Annual child rights contest focusing on a child’s right to education launches today


MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Iqaluit, NU — The fourth annual Your Story, Your Voice contest hosted by the Representative for Children and Youth’s Office (RCYO) launches today. The contest is open to all kindergarten to grade 12 classes in Nunavut schools.

“The contest submissions we have received over the past three years come from all over the territory. They have been very thought-provoking and creative,” says Sherry McNeil-Mulak, the Representative for Children and Youth. “This tells us that the contest is something students and teachers alike enjoy. I’m really looking forward to seeing the entries we receive this year.”

The Your Story, Your Voice contest gives students the opportunity to learn about their rights and to share their story and opinion about these rights. Classes are encouraged to work together to create one cohesive work of art, such as a wall mural, which expresses their thoughts, individually and/or collectively on the contest’s theme. The theme for this year’s contest is a child’s right to education — Article 28 and 29 of the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child.

“While all of the rights are equally important, our office agreed that a child’s right to education was a good choice for this year’s contest, given the work currently underway to review the Nunavut Education Act,” says McNeil-Mulak.

All entries for this year’s Your Story, Your Voice contest should be submitted by 5 pm MST on November 9, 2018. The three winning classes will receive a prize, decided on by the class and the RCYO, valued at $500. Winners of the contest will be announced on November 20, 2018, National Child Day. National Child Day is an annual observance which celebrates Canada signing the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child and child rights.

Contest rules, entry categories, classroom resources and activities have been distributed to all Nunavut schools and are available at www.rcynu.ca. For more information on the contest, child rights, and the work of the RCYO, all Nunavummiut are encouraged to contact the RCYO directly, toll-free at 1-855-449-8118 or in Iqaluit at 975-5090.

For more information:

Kim Foster
Manager of Communications and Public Awareness
867-975-5091 | kfoster@rcynu.ca