Coastal Voices, the School District No. 46 (SD46) writing anthology, has just published its 10th edition. The anthology, a joint venture between SD46 and the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, showcases writing from the students of the Sunshine Coast.
The Coastal Voices producers, Jane Davidson from the Festival of the Written Arts and retired SD46 teacher John Lussier, were able to keep the production of this year’s book on track, even with the schools being shut down for most of the spring. This is welcome news for the students, their teachers and parents, especially in a year that is anything but normal.
This year’s edition is the largest by far, a full 60 pages, and features writing from students from kindergarten through Grade 12 and from almost every school on the Sunshine Coast.
There were close to 750 student entries, which were blind-juried by the team of adjudicators. The judges had the extremely difficult task of narrowing their choices down to the 150 that are featured in the final journal. The poetry, prose and personal narratives in the anthology demonstrate the uniqueness of the young writers’ voices, as they speak their truths and tell their stories.
The Coastal Voices production team would like to thank Edmund Arceo, from Zoom magazine, who has volunteered his time and creativity for last 10 years. They would also like to thank the teachers, principals, school district senior staff, parents and, most importantly, the students, for supporting Coastal Voices over the years.
Copies of this year’s Coastal Voices can be purchased through the Festival of the Written Arts office by calling 604-885-9631.
– Submitted
