AccessAbility Contest Win: Student Designs - Burnaby Schools - School District 41, Burnaby, BC, Canada

A Burnaby Schools student has won a provincial contest connected to accessibility. Eight additional students from the District were recognized as finalists and runners up.

Matusola Tesfamariam from Second Street Community School won the only category that includes elementary students in the annual Easter Seals National AccessAbility Week Contest. The Grade 6 student’s entry was chosen over hundreds from across the BC and Yukon.

Students in Grades 5 to 12 are challenged with a design to symbolize a more AccessAble society, with this year’s theme: applying inclusive thinking and actions in everyday life.

Matusola describes his submission:

My artwork represents the importance of togetherness. In my artwork there is an abled bodied person helping a disabled person get over the brick wall – this means people should help out people who are disabled, and that is what my artwork represents.”

A panel of 15 judges from local non-profits, school districts and government voted on the three winning designs.

The following students were finalists:

Catalina Elena Antonio, Grade 6, Second Street Community school
Tze Yin (Colin) Chan, Grade 9, Byrne Creek Community School
Phoenix Chang, Grade 10, Alpha Secondary
Amanat Dosanjh, Grade 7, Second Street Community School
Wiktor Huynh, Grade 9, Alpha Secondary
Lauren Kim, Grade 6, Second Street Community School
Alice Li, Grade 5, Suncrest Elementary
Mavis Ting, Grade 8, Alpha Secondary

Scroll down to see the finalists’ artwork. The winning designs were printed on bags and are available for purchase as a fundraiser to support Easter Seals programs.