One local Grade 7 student never thought the essay she wrote would go national, but it has.
Abbey Martin, a Central Middle School student, participated in the Mothers Against Drunk Driving National Poster and Essay Writing Contest not realizing that her essay would be chosen as first place out of many submitted across the country.
This year’s theme was ‘Save Lives, Don’t Shatter Them’ and Abbey won first place at the Red Deer chapter and her essay was sent to the national level where it also took first prize.
Central Middle School Vice Principal Diane Roberts said Abbey did an amazing job on the essay so they sent it to nationals, but they had no idea it would win first.
“She just asked a lot of questions in her essay and it was quite touching that way,” said Roberts. “She talked a lot about if somebody died and the consequences of that and how you can’t replace that loss.”
Abbey was surprised and happy that she won, but never expected her essay would win at a national level.
“I think it’s crazy,” said Abbey. “I just thought I would win $50 for the Red Deer prize and I never thought I would actually win a Canadian contest.
“I was just thinking how you would feel if you lost someone from drinking and driving and if you did drink and drive how you would be able to live with the shame that you hurt someone.”
Abbey won $50 for the Red Deer contest and at the national level she won $250 and plans on saving up for her school trip to Quebec.
“I am so proud of her,” said Grace, “When she wrote it we weren’t expecting anything, then last Sunday a friend of ours clipped a section out of the newspaper and sent it to us and we were so surprised.
“I was really touched. I am very proud of her for achieving what she has and when she does assignments she does it close to the heart.”
The MADD National Poster and Essay Writing Contests are open to students who are aged 10 and under and 11 to 14 years.
The contest was created to reach out to young Canadians who will be driving on our roads some day and to provide them with an opportunity to express their concerns about drinking and driving.
To learn more about the contest visit www.madd.ca/english/youth/contests.html.
tsigurdson@reddeerexpress.com
