RRHS student Brandon Gough makes top 3% in North American essay contest

Ken Johnston
Editor

Rainy River High School grade 12 student Brandon Gough has made it to the top of the heap in a North American writing contest.

Gough who moved to the Rainy River area in 2002, learned about the contest from classmate Katelyn Neilson who found it on a website.

The contest, hosted by British Columbian publishers Elder and Leemaur, offers ten $1,000 scholarships each year to the top essay writers. This year over 5,000 students from across Canada and the United States submitted works for review. Rather than just handing out the ten scholarships Elder and Leemaur chose to recognize the top 3% of the field. Approximately 150 essays were singled out as being excellent. They will all be published in a book and from those ten will be judged to be the best and receive the scholarships.

Gough had to choose one of three topics: “The state of current immigration policies,” “The charity of my choice,” or “The best city to live in.” Gough chose the last subject.

However, he did not write about living somewhere exotic or this area. He chose to write about Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

“I love that city,” said Gough, who was raised there until he came here in 2002. In his essay he said, “Some say it is small city life, with the big city feel.”

The Sault has about 75,000 people and Gough highlighted the fact that it has so much going on but yet you can walk down the street and still run into familiar faces.

Gough plans to return to his “home town” when he graduates and attend Algoma College. While he loves to write he plans to focus his energy on the Law and Justice program there.

RRHS teacher Laura Armistead said, “Just to get selected to the top 3% is quite a feat considering how many entered.” She noted that after editing Gough’s essay that he truly, “has a passion for that community.”

“I entered at the beginning of the school year, but did not expect to get this far,” said Gough. Now he is in waiting mode as judges will review the top essays in the next month. Scholarships will be awarded in January.