A story about a vivid impression of an afternoon on Ootsa Lake won College of New Caledonia (CNC) adult education student, Helena Zacharias first prize in the annual Wild Rivers Award this year.
First prize of $100 was awarded to Zacharias for her entry titled 'The Shore'.
Antoinette Renee Jaspers won second place for her submission 'Celebrating the Land I Know', which describes nature in the North and portrays the passage of the seasons.
According to judge, Jacquie Russell, “It was a difficult task but after much discussion and consideration, judges for the award finally selected the two submissions written by CNC students to be awarded first and second places.”
Zacharias entry was praised by judges for its incredible description of a brief moment in time, as well as the strong images and well established sense of place in the first two sentences, which engages the reader immediately.
Jaspers entry impressed judges with her poetic descriptive phrases ['springs forth each year'; 'push their colours'] and personification ['summer travels on a boat'].
It had a strong opening with 'I know a little place' that grabs the reader from the start.
The judges thought Jaspers entry would make a wonderful children's book about Northern B.C. with pictures accompanying each passage.
The judges felt it was a true celebration of the land.
The Wild Rivers Award is sponsored by Alcan't, an environmental organization which raised funds to oppose the Kemano hydroelectric project in the early 1980s.