Competition open for youth reporters

Karam Albatal, 2021 winner.

CFMWS

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Canadian Forces newspapers have launched their youth reporters competition.  Young people from military families between the ages of 13 and 18 who want to share a story about an issue that is important to their life or the community around them can apply.

The competition gives young people a unique chance to tell their story in print, online, or on social media with the help of Canadian Forces newspaper journalists, editors, and photographers. The winner of each category will receive a $500 scholarship from Adobe and a one-year subscription to Creative Cloud.

Last year’s winner, Karam Albatal wrote a story that was published in the Spring 2021 edition of “Play” magazine. He wrote about being born in Brazil and going to his parents’ home of Syria to learn about his Syrian roots his parents’ culture. While there, he learned French, a language that would come in handy when his family chose Canada as their home a few years later. 

“Happiness is simple and anyone can experience it. However, happiness is not easy to achieve. It is found in the simple things in life. During my immigration journey to Brazil, Syria, and Canada, we did not lack for anything, but we did not live in luxury. And although the situation was not always easy, we were happy.” 

Finding happiness in simplicity is how Albatal lives his life. It is no surprise that the $2,500 prize he won will be invested in his future medical studies.

This year, the selection committee will pick the top stories in a variety of formats to be featured during the final week of April, which is the Month of the Military Child.

Instead of one grand prize winners, selected recipients (winners) will receive a scholarship and the opportunity to be published on the CFMWS Channels (website, social media, email) and in Canadian Forces Newspapers.

The application can be found at CAFconnection.ca/YouthReporter. Application deadline is Feb. 28.