judges appreciated the time and energy that you invested into developing very creative submissions.

Prizes for the Teachers!

All of the teachers of the winners will receive a $200 VISA gift card.

See video by Ms. Maureen MacSween, a teacher at Holy Cross School in Calgary, Alberta

Successful  Contest in its 14th Year!

Statement on the Successful 2023 Student Contest by Pat Christie, Executive Director of Alberta Champions

2023 Student Contest Wide-extended deadline

Please Note: ALL VIDEOS can be zoomed to be full-screen, by clicking on the icon at the lower right of the video, once they are playing.

GRADES 7-9 Winners

First Prize:

Juliana Bui

Juliana Bui,  Grade 9 student at Holy Cross School in the Calgary Catholic School District (teacher: Maureen MacSween)  for her video about Annie Gale

Corollary materials: Video Script and Bibliography

Winner of a $500 VISA gift card and a certificate of recognition of her achievement

ANNIE GALE - A Graceful Woman in Politics- by Juliana Bui

Second Prize

Bernadette Montero

Bernadette Montero Grade 9  student at Holy Cross School in the Calgary Catholic School District (teacher: Ms. Maureen MacSween) for her essay and her artwork about Gus Yaki

Winner of a $350 VISA gift card and a certificate of recognition of her achievement

Gustave Joseph Yaki by Bernadette Montero
Gus Yaki Artwork-by Bernadette Montero

Third Prize

Charleigh Burns photo

Charleigh Burns, Grade 9  student at Holy Cross Collegiate in Strathmore in the Christ The Redeemer Catholic Schools (teacher: Shanna Burns)  for her essay on Anne Lawrence

Winner of a $200 VISA gift card and a certificate of recognition of her achievement

Anne A. Lawrence- by Charleigh Burns

Grades 7-9 Top Ten Finalists

Here are students that made it into the Top Ten (in no particular order), worthy of recognition:

Sophia Malikov, Gr 7 Elmer Gish, St. Albert
Juliana Bui, Gr 9 Holy Cross, Calgary
Winifred Walter-Enudi-Grade 7 St. Francis Lethbridge
Elina Yuan -Grade 9 Queen Elizabeth-Calgary
Bernadette Montero-Grade 9 Holy Cross-Calgary
Charleigh Burns– Grade 9 Holy Cross Strathmore
Sofia Ezekiel– Grade 7 Holy Cross- Calgary
Ayman Gani-Grade 9 Grandview Heights-Edmonton
Charlotte Hull– Grade 9 Westmount Charter-Calgary
Lauryn Doherty– Grade 8 Ottewell Jr. High-Edmonton

These students will also receive a certificate of their Top Ten status.

Grades 4-6 Top Ten Finalists

Here are students that made it into the Top Ten (in no particular order), worthy of recognition:

Annae Franco– Grade 6 Centre for Learning at Home-Okotoks
Jane Bleile-Grade 6 Calgary Christian Elem. School
Mason Green-Grade 6 Westmount Charter, Calgary
Kason Kim– Grade 6 Calgary Christian Elem. School
Richard Barrows-Grade 4 Coalbanks Elementary
Malaya Murray– Grade 6 Johnny Bright School, Edmonton
Owen Connolly-Grade 5 Queen Elizabeth, Calgary
Duncan Barton-Grade 4 Queen Elizabeth, Calgary
William Villarica-Grade 4 Holy Name, Calgary
Marigold Hinch – Grade 5 Queen Elizabeth Elementary School, Calgary

These students will also receive a certificate of their Top Ten status.

GRADES 4-6 Winners

First Prize

Mason Green

Mason Green Grade 6 at Westmount Charter (teacher: Ms Carly Nettesheim) for his story about Gus Yaki, and his Google Slides presentation

Winner of a $300 VISA gift card and a certificate of recognition of his achievement

Gus Yaki-Alberta-Champion-by-Mason Green
Gustave Joseph Yaki, Alberta Champions slide show -thumbnail

Second Prize

Richard Barrows

Richard Barrows in  Grade 4 at Coalbanks Elementary in Lethbridge School District (teacher Mike Wevers) for his story and his video of ” Uptale – Virtual Reality Video Game” about Gus Yaki

Winner of a $200 VISA gift card and a certificate of recognition of his achievement

Gus Yaki by Richard Barrows

Third Prize

Malaya Murray photo

Malaya Murray in Grade 6  at Johnny Bright School, in Edmonton Public School Board (teacher: Ms. Kayla Nabe) for her story about Dr. Anne Anderson

Winner of a $100 VISA gift card and a certificate of recognition of her achievement.

The Life of Dr. Anne Anderson by Malaya Murray

Teachers: This is why we do it!

This is why we do it! A teacher’s perspective…

Ms. Maureen MacSween, a teacher at Holy Cross School in Calgary, Alberta has been entering students in the Alberta Champions Story/Essay Contest for the past three years.

This year she has 2 students among the winners!

This is why we do it! A teacher’s perspective…

Ms Amber Araki is an ELL Strategist with Calgary Board of Education.

Last year (2022) she had TWO WINNERS in the Essay Contest!

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