Hundreds of school-aged students across Calgary took to their sketch pads to illustrate what safety means to them — this time, free from the judgment of rubrics and report cards.
On May 22, the executive director of YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre, Tara Robinson, announced the nine students whose artwork won them their chosen category of personal, home, or community safety.
Being between eight and 17 years old, the nine winners were made up of three students from each age group: high school, junior high school, and elementary school. Within each cohort, one design was chosen for each safety category.
The students were awarded an assortment of prizes, ranging from laptops to hundreds of dollars worth of Amazon gift cards. Additionally, they received copies of their images with a limited edition Calgary Police medallion attached to the frame.
With the gifts existing as both a form of encouragement and a token of their appreciation, Robinson said that the contest provided youth the opportunity to share what security means to them.
“This is all about giving students a platform, a chance to be heard,” she said.
“A chance to examine what safety looks like in their schools and their families and their neighbourhoods.”
Deputy Chief of the Calgary Police Service (CPS), Cory Dayley, said that the level of talent demonstrated by the students was impressive and made choosing the winners a close race.
Submissions were accepted between February and April 2025. During which, he said that the large surplus of entries showed just how much today’s youth care.
“The most important takeaway is that the young people of Calgary are paying attention,” said Dayley.
“That kind of courage is incredibly powerful.”
The goal of the competition, conceptualized by Sgt. Nick Wilshire and Con. Miguel Lay, was to understand what makes young people anxious, and from there, gather ideas on how the CPS can better implement crime prevention strategies in the future.
Wilshire said that despite their best efforts, crime prevention is often the responsibility of the public, not the police.
“You are our future, and that’s why we really wanted to invest in this,” he said.
Meet the winners
Winner of the community safety category for the high school cohort, Olivia Hostland, 17, said that she challenged herself to design the piece with only primary colours — symbolically unifying all residents of Calgary together.
While reading Hostland’s submission statement, Robinson described that the dark outlines and rainy weather exist as metaphors for how having a community “helps to repel” the “hardships” of life.
In the junior high school cohort, Rifhat Malik, 15, won the personal safety category with her design that emphasized the dangers associated with constant cell phone use. She said that it can be hazardous while outdoors because it causes someone to ignore what’s around them.
“Especially teenagers, everyone’s always scrolling on their phones,” said Malik.
“I want people to be more aware of their surroundings and just live in the present.”
Lulu Alsarhi, 12, won the community safety category. Her design was inspired by the true story of her little brother getting lost in Bowness Park and how a stranger helped him find his way back to their family.
Alsarhi said that the event brought her to recognize the benefit of having a community where residents look out for one another.
“I just wanted my poster to show how small actions like being aware, helping others, and spreading kindness can make a big difference,” she said.
The youngest competitor, Miles Pavelich, 8, won the personal safety category for the elementary school cohort. Both he and the home safety winner, Zoe Morris, 9, said that the day was one for the books.
“I’m really proud,” said Morris.
“I’ve never won a competition before, it’s pretty exciting for me.”
“It’s my first time winning a competition, too,” said Pavelich.
The public is invited to view the posters on display at the YouthLink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre located in the NE community of Falconridge.
