2026 Student Achievement Award Winners—Together is Greater than One—2Gether > 1

‘Together is Greater Than One’ invited students to explore the power of unity and collective action. It’s about recognizing that when we work together, we can overcome challenges, lift each other up, and create a stronger, more equitable society. Just like the Aristotle quote “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”, ‘Together is Greater Than One’ reminds us of the importance of supporting each other and the benefits of working collaboratively to accomplish a mutually agreed upon goal. Students focused on togetherness, community, and coming together for collective good in the 2026 theme for the Student Achievement Awards – 2Gether>1.

Teachers and Education Worker Members are using the Student Achievement Awards as an essential tool in classrooms and schools to engage their students. This year, our creative artists, whether in visual or digital/media arts, unlocked their feelings to capture how their personal critics have shaped their lives and pushed them to strive for and achieve their dreams.

The 9 award winners have been officially announced and will be featured in the traditional OSSTF/FEESO Student Achievement Awards video, which is part of the annual awards presentation at OSSTF/FEESOs Annual General Meeting on March 15, 2026. For a sneak peek at the provincial winners, please read below.

In the Prose and Poetry Division, Anugraha Annamalai of Bell High School in Nepean, was the winner of the Intermediate 9-10 category, with an incredibly well written poem entitled Proof of Us.  This piece is written as an equation, structured as a buildup toward one conclusion; that together, we, as society, are better. The poem begins with birth of the universe and leads to the way two people find meaning in each other. The theme is about unity, and this piece expresses unity as something written into the very physics of being.

Maya Chesne of Central Hastings School in Madoc, claimed the Senior 11-12 prize with her poem entitled They Teach Us Love Thy Neighbour (Conditions Apply).  Maya speaks of living in a small town, where growing up she never believed that racism was something that occurred there. She could not comprehend why anyone would hate other people based on how they lived, loved, what they believed, or the colour of their skin. She wanted to write this piece as a response to the way some in this world seem to divide and call out the mixed messages that we receive about how love and acceptance seem to come with conditions. Maya wants to convey that real strength comes from solidarity, not from separation.

Bairavi Kalatharan, of Bramalea Secondary School in Brampton, won the category of French Prose and Poetry 9-12 for her piece L’Unité est la Divinité. Bairavi’s piece focuses on her lived experiences with bullying. She uses this experience to speak to others who may feel alone, and to reassure them that they belong. Her poem highlights the importance of community, connection, and finding one’s voice, reflecting the strength of her growth. Part of the poem was written in Tamil language, which reflected her bullying experience and in the colour PINK, symbolizing anti-bullying.

Orion McConkey, from Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School in London, captivated us with the beautifully bright marker, ink, and pencil drawing entitled Shut Up and Let Me Help You. This piece illustrates for us a love letter to the communities that have embraced him and pushed him forward throughout his life as a Queer/Transgender youth. His work illustrates the beauty and inspiration that we can only find through contrast, shared experiences, and acceptance.

In the Visual Non-Credit category, winner Sam Kaw of Westgate Collegiate Vocational Institute in Thunder Bay, for his creative drawing entitled Building Equality, Hand in Hand…Hooray! Sam’s artwork is a heartfelt expression of inclusion, equality, teamwork, the values he finds in his classroom community. Sam chose to draw himself, alongside four of his classmates and he explained “everyone is holding hands and is happy because we are all friends…hooray!” This is how he discovered the title for this art piece. This simple statement carries profound meaning because his classmates accept and support him – hand in hand.

 

The winner of the Digital Arts 9-12 category was Adrian Mitrana, of Bluevale Collegiate Institute in Waterloo. Adrian created a stunning, amusing, and creative short film called Burrowed Banquet. In the film, Peter the mole, realizes that he has not prepared dessert for his family gathering. The struggle that begins is humorous but points to the futility of working alone to achieve a goal. Much to his surprise, Peter greets his family’s arrival, seeing they have a variety of desserts to accompany the meal that Peter has lovingly prepared for them. The storyline centers around the idea that together is most definitely greater than one in an incredibly detailed and creative way.

 

This year, the judges had the opportunity to honour a piece of work that did not win a provincial title in one of the categories. This piece would be something that moved the judges and compelled them to give it a special “Judges’ Choice” award. That piece belonged to Zainab Sakhizada of Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School in Orléans. Her incredible piece entitled Silent Struggles/Together We Soar, depicts a young Afghan girl and her struggle to break free, using graphite and charcoal pencil. The girl in the drawing is deeply sad, being forced to be quiet, and is banned from attending school. The dove a symbol of hope and freedom, the books and open door a symbol of an opportunity for a better future, and the image of the people helping each other on the ladder, all point to the community of people that support her so that she can soar.

 

Congratulations to this year’s winners and to the supporting staff members who gave their time and guidance to help the students with their creative entries. Thank you to all who participated from Districts across the province.