Award Winning Essays 2016 Les essais gagnants 2016 www.thelearningpartnership.ca www.partenariateneducation.ca www.thelearningpartnership.ca | www.partenariateneducation.ca The Learning Partnership is a national charity dedicated Partenariat en Éducation est une organisation caritative to building stakeholder partnerships to support, promote nationale qui établit des partenariats afin de soutenir, and advance publicly funded education in Canada. We de promouvoir et d’améliorer le système d’éducation do this through five key deliverables – innovative student publique au Canada. Nous misons sur cinq livrables clés : programs, executive leadership for educators, knowledge nos programmes scolaires novateurs, nos occasions de mobilization and policy, tribute celebrations of excellence perfectionnement du leadership des éducateurs, notre and ongoing collaborations across Canada. Since 1993, mobilisation des connaissances et les politiques s’y more than 6.5 million students have participated in rapportant, nos célébrations en hommage à l’excellence et The Learning Partnership’s programs. nos collaborations partout au Canada. Depuis 1993, plus de 6,5 millions d’élèves ont participé aux programmes de Partenariat en Éducation. Special thanks to our program partners / Merci infiniment à tous nos partenaires : Anonymous Corporate Donor / Donneur corporatif anonyme National office: Bureau national : 45 Sheppard Ave. East, Suite 400, Toronto, ON, M2N 5W9 45, av. Sheppard Est, bureau 400, Toronto, (Ontario) M2N 5W9 Tel.: 416 440 5100 1 800 790 9113 Fax: 416 482 5311 Tél. : 416 440 5100 1 800 790 9113 Téléc. : 416 482 5311 @TLPCanada TLPCanada company/TLPCanada TLPofCanada #TurningPointsTLP A Message from National Program Manager “Everyone and everything that shows up in our life is a reflection of something that is happening inside of us.” Marni Angus – Alan Cohen National Program Manager The Learning Partnership here are moments in life that completely change how we look and feel about the world around us T – moments that fill our hearts with warmth, sadness, happiness, fulfillment and inspiration. As British playwright David Hare says, “the act of writing is the act of discovering what you believe.” The pages of this anthology are filled with a range of stories written by students that highlight a significant event – a turning point – that has changed the trajectory of their lives. The stories are insightful, thought-provoking and inspirational. Since Turning Points launched 17 years ago, more than 140,000 students in Grades 6 through 12 have participated in the program – and we are proud of each and every one of them. They have demonstrated tremendous courage in sharing their stories. This year, more than 18,000 students from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador submitted an essay in English or French. On behalf of The Learning Partnership, I thank all students who participated in this year’s program. We also give special thanks to the many judges, teachers and partners whose time, dedication and contributions continue to make Turning Points possible. To our hard-working staff members, it is your passion and efforts that make Turning Points such an impactful and successful program across the country. We thank you and we feel privileged to work with you. Reading all of these stories gives us at The Learning Partnership great confidence in the character of Canada’s young people. Marni Angus National Program Manager, Turning Points The Learning Partnership Turning Points – 2016 Award Winning Essays | 1 Table of Contents Calgary, Alberta Winners’ Essays ...........................4 Mon combat contre l’anxiété .............................37 Grade 6 ......................................................................4 Newfoundland and Labrador Winners’ Essays ...39 Finding New Perceptions .....................................4 Grade 7 ....................................................................39 My Warriors ........................................................5 A War Between Myself... ...................................39 The Big Tragedy ...................................................6 Acceptance .......................................................40 Grade 7/8 English .......................................................7 My Aunt Jill .......................................................41 Gone, But Not Forgotten .....................................7 Newfoundland Central Winners’ Essays .............43 The Skin Deep Menace .......................................8 Grade 7 ....................................................................43 Finding Myself .....................................................9 Scared Silly ........................................................43 Grade 9/10 English ...................................................10 A Written Problem .............................................44 A Tale of Two Lives ...........................................10 My Immigration to Gander, Newfoundland ........45 Dearest Despair .................................................11 Newfoundland East Winners’ Essays ..................47 Pink Ribbon .......................................................12 Grade 7 ....................................................................47 Grade 11/12 English .................................................14 The Horror of Abuse ..........................................47 My Little Soldiers ...............................................14 A Birthday Gift Not For Me! ..............................48 Finding Julia ......................................................16 Everyone Matters ..............................................49 180 Seconds .....................................................17 Newfoundland West Winners’ Essays .................51 New Brunswick Winners’ Essays ..........................19 Grade 7 ....................................................................51 Grade 7/8 English .....................................................19 Three Rays of Sunshine ......................................51 Sinking Ships .....................................................19 The Year I Wore an Itchy Sweater ......................52 Paralysis ............................................................20 With a Song In My Heart ...................................53 Be the Difference You Want to See ....................21 Nova Scotia Winners’ Essays ................................55 Grade 7/8 French ......................................................22 Grade 6 ....................................................................55 Le rêve le plus noble ..........................................22 Dip, Dip and Swing for Confidence ...................55 La leçon de vie ..................................................23 The Casting .......................................................56 L’échange ..........................................................24 The Day I Got My Life Back ................................57 Grade 9/10 English ...................................................26 Grade 7/8 .................................................................58 False Face Must Hide What the False Heart Doth Know ................................26 A Stormy Day with Bright Thoughts ...................58 Fear and Loathing .............................................27 Burning Brighter ................................................59 Music Saved My LIfe ..........................................29 The Elephant .....................................................60 Grade 11/12 English .................................................30 Grade 9/10 ...............................................................61 Security: Life’s Cruel Joke ...................................30 Tresses ...............................................................61 Their Name Liveth Forevermore .........................31 Hard Work for a Harder Goodbye ......................62 The New Normal ...............................................33 Practice Makes Perfect .......................................64 Moncton, New Brunswick Winners’ Essays ........35 Grade 11/12 .............................................................65 The Gift .............................................................65 Grade 7/8 (Pilot Project ­­– French Immersion) .............35 A Little Bit Wiser ................................................67 Célébrer la vie ...................................................35 What I Bring to the Table ...................................69 Un grand changement de vie ............................36 2 | Turning Points – 2016 Award Winning Essays Brantford - NPAAMB, Ontario Winners’ Essays ..71 Transition ........................................................111 Grade 11 ..................................................................71 More Than Punching and Kicking ....................112 From The Nights I Tried To Give Up to Sudbury, Ontario Winners’ Essay.......................114 The Days I know I Can Do It ..............................71 Grade 7/8 ...............................................................114 To This Day ........................................................72 The Last “I Love You” ......................................114 The Unbearable Truth ........................................74 Dividing Household .........................................115 Shutters ............................................................75 Not a Game of