Go Creative is our flagship project promoting the collaboration with high schools from the Lublin region. This is a competition based on the idea of the project-based learning an active method that develops the maximum involvement and participation of students in the learning process. The topics and the tasks promote awareness, reflexivity and a critical spirit, facilitating deeper understanding of the contemporary world seen through the eyes of high school students.
Announcing the Winners of the Go Creative 2023 Competition!
(31/05/2023)
We are thrilled to announce the results of the 2nd edition of the Go Creative 2023 competition! The writing contest, organized by the English Students’ Association of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, aimed to showcase the creative talents of high school students through the medium of fanfiction* reflecting on the theme of “The Choice”. We were looking for creative and captivating stories that explore the concept of making difficult decisions, and the consequences that come with them.
*Fanfiction is a type of fictional writing created by fans of a particular work of fiction, such as a TV show, movie, book, or video game. Fanfiction typically involves using characters and settings from the original work to create new stories or continuations of existing storylines.
We received 40 submissions from the students representing 14 high schools from Lublin, Chełm, Puławy, Radom, Kraśnik and Świdnik. The stories were meticulously evaluated by two independent juries: the Jury of the Faculty at the Department of English and American Studies at MCSU, as well as the Jury of Students from the English Students’ Association. We are delighted to share that both juries arrived at the unanimous decision regarding the 1st prize, demonstrating the alignment in their assessment and selection process. It is noteworthy to mention that each jury independently selected their own honorable mentions, resulting in a diverse and deserving group of participants being recognized for their outstanding contributions. After careful consideration, we are pleased to announce the following winners:
The Winner:
Karolina Chmiel with her captivating work titled “The Choice of Freedom”
XXI Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. św. Stanisława Kostki w Lublinie
Honorable Mentions from the Faculty Jury:
Kinga Małek for her exceptional storytelling in “I’ll Become Whole as you Dance with Death”
IV Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Stefanii Sempołowskiej w Lublinie
Aneta Ceglińska for her imaginative interpretation in “To Challenge the Devil”
Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących nr 1 im. Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Puławach
Honorable Mentions from the Student Jury:
Karolina Niemiałkowska for her thought-provoking narrative in “Endless Song”
IV Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Stefanii Sempołowskiej w Lublinie
Klaudia Depta for her skillful character development in “Another Chance”
XXI Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. św. Stanisława Kostki w Lublinie
The selection process took into account various criteria, including creativity, originality, adherence to the theme, character development, and overall storytelling ability. The juries were thoroughly impressed by the remarkable talent displayed by all the participants, making the task of choosing the winners no easy feat.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Winner and Honorable Mentions for their outstanding contributions to the competition. Your dedication, creativity, and commitment to the art of writing shone through in your submissions. We are truly proud of each and every one of you.
We would also like to express our gratitude to all the participants for their enthusiasm and for sharing their unique perspectives through their fanfiction entries. Your passion and talent inspire us, and we encourage you to continue honing your writing skills and exploring the depths of your imagination.
We would like to extend our appreciation to both juries for their invaluable expertise in the judging process. Your dedication and discernment ensured a fair and rigorous evaluation of the submissions.
The awards ceremony took place on June 13 at the Faculty of Philology (9:30 - 12) accompanied by two workshops: on creative writing and on British culture, where the winners and the participants with their teachers had the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of storytelling.
The event commenced with the awards ceremony, where the winners of the competition were recognized for their exceptional literary achievements.
The gala was graced with the presence of a distinguished guest, Dr. Jakub Nowak, an esteemed fiction writer and associate professor at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism. Dr. Nowak's novel, "To przez ten wiatr," has garnered critical acclaim, captivating readers with its modern western narrative that dismantles national myths and humanizes legendary figures. Set in California in 1876, the story revolves around the emigrant experiences of Warsaw's bohemian society, intertwined with the lives of Helena Modrzejewska and Henryk Sienkiewicz. Dr. Nowak's compelling debut novel, rich in historical facts yet leaving room for imagination, was very well received by readers who were enthralled by its surprising, fresh, and contemporary approach.
During the workshop, Dr. Nowak generously shared his insights into the writing process, providing valuable advice to the young aspiring writers on how to craft compelling stories. Drawing inspiration from the students' own works, he praised their storytelling talents and offered individual feedback on writing techniques. It was a truly enriching experience, as the participants absorbed Dr. Nowak's practical wisdom, eagerly embracing the opportunity to enhance their literary skills.
Continuing the journey of exploration, the representatives of the English Students' Association, Patrycja Rogala and Aleksandra Sobczak, took the students on a delightful virtual tour of the United Kingdom. They delved into British geography, culture, and even introduced the students to the intriguing world of Cockney slang. The participants immersed themselves in the vibrant tapestry of British life, expanding their cultural horizons and deepening their connection with the English language.
We do hope that the young writers left the gala inspired, motivated, and armed with valuable knowledge to further nurture their talents. We encourage each and every one of them to continue crafting captivating stories and exploring the realms of fandom and popular culture in the English language. The journey of creativity has only just begun, and we eagerly await the literary gems they will create in the future.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the participants for sharing their remarkable writing talents and inspiring us with their creativity. It is through their voices and stories that the power of imagination truly shines and evokes emotions, forever leaving a lasting impact on readers' hearts.
Thank you all for being a part of the Go Creative 2023 competition. Stay tuned for future updates and opportunities to showcase your talents. Until then, keep writing and weaving your beautiful narratives.
Sincerely,
The English Students' Association of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University
Koło Naukowe Anglistów UMCS
https://www.facebook.com/anglistykakn
https://www.umcs.pl/en/english-students-association,21550.htm
The aim of the 2021/22 competition was to make young people reflect on freedom, understood both personally and collectively, and express their thoughts and feelings in a creative way. The questions we asked the participants were the following:
- How do you understand the concept of freedom?
- Is it important to you at this particular moment in your life, or do you rather think of freedom as a privilege of adulthood?
The participants were encouraged to express themselves creatively in English by writing a story about freedom - a literary form in which the protagonists convey the students’ vision of freedom [max. 1000 words]
In the first edition of the Go Creative 2021 - Freedom competition, two equal first prizes for a short story and two honorable mentions were awarded. The works were judged by two independent juries: the Jury of the Faculty at the Department of English and American Studies at MCSU and the Jury of Students from the English Students’ Association. Both teams indicated their respective winner of the 1st place, while the distinctions were awarded unanimously by the faculty and the students. All the stories were excellent, but the winners’ assured and moving pieces of storytelling commanded the awards. Here is the list of winners:
|
1st prize (ex aequo) |
|
|
„The Memories that Clip our Wings” Marta Hałabis III Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Unii Lubelskiej w Lublinie
Jury of the Faculty Department of English and American Studies at MCSU |
„The Key” Franciszek Matraszek V Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie w Lublinie Jury of Students MCSU English Students’ Association |
|
Honorable Mentions |
|
|
„Dear Theodore” Kinga Purchała Zespół Szkół Ogólnokształcących nr 2 im F. D. Kniaźnina w Puławach
„Free in prison” Katarzyna Drozd V Liceum Ogólnokształcące im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie w Lublinie
|
|
Go Creative 2021 - Freedom competition’s finale took place on June 9, 2022 at the Faculty of Political Science at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University. We welcomed all the participants and their teachers who represented high schools from Lublin and Puławy. The award ceremony was accompanied by two workshops: on American pop culture (in English, conducted by Dr. Izabela Kimak from the Department of English and American Studies) and on storytelling (in Polish, led by Dr. Elżbieta Pawlak-Hejno from the Department of Media Communication) followed by a short meeting with the English Students' Association - the organizer of the competition.
The storytelling workshop inspired the young writers to explore the intricacies of the first sentence in a story:
We are delighted that young people responded so eagerly to our initiative which was set up to celebrate novice authors creating short fiction on the topic of freedom – so relevant at the dawn of a new era forced upon the world by the Russian Federation's war in Ukraine.
