Our annual National
Attention Teachers! Submissions close on Feb 19, 2021
Habitat for Humanity is partnering with school boards across Canada for our annual National Meaning of Home writing contest. You and your students can win big prizes for your participation!
The grand prize winner in each grade gets to direct a $30,000 grant to Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga, an iPad and the class of each grand prize winner will receive a pizza party.
What is this contest?
The Meaning of Home contest, which runs from January 4th, 2021 to February 19th, 2021, invites Grades 4, 5 and 6 students from across Canada to submit a written poem or essay (in English or French) explaining what home means to them for a chance to direct a $30,000 grant to a local Habitat for Humanity. There is no cost to enter.
Since 2007, over 58,000 students have participated in the Meaning of Home contest. Thanks to their inspiring words, and the support of founding sponsor Sagen Canada and award sponsors Revera Inc. and Swiffer, the Meaning of Home contest has raised over $1.5 million to build homes across Canada for families in need of decent and affordable housing.
The Meaning of Home contest offers a unique and meaningful way to get students involved in the creative writing process. The goal is to teach students about the importance of giving back to the community and foster their active participation as world citizens.
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We know how important it is to share this information with your student’s parents. Simply download this letter, add your contact information and signature at the bottom and you’re enabling them to have important conversations with their children at home. This will help students reflect upon what home means to them and spark ideas for their entry in the writing contest.
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We’ve made it super easy to have important social justice discussions and host the writing contest with your students. Everything you need to run this activity with your students is right here. What are you waiting for?
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Here’s a little bit of information to tell you more about the program and how it works. Read this before you jump into the lesson plan. It provides an important overview of timelines and resources available.
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This is a handy little one-pager that you can put up in your classroom or around the school. You may even wish to place it within your school newsletter or send a digital copy to fellow teachers.