I Have Been Selected By the RCS To Serve as a Judge For the 2018 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition

My name is Michelle N. Samuel and apart from being an Entrepreneur, I have a love for the literary arts. A few weeks ago I applied for this prestigious honor and I am pleased to say that I have been selected by the RCS to serve as a judge for the 2018 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.

I have always loved writing and participating in competitions. I have taken part in several of them in my lifetime, many of which, I did win. I am also a published poet. When I attended the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School, my English and Literature teachers encouraged all the students to enter an essay competition. That year, my best friend at the time, Vanessa Moise emerged as the top place winner in the school, and the overall winner in the competition! I was so excited for her. She was presented with her certificate during assembly.

Now so many years later, I appealed to the Principals and teachers of the schools in St. Lucia to be just as supportive and encourage their students to participate in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Being able to serve in the capacity of a judge in this competition, is a great honor, and I look forward to reading the pieces of written and drawn art that our young people today have to share with the reading world.

I will be documenting my judging experience using videos and articles. I will be recording how I prepare myself to review the submissions and the mood that they evoke after reviewing them. This will be an interesting way to assess how effective the submissions of the young participating students are. I assure everyone, however, that I will not be revealing any information about the submissions themselves or their authors, as that would be against protocol.

Two weeks ago, St. Lucia came out on top in the Courts Regional Reading Competition with Pearl Cornibert, a Grade 5 student of the Eucharist Lewis SDA Primary School. My daughter, Kishelle Auguste was the runner up behind Pearl Cornibert, in the Courts Reading Competition at the National level. I am very proud of both these students and I know that they both have what it takes to do well and even win, if they participate in the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition.

This year’s theme is ‘Towards a Common Future’.” Through the sub-themes of sustainability, safety, prosperity and fairness, participant students can explore how the Commonwealth can address global challenges and work to create a better future for all citizens, particularly young people. The deadline to submit the entries was June 1st 2018.

SENIOR CATEGORY
Born between 2nd June 1999 and 31st May 2004 (14–18 years of age)

1. The road to a safer future.
2. How does education contribute to a fairer future?
3. ‘Healthy, Wealthy, Happy, and Free’: is one more important than the others?
4. Future generations have rights too, which must be defended. Discuss.

JUNIOR CATEGORY
Born after 31st May 2004 (under 14 years of age)

1. What does a safer future mean to you and your community?
2. Write a recipe for a common future: what ingredients will you need? What is the best method for making it? What will it look like?
3. ‘A Day in the Life’. Imagine you are your country’s Head of Government for the day: how will you build a better future for young people?
4. Our Common Earth.

The maximum word counts were1,500 words for Senior entries and 750 words for Junior entries. These word limits apply to all topics and all formats (essay, poem, letter, etc). Exceeding the word count however, will result in automatic disqualification.

Participating students could present their work in the format that best conveyed their message, be it in the form of an essay, poem, story, folk tale, script, letter, diary entry, monologue or other written style. Photos and drawings were encouraged, particularly in the Junior Category.

Young people are not usually given an opportunity to express themselves openly. This competition is a medium through which they will be able to so, and have fun in the process. To all the students who decided to participate, I wish you all the best and I pray that the Lord guided your thoughts, words and hands produced your best work ever.