Youth Writing Contest 2022 Winners Announced

Surrey Libraries is pleased to announce and congratulate the winners of the 2022 Surrey Libraries Youth Writing Contest. The winners were acknowledged at an Awards Gala on Wednesday, October 12.

The Youth Writing Contest is an annual writing competition for youth aged 12-18. Since launching the contest in 1987, Surrey Libraries has received close to 8,000 entries from aspiring young writers across Surrey. The contest is free to enter and young writers submit entries to one of the four contest categories: short stories, poems, comics, and a random category for other types of writing such as essays, screenplays, or song lyrics.

This popular program is organized by the dynamic library staff at Surrey Libraries and is made possible through the generous support of our sponsors, including our champion sponsors Khalsa Credit Union and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

An anthology of the winners’ work will be available to borrow or for purchase for $8.00 at the end of October.

Youth Writing Contest Winners 2022

Junior Short Story

First Prize: An Unexpected Beginning by Camden Batenburg
Second Prize: In My Memory by Clary Chow
Third Prize: Grandpa’s Dream by Rishabh Gandhi
Honourable Mention: Down South by Celina Qu

Senior Short Story

First Prize: The Interior of a Filipino Kitchen by Geoff Petines
Second Prize: Chicken Soup by Audrey Kemp
Third Prize: Walking as a Woman by Ruby Parker
Honourable Mention: Buy a Heart by Adella Teja

Junior Poetry

First Prize: flow as a river Clary Chow
Second Prize: Dementia by Camden Batenburg
Third Prize: Harvest by Yuan Li
Honourable Mention: A Star for Ma by Sienna Chow
Honourable Mention: The Course of Spring by Puneet Dhaliwal

Senior Poetry

First Prize: Tongue by Carolyn Hu
Second Prize: Stitches by Audrey Kemp
Third Prize: i am growing up in the past by Gurleena Sukhija
Honourable Mention: Ai of the Valley by Sophie Choong
Honourable Mention: Nyctophobia by Ruby Parker

Comics

First Prize: Just A Letter by Sukhman Kambo
Second Prize: The Return of Stick Guy by Seth Corbett
Third Prize: Beneath the Glow of the Fireflies by Elizabeth Kovacik
Honourable Mention: Nostalgia by Annie Huang

Random

First Prize: What is Your Soul Worth by Rachael Le
Second Prize: A Fractured Home by Carolyn Hu
Third Prize: Belongings by Richard Su
Honourable Mention: C’est La Vie by Ashmeen Mann
Honourable Mention: A Guide to Advanced Cloud Watching by Emmy Schulz

Finalists

Enya Fang
Japneet Kahlon
Annika Gill
Amrit Khaira
Erin Huang
Lily Yangliu
Ashley Wang
Tasmia  Minhaz
Devika Goyal
Lavanya Mohankumar
Jia Bector
Ralph Almero
Anantnoor Shergill
Jasper Zheng
Jasmine Chohan
Annika Gill
Emily Liu
Nayha Kambo
Puneet Khaira
Claire Lee
Daniel Jia
Hana (Chia Chi) Wu
Esther Park
Seth Corbett
David Sardinas-Navarro
Daisy Xia
Hailey Daws
Sam Xu
Joyce Park
Gabriella Tun
Kate Hiebert
Tehya Benedict
Loki Oravec
Carina Liu
Alaynah Anderson
Temitayo Adewuyi
Cassandra Mojar