Local Student wins first round of Polar Express Publishing Competition

I was recently looking though the Fort McMurray Today newspaper, a weekly event  to keep informed about what's happening in Wood Buffalo, and I came across the following article.  Congratulations Taylor; 

Local student wins National poetry contest

Article written by Morgan Modjeski

A student at Sister Mary Phillips School has made it through the first round of a national poetry competition for his poem "Love and Life," and his teacher says his future in writing is a bright one.

Taylor Tourangeau, Grade 6, said he was going through a tough time when he wrote the poem, as he wrote it after losing his girl­friend, but now that he's made it through the first round of the 6th national poetry competition put on by Polar Express Publishing, he's excited about the opportu­nity.
"It's pretty exciting and I'm kind of unknowing about it," said Tou­rangeau. "I just did it for myself, so I can be known for something, because I'm known for nothing."
He continued, "It's exciting because I never knew I was going to actually win because of how young I am, I thought they might not even pick me because I'm too young ... but I'm proud of myself," he said.
In a letter from Polar Express Publishing it explains that Tou­rangeau's poem was one of thou­sands that were submitted and out of those he was selected to make it to the second round.
Darlene Cardinal, Tourangeau's First Nation, Metis, Inuit liaison worker, said even though writing has not always been a part of Tou­rangeau's life, it is now.
"When Taylor came to us two years ago, there wasn't much writ­ing involved in his life," said Car­dinal. "He's come a long way in the two years he has been here and the writing comes naturally to him, when he wanted to write something, he would just say it and it would come out"
"I was in shock when he wrote this poem, I was like, 'where do you come up with this', it's how he feels, but he puts it in his own words."
Cardinal said she feels that writing will be a big part of Tou­rangeau's future.
"I think it could be a big pos­sibility," Cardinal said. "He expresses himself with words quite well, he even said him­self, he's done some bad things, he's gotten into trouble, but he's stepped back from all of that."
She continued, "I think that he would be awesome as a writer."

As a result of making it through the first round of the competition, Tourangeau will have his poem published in a book entitled, Below the Surface with his biog­raphy alongside other selected poems. He'll also move to the final round of the competition where he has a chance to win a prize with a total value of more than 10,000.