CAFC (Creative Arts Foundation of Canada) and the Chamandy Foundation are in search of high school students across Canada to collaborate in our ongoing project ‘Tell your story’. This year’s special edition is ‘The Quarantine Diaries’. The result of this project is the creation of a professionally edited and printed book that explores each participating student’s unique real story based on their feelings, thoughts and experiences under quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through art workshops, we would like to help students by giving an opportunity to confide their insecurities within the creation of a self-portrayal of their past, present and future. For that, we would like to collaborate with Montreal local schools in order to allow young individuals to tell their story. The selection will be done as a competition where the students will have to write a short introductory essay about the intended story they would share if chosen. Since this project is proposed by our Foundation, it is ensured to be free of costs to the participants.
This project is open to ALL teenagers aged 12 to 17 living in Canada. We welcome all teenagers regardless of their backgrounds and their disabilities.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
- Short introductory essay (not more than 500 words) exploring students struggles, fears, worries in the past, present or future. Words you would like to share with others in the same situations. Is your past still worrying you? Did you get through your fears in the past? Tell us. If you are presently worrying or experiencing misunderstandings at school, with your parents or friends, you are welcome to share your story.
- The Deadline for your essay is July 31st, 2020. We will select the 10 best stories and announce the winner on our website (www.cafccanada.org) and via email on August 15th, 2020
- Send us your essay at: essaytest@cafccanada.org
WHAT YOU WILL GET:
-Participation in a professional book production with your name mentioned.
Through our collaboration, art and creative writing workshops, we will find solutions to help you and other students overcome difficulties. Our experienced instructors and writers will guide you through the process in a supportive non-judgmental atmosphere.
-Certificate of participation issued by the CAFC
-Free art and writing workshops offered by the CAFC throughout the book production period
-Gift card or a gift valued at $50.
Tell your Story (Essay Contest) 2020 Winners
- Anya Figlarz-Grassino From Royal West Academy High School
- Roselyne Du From Marianopolis College
- Edward Kovac From Selwyn House School
- Alice Rassolova From Collège Saint Louis
- Chiara Bramante From John Rennie High School
- Elyar Aghapour From Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf
- Mardonbek Hamro From Villa Maria College
- Rohan Sengupta From École L’orée-du-Parc
- Camilla Tornero-Moreno From Trafalgar School For Girls
The Creative Arts Foundation of Canada in collaboration with the Chamandy Foundation developed this project to provide students with a platform on which they can express their feelings about confinement. The diary entries of 9 young Canadians written during the period of lockdown were selected in this publication: Anya Figlarz-Grassino, Roselyne Du, Edward Kovac, Alice Rassolova, Chiara Bramante, Elyar Aghapour, Mardonbek Hamro, Rohan Sengupta, and Camilla Tornero-Moreno. This opportunity allowed them to reflect on their condition and to give their lives a new purpose.
We hope this book can teach everybody to remain strong, think positively during a crisis and to always find a solution to their problems no matter how daunting the situation is. We thank our artists and participants for their hard work.
We will donate this book to public schools, community centers, libraries and the Montreal Children’s Hospital.
Those interested in purchasing a copy of the book may do so on amazon.ca
