Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Doug Currie is reminding Island high school students to submit their entry to the Symons Essay Contest before March 30 so they can be eligible for the generous cash prizes offered by the Symons family.
“The Symons Essay Contest is a wonderful enrichment opportunity for Grade 11 and 12 students to express their knowledge and interest in Canadian Confederation,” says Minister Currie. “The generous cash prizes provide a great incentive for students to meet the March 30 deadline.”
Students are invited to submit an original creative 700 - 1,000 word essay in English or French. It must be related to the theme of the annual Symons Medal and Lecture series hosted by Confederation Centre of the Arts each November.
The 2009 lecture featured Mary Simon, President of the national Inuit organization Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, discussing the political and environmental issues facing the people and communities of the North. Each high school on PEI received a DVD of the 2009 Symons Lecture. A broadcast of the Ms. Simon’s address is also available in English and French under What’s New? at www.gov.pe.ca/eecd.
The first place essay writer will receive $3,000 from the Symons family. Second and third place winners will each receive $1,000. The contest is open to all high school students in Grades 11 or 12 attending public, private or home schools in the Province of Prince Edward Island and the Territory of Nunavut. Deadline for the competition is March 30, 2010. The essay will be reviewed and judged by a panel appointed by the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
The annual Symons Medal and Lecture is an initiative of the Confederation Centre of the Arts furthering its unique heritage mandate as Canada's national memorial to the Fathers of Confederation. It honours Professor Thomas H.B. Symons, a long-time supporter and board member of the Confederation Centre of the Arts. Professor Symons, the founding President of Trent University in Ontario, is widely recognized for his work in the field of Canadian Studies, in particular in the areas of public policy, heritage and education.