Kaelynn Freel, a Grade 8 student at Art Smith Aviation Academy in Cold Lake, is being recognized as a Northern Lights Shining Star for her creativity, storytelling skills, and passion for writing.
Kaelynn recently had her short story, Outcast to Dangerous, selected for publication in The Unknown, an anthology of short stories written by Canadian students in Grades 7 and 8. The book is published by Polar Expressions Publishing, a 100% Canadian-owned company dedicated to showcasing the best short stories and poems written by Canadians of all ages and backgrounds. Each year, the publisher receives thousands of submissions and selects only a portion to include in their professionally produced collections. The contests are free to enter, making them accessible to students from all backgrounds, and aim to encourage young people to use writing as an outlet for creativity and self-expression.
“I really like to write,” Kaelynn shared. “It's been something I've liked to do since I was little, even though I wasn't good at it. When I was younger, my big thing was reading. I'd read under the desk when I was supposed to be listening. I'd read anywhere I could.”
Kaelynn was introduced to the contest by Assistant Principal Bruce Greengrass. “Mr. Greengrass told our class about the Polar Expressions contest because we were doing short stories for Language Arts at the time, and it was something that really interested me.”
Outcast to Dangerous is set in a town where most people have superpowers. “It’s about this girl, Hazel, whose whole family doesn’t have powers—but she and her grandma do. Her family doesn’t like her because of it,” Kaelynn explained. “The story could only be a maximum of 450 words, so it was challenging to create something without much time for character development or a lot of plot or description. It was frustrating at times, but very fun.”
Writing fiction is one of Kaelynn’s favourite things to do. “I have a story about pirates. I’m working on one about zombies. I have one about assassins. I have one with superheroes. A murder mystery, a fairy tale, and more. I would love to have a book of just my short stories. That would be really nice. I’m terrified of going to a publisher, but I really would like to be an author.”
Kaelynn credits her teachers for helping her grow as a writer. “Mr. Greengrass has been really supportive of my writing, and Mrs. Varughese has inspired me and helped me to be a better writer as well.”
Mr. Greengrass is quick to return the praise: “What impresses me most about Kaelynn's writing is the level of detail she includes in her work. It's a story that flows properly—it doesn't jump around. There's good character development, and you get immersed in the story. She’s serious about her work and wants to make sure she’s doing her best. If she misses something, she wants to go back and improve it. She's very concerned about presenting her best self through her work.”
Kaelynn is the NLPS Student Shining Star for June 2025. Each month during the 2024-2025 school year, NLPS recognizes students and staff who are making a difference in their schools and communities.