Chloe Rolufs (gr.11) of Arcola has been drawn to writing since a young age. Her mother, Billie, likes to write and when Chloe was younger she read and re-read a story her mom wrote. The story was all about Chloe and she walked away thinking it was fascinating how one could bring something like that together. She was inspired, she wanted to try her hand at it, and has been writing ever since.
Recently Chloe entered a contest focused on the art of writing and dedicated to Canadian culture. Open to youth between the ages of 12 and 18-years-old the contest called "I heart culture" based in Ottawa welcomed all writing submissions from short stories to poems to plays. The only parameter was to show Canadian culture and how it affects your life.
Chloe's grandmother, Linda Gordon, first came across this contest and began encouraging Chloe to submit a poem. Thinking about rural Saskatchewan and the culture of living in a small town Chloe began to write. Ideas flowed as she mentioned skating on dugouts, going mud bogging and getting your vehicle stuck in the spring, to a local who runs their dogs out of their vehicle.
Her original poem landed her in the top six of the competition with nearly 800 submissions.
"It was really exciting," Chloe explained. "It was something I never expected. I was blown away."
Though Chloe ended up in the top six, she was very hesitant about submitting the poem. It was with the encouragement of her family and her grandmother's insistence that Chloe agreed to participate in the competition.
"I write for me, so when I sent it away and all those people read it wow!" Chloe exclaimed. "That was something big that I had to do because my grandma had to push me for probably a month and a half before I sent it in"
Chloe went on to explain that her grandmother has always been supportive, but has never been overly pushy regarding any of Chloe's endeavors.
"this was the first time I ever actually saw her push me into something and I'm totally glad she did," Chloe stated.
"It was a great experience and something I had never done before, and it just sort of got you out there."
Winning a basket of arts related items Chloe will be taking her grandmother to both the Lobster Fest and the Golden Sheaf Awards, while also receiving various books and DVD's as well.
Being in grade 11, Chloe is thinking of her future and is possibly looking to utilize her writing skills within a profession; but, is currently undecided.
"I love to write and I love all of that kind of stuff," Chloe explained. "It's something that's crossed my mind, the whole English thing; but, I really bounce around a lot. I've looked into teaching, journalism, social work, kind of all over the place; but, writing will be something I always do, just to do. Whether it becomes a career or not it's just something I like to do."
The following is Chloe's winning poem:
Saskatchewan
The only place where minor hockey is more popular than the N.H.L
A place where we skate on dugouts,
Until the darkness descends and consumes us for another twelve hours
Somewhere where we learn to skate before our second birthdays, and five foot snow banks are to be expected in May
A place where people take two months off work for harvest
You learn to drive as soon as you can sit up on your own, and your first vehicle costs no more than eight hundred dollars
The kind of place where we back down Main Street to talk to an old friend, and everyone knows you by your first name
The only place in the world that people willingly put a fruit on their head to cheer on a football team, and agribition is like a provincial holiday
Where the first rain of the year marks the beginning of stuck trucks,
And muddy boots
Where summer bonfires last until the sun comes up,
And the coolers are all empty
The only place where people run their dogs from the front seat
Of their pick ups
Where everyone knows everyone and can talk to them for hours,
A place so many call home
But only in Saskatchewan.
