Cash awards shared by students and their schools The third annual Rotary Essay Contest for high school students concluded with the presentation of prizes and recognition awards Thursday (Nov. 28) in a ceremony at Earl Marriott Secondary library, hosted by White Rock Rotary Club past-president Raj Rajogopal and Marriott principal Claudine Davies. Co-sponsored by the club and the Peace Arch News, the contest – which had been confined to Marriott students in its first two years – was opened to other South Surrey high schools this year. In another change, this year’s contest was focused on students completing Grade 11 at the time essays were submitted. All essays were to be inspired by stories that had been published in PAN. Semiahmoo Secondary and the White Rock South Surrey Learning Centre responded to the challenge, and while Marriott students claimed the main prizes, students from both of the other schools received $200 recognition awards for their essays, which meant matching awards for their schools’ English departments. First prize of $500 went to Sarah Zhang (who was unable to attend) for her essay on the need for governmental guidance in addressing the risks to youth of vaping, while second prize of $300 was awarded to Miranda Clark – recently appointed ‘Green Space’ youth columnist on environmental concerns for PAN – for her essay on the importance of government incentives for choosing electrical and zero-emission vehicles. Third prize of $200 was awarded to Restum Shakiri (who has moved out of the area and was also unable to attend) for his essay on the impact of pollution on Pacific whale populations. These wins cumulatively resulted in a matching award of $1,000 to Marriott, accepted by Davies on behalf of the school’s English department.
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AuthorMiranda Clark is a columnist for Peace Arch News. Archives
January 2020
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