People's Choice Award

The audience has spoken! The winners of the 2026 People's Choice Award are Aeyla Antique, for her superb recitation in English of “I’ve Dreamt of You So Often” by Robert Desnos, and Taonsa Angéla Boudo, for her beautiful recitation of “J’abdique tout” by Jovette Bernier. They each win $500, in addition to their Semifinalist prizes.

You can still watch the recitations of all the Semifinalists. For recitations in French, click here.

Isabel Ijenyo
École Secondaire Mont-Bleu
Gatineau, QC

Zeinab Kesserwan
Edmonton Islamic Academy
Edmonton, AB

Aeyla Antique
St. John's High School
Winnipeg, MB

Melody Ovuakporoyecha
St. Malachy's Memorial High School
Saint John, NB

Sylvia Zhang
The Sacred Heart School of Montreal
Montréal, QC

Melissa Pauls
Kildonan-East Collegiate
Winnipeg, MB

Catherine Ji
University of Toronto Schools
Toronto, ON

Frederick Chan
Vancouver Christian School
Vancouver, BC

Sylvie Tait-Kuhnle
Parkdale Collegiate Institute
Toronto, ON

Safeyyah Imam
University of Toronto Schools
Toronto, ON

Jette Green
St. Mary's High School
Calgary, AB

Cianna Rukundo
École Secondaire Êtienne-Brûlé
Toronto, ON

Amelia King
Little Flower Academy
Vancouver, BC

Harper Arato
Crofton House School
Vancouver, BC

Keisha Columbres
St. Gabriel the Archangel School
Chestermere, AB