As we gear up for the launch of our 2024 Writing Contest, we’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on some of our brilliant former winners.
Let’s hear from a two-time finalist, Kugu Scott.
What year did you win the Storyshares writing contest? I won an honorable mention award in the 2021 and 2022 Storyshares Story of the Year Contests.
Tell us about your book. My first book with Storyshares, Divided in Land but Together in Heart: A Tale of Cyprus, won an honorable mention award in the 2021 competition. This book is about two girls from opposite sides of Cyprus who organize an intercommunal concert at the UN buffer zone to foster peace.
In 2022, One Million Steps to Freedom also won an honorable mention award. This book follows the challenging journey of a young Ukrainian girl during the war and her hopes for the future.
How did you find out about the contest? I originally found out about the contest through a friend (2021 contest). I really enjoy working with Storyshares, so I decided to write again for the 2022 contest.
What gave you the idea for your story? I am a part of many international projects where we strive to act as a voice for young people and strive for societies where young people are empowered and encouraged. I have taken part in War Refugee Camps in Brussels, where we met with Ukrainian war refugees, members of the European Parliament, and Director of the European Union Youth Commission about what limits and doesn't limit youth in our current society. I also participated in the EU Youth Development Program in Munich where we hosted workshops in partnership with local youth groups about remembering history to shape a brighter future. We focused on lessons that could be learned from our pasts and came up with solutions using Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality for the future. Next, I took part in the European Communities Ethnic and Cultural Program in Israel. We met with diplomats, mayors, and local youth groups, about peaceful relations. In the coming months, I will volunteer at an SOS Ukrainian Children Refugee camp in Italy where we will provide psychological support to children who adapted to new lives in the EU. I am also planning a project to bring a group of European youth to Washington DC to meet politicians and organizations about conflict management.
What made you want to participate in the contest? As I mentioned above, I have first hand experience with topics relating to the importance of youth in our society. Storyshares' mission of making books more accessible for everyone matched the mission of these projects perfectly, which motivated me to participate in the yearly contests.
How has your life changed since winning the Storyshares contest? I am extremely happy I won in the Storyshares Story of the Year contests, because it gave me the opportunity to become more involved with such an amazing organization as Storyshares. I have now written books for all three of Storyshares' Decodables series and several other books for Storyshares' partners and projects. Last year, I was able to present my Storyshares books to US Representatives who were amazed by Storyshares' mission. They even specially placed those books in the US Library of Congress.
Anything else you want us to know? After winning in the Story of the Year Contests, Storyshares got in contact with me with new opportunities. I believe this shows how supportive Storyshares is for individuals and how much they value future generations. For this reason, Storyshares’ mission and vision are very important to me and I always want to support Storyshares in all of their projects. Participating in Storyshares’ projects have helped me greatly develop my writing skills and given me experience at a global level. With Storyshares I have been able to explore and develop in themes such as history, global cultures, global issues, and future skills. I am also a part of projects with UNICEF USA and National Geographic. The opportunities that Storyshares has given me have greatly supported me in projects with these organizations and has allowed me to be successful. I am always extremely happy to become even more involved in Storyshares’ projects. I am grateful that as a person and writer working with Storyshares has developed my world view.
Kugu’s books, Divided in Land but Together in Heart: A Tale of Cyprus, and One Million Steps to Freedom are ideal for striving middle and high school readers. They can be found in our eLibrary.