Essay Contest - Overview

DiversityCanada Foundation

The DiversityCanada Foundation, a non profit organization that promotes Northern Ontario as a great place to live and work, and the publishers of this website, organized an essay competition called the Essay Contest to hear what youth of the region think about the region. The theme was: “Why should any youth choose to live and work in Northern Ontario.”

The contest was open to all youth between the ages of 16 and 30 in the geographic region covered by Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines (ie from Nipissing and Parry Sound to Kenora).

From left to right: David Kilgour,Publisher of the Sudbury Star, representing Osprey Media Group; second prize winner Mary Brohart ; Aime Dimatteo, Executive Director of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation; first prize winner Dawn Elmore. Photo by Kaija Mailloux.

From left to right: Melina Schetakis,honourable mention prize winner;Johanna Kristolaitis, DiversityCanada Foundation writer;Celia Sankar,DiversityCanada Foundation Executive Director. Photo by Kaija Mailloux.

The Winners

$1,000 - First Prize

Dawn Elmore

She grew up in Thunder Bay and has lived in Hamilton, Guelph, Burlington, and now in Goulais River. where her boyfriend was raised...

$500 - Second Prize

Mary Brohart

She is originally from South River and now lives in Massey. She is currently building a home and raising two daughters while being an occasional...

$250 - Third Prize

Taryn Reid

She is a pharmacy student at Dalhousie University in Halifax Originally from Sault Sainte Marie she plans to return to her hometown...

Essays

BY Tiffany Stow New Liskeard

Line up our young men and women; capable, and with potential for growth. Like proud Northern Jackpine, row upon row, they are the harvest of these cold barren lands.

BY Anna Raddon Blind River

James recalls his first trip to Northern Ontario clearly. He'd met the love of his life at university and was driving her home at the end of the semester.

BY Becky Walker North Bay

Whenever I meet someone new here in Peterborough, and they ask me where I'm from, I reply that I'm from North Bay. You can see them do a double take.

Winning Essay

When I left Northern Ontario at age 17, I wanted the big city. I wanted a high-profile job in Toronto, I wanted to drive on the 401 everyday, and I wanted my life to be fast-paced and exciting.

Dawn Elmore VIEW MORE

Silent breeze echoing around my feet as squint and snowshoe across the field with our 11 month old daughter on my back and three year old by my side. "Look, mommy, Swiper tracks!"

Mary Brohart VIEW MORE

Whenever I meet someone new here in Peterborough, and they ask me where I'm from, I reply that I'm from North Bay. You can see them do a double take. The most common responses are "wow.that's really far away!" or "What's it like up there?"

Becky Walker VIEW MORE