2024 Winners
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Grand Prize Winners
The votes are in! After listening to amazing music remixes from students across Canada, the judges have selected the Grand Prize Winners of the 2024 Canada Your Voice is Power competition. Congratulations to students Diane Kunnuk and Harshita Jindia.
Diane Kunnuk
Grade 11, Iglulik High School
Iglulik, NU
Diane's submission featured a mix of 21 music stems from artists Jayli Wolf and Dakota Bear, which reflect on the legacy of Indigenous children being removed from their homes and cultural backgrounds, and their exclusion from traditional practices and languages.
“Participating in Your Voice is Power made me reflect on the damage of child removal on generations of Indigenous people, and the need to reclaim our culture”
Harshita Jindia
Grade 12, Nelson Mandela Public School
Calgary, AB
“Participating in Your Voice is Power has deepened my understanding of the importance of cultural heritage, and the racial injustices that persist today in our society. I truly believe that we should take the step forward towards reconciliation, and take that responsibility to no longer accept the injustices against Indigenous and Black communities.”
View Harshita's Code
Teacher Winners
Through this award for excellent instruction, we award a teacher with $1,000 for creative integration of the Your Voice is Power program in their classroom teaching.
Donovan Fernandes, Kathleen Moll, and Tina Surdivall
Jean Lumb Public School
Toronto, ON
Donovan, Kathleen and Tina, our winning teachers, are being honoured with a $1,000 prize for going above and beyond to engage their students.
Recognizing the importance of representation in education, Tina was drawn to the way YVIP centers and celebrates Black and Indigenous contributions to art, music, and creativity. This resonated deeply with her students, who created powerful and personal songs through the program.
Collaborating with Grade 8 homeroom teacher Donovan Fernandes and art teacher Kathleen Moll, Tina extended the YVIP experience beyond coding and music. Students were encouraged to express their songs visually, using a unique technique that involved bouncing sand on cling wrap stretched over a frame. When the students played their songs through a speaker beneath the frame, the sand patterns created by the soundwaves were captured and developed into paintings.
The culmination of their efforts was showcased at a Gallery Walk and Music night, where attendees used QR codes to listen to the students' songs while viewing their artwork. The project’s success inspired more teachers at Tina's school to explore similar YVIP projects in the future, and she is excited to continue this meaningful work next year, expanding the impact on students' creative and technical skills.
Top Student Winners
These ten students were selected by judges for special recognition amongst hundreds of entries for their creative work and reflections.
Runners up
Congratulations to these forty Runners up for their creative submissions!
Our 40 Runners Up, who all received a $25 Amazon.ca gift card, are:
Aaidh, Churchville Public School (Brampton, ON)
Addison, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Adele, Ecole secondaire Michelle O'Bonsawin (Toronto, ON)
Alan, Ecole Dr. Charles Best Junior Secondary School (Coquitlam, BC)
Alberta, Spectrum Alternative Senior School (Toronto, ON)
Antoine, École Secondaire Michelle O'Bonsawin (Toronto, ON)
Ashley, St. Ignatius of Loyola Secondary School (Oakville, ON)
Audrey, Windfields Middle School (North York, ON)
Avery, Ignace Elem Secondary School (Ignace, ON)
Benjamin, Glenforest Secondary School (Mississauga, ON)
Caleb, Sir Alexander Mackenzie Elementary School (Vancouver, BC)
Carol, Iguluk High School (Igulik, NU)
Carter, Churchville Public School (Brampton, ON)
Carter, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Demi, Western Canada High School (Calgary, AB)
Eric, Sir Alexander Mackenzie Elementary School (Vancouver, BC)
Gemma, École secondaire Michelle O'bonsawin (Toronto, ON)
George, École secondaire Michelle-O'bonsawin (Toronto, ON)
Hope, St. John Catholic High School (Perth, ON)
Ivy, Jean Lumb Public School (Toronto, ON)
Joanne Lu, Glenforest Secondary School (Mississauga, ON)
Jove, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Julia Tony, Ecole Ronald-Marion (Pickering, ON)
Kayden, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Kiana, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Liam, Nantyr Shores Secondary School (Innisfil, ON)
Liam, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Mohammed Naqi, York Mills Collegiate Institute (North York, ON)
Nadah, The Woodlands School (Mississauga, ON)
Raji, Rouge Valley Public School (Scarborough, ON)
Rami, Nora Frances Henderson Secondary School (Hamilton, ON)
Ryna, Churchville Public School (Brampton, ON)
Samoinmon, Joane Cardinal-Schubert High School (Calgary, AB)
Sara, Churchville Public School (Brampton, ON)
Sophia Wan, Glenforest Secondary School (Mississauga, ON)
Sophia, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Stephanie, John Oliver Secondary School (Vancouver, BC)
Tehya, St. Anthony's School (Kincardine, ON)
Thomas, Archbishop M. C. O'Neill High School (Regina, SK)
Tyler, St. Ignatius School (Winnipeg, MB)