Mallory Pitzner, a Grade-4 student from Heloise Lorimer School, was one of three grand-prize-winners in the annual Meaning of Home contest, in support of Habitat for Humanity.
Pitzner received a $25,000 grant to be donated to Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, and chose to support an upcoming build in the Calgary community of Radisson Heights.
“I thought that this seems like it was a really good place because it has a lot of families and they would really appreciate these homes,” she said.
For her entry, Pitzner wrote a poem called “When I Think of Home,” which highlights her gratitude for the security and comfort she feels at home – something she said is “the most important thing to me.”
She said she entered the contest because of the enjoyment she receives from writing. Though she usually writes about fictional characters she’s created – and her poem is anything but fantasy – she enjoyed the challenge.
“I love writing. I love everything about writing,” Pitzner said.
After hearing about the contest from her friend Dayna, the two had a sleepover the night before the deadline, during which Pitzner worked late into the night on her entry.
“I went through it a couple of times [until] midnight to make sure that it was all perfect. I woke up Dayna and I said, ‘Do you think this is good?’ And she looked through it all and she was like, ‘This rocks…you need to submit.’”
Her entry was selected from more than 8,000 submitted from students in grades 4 to 6 from across the country, all focusing on the topic of what home means to them.
Her mother, Tanya Pitzner, said she knew her daughter was skilled, but was thrilled by her winning entry.
“My husband and I are just extremely proud of her. We’re proud of her all the time and in everything that she does, but this was kind of over the top,” she said. “She’s a really talented kid.”
Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization that helps families build stability and independence through the ownership of low-cost homes, according to the organization’s website. Through the group, families are able to purchase homes with no down payment and no interest. Since 1990, the organization has partnered with nearly 300 families across southern Alberta, according to the website.
“I want to congratulate [Pitzner] and thank every student who entered and shared what home means to them,” said Gerrad Oishi, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, in a release. “By participating in this contest, each student is raising both awareness and funds to address the need for affordable home ownership for working families in our communities.”
