Starr Writers Contest
This contest is named in remembrance of Jocelyn Starr,
who passed away in November 2010.
Jocelyn was one of the founding members of ASEC
and was a great supporter of her students.
After a brief hiatus, this contest is open again and accepting submissions until March 15, 2024.
* Please read the submission guidelines and fine print carefully for details of the content.
2024 Contest Posters
- Click to download a PDF to print and share:
Eligibility
Who can enter?
To be eligible for the contest, you must:
1) be a current or former student in an Adult Literacy Program (ALP) or Adult Learning Centre (ALC)
2) be recommended by the director of the ALC or ALP
There are two categories for entry: ALP and ALC. Please enter in the category for which you were/are most recently enrolled.
Essay length must be:
- between 250 to 500 words in length for the Adult Literacy Program category
- between 500 to 1000 words in length for the Adult Learning Centre category
Please adhere to these guidelines. Entries significantly outside of these length requirements may be deemed ineligible for consideration.
Important Information
Conditions of Submission
- All submissions must be the contestant’s own original work.
- Submissions must meet the eligibility criteria listed above.
- By submitting your entry, you agree to allow ASEC to publish your essay on our website, newsletter and/or social media, and to share your entry with our membership and Adult Learning & Literacy.
- Winners are announced at our spring conference and may be invited to attend our fall conference to receive their prize and/or read their submissions. Prizes will be mailed out to those unable to attend after confirmation of contact information.
Past Winners
2022/2023 Winners:
- Amber Peters – Regional Alternative Education Centre
- Chantel Bruyere – North End Adult Literacy Programs: Open Doors
- Andrew Guinto – Stony Mountain Education Centre
- Jazmine Desmond Arsenault – Seven Oaks Adult Learning Centre
- Delores Goossen – Agassiz Adult Education Centre
- Jasmin Regalado – Seven Oaks Adult Learning Centre
2021/22 Adult Literacy Program:
- Abdirisaq Jama – Stevenson-Britannia Adult Learning Centre
- Lawrence Nitelet – Samaritan House Training Centre
2021/22 Adult Learning Centre:
- Mike Boal – MITT Adult Learning Centres, Garden City
- Patricia Nyota – Seven Oaks Adult Learning Centre
- Karen Renshaw – ACC Centre for Adult Learning, Parkland
- Rybecca Terry – Seven Oaks Adult Learning Centre