Grade five student at IEC/A, Harlow MacNeil, is not only an exceptional athlete, she’s now an award-winning essayist.
-by April MacDonald
“The sound of my family laughing in the kitchen, and the warmth of the blazing fireplace, these are the things that make my home itself.”
That is a line from Beautifully Messy, which is the title of the winning essay written by Harlow MacNeil, a grade 5 student from Inverness, who attends school at Inverness Education Centre/ Academy.
Her entry won the 2026 Grand Prize in Habitat for Humanity Canada’s “Meaning of Home” contest, which secured a $30,000 grant for Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia.
She also won a free iPad and a pizza party for her class.
This year, Meaning of Home delivered record results for Habitat for Humanity in Canada as a national student writing contest. It engaged thousands of youth and raised $440,000.
Thousands of students across Canada helped to build a stronger future through the power of words. Habitat for Humanity Canada’s annual Meaning of Home writing contest drew more than 19,000 student entries this year, setting a new participation record.
Students were invited to reflect creatively on the question, “What does home mean to you?” Through their submissions, students in grades 4, 5, and 6 explored the meaning of home while learning about the affordable housing crisis in their communities.
Every eligible submission sparked a $10 donation to the student’s local Habitat for Humanity, directly supporting the construction of safe, decent, and affordable housing for families.
Across Canada, three grand prize winners and nine runners-up were selected for their outstanding submissions. Each grand prize winner earned a $30,000 grant for their local Habitat for Humanity, while runners-up received $10,000 grants for their local Habitat, helping extend the impact even further.
Together, their heartfelt entries reflect a shared understanding of home as a place of safety, belonging, and possibility.
The grade 4 grand prize winner is Julia S. from Halifax for her entry My New Home. Julia’s $30,000 grant will benefit Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia. The grade 5 grand prize winner is Harlow M. from Inverness, for her entry Beautifully Messy. Harlow’s grant will benefit Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia. The grade 6 grand prize winner is Ella L. from Edmonton, for her entry Home. Ella’s grant will benefit Habitat for Humanity Edmonton. Grade 4 runners-up Imran U. of Calgary, for his entry What Home Means to Me, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta; Vsevolod P. of St. Catherines, Ont., for his entry My Home, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Niagara; Estelle S. of Toronto, for her entry What Home Means to Me, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area. Grade 5 runners-up Willow P. of Nobleford, Alta., for her entry What Home Means, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta; Jeremy S. of Brossard, Que., for his entry Le sens de chez moi, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Québec; Amarachi K. of Fredericton, for her entry Where My Heart Feels Safe, benefitting Habitat for Humanity New Brunswick. Grade 6 runners-up Akthem A. of Mississauga, Ont., for his entry My Everything benefitting Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin; Asif A. of Dartmouth, NS, for his entry Moza is Home, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia; Artem S. of Winnipeg, for his entry Meaning of Artem’s Home, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Manitoba.
“The Meaning of Home contest shows the power of young people to create real change,” says Pedro Barata, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada.
“By sharing what home means to them, students are helping address the affordable housing crisis in their communities and supporting families in need of a safe and decent place to live. It’s a powerful reminder of why our work matters and why we remain committed to expanding access to affordable housing,” added Barata.
“When young people reflect on what home means to them, it reminds us why affordable housing matters so deeply,” says Helen Seibel, vice president and head of community and employee giving, BMO.
Since the Meaning of Home contest began in 2007, over 156,000 students have shared what home means to them, raising more than $3.4 million to help more families in need of homes build stronger lives through housing. The Meaning of Home contest would not be possible without the generous support of title sponsor BMO, founding sponsor SagenR, and award sponsors Metrie and Stantec.
The Oran reached out to the communications coordinator, Deanna Gillis, with the Strait Regional Centre for Education. She said that there will be a presentation for Harlow in early June.
Here is the award winning essay:
Beautifully messy
Many people think home is just a building, a roof with four walls to hold it together. However for me, home is a place where memories are born.
The scent of the candle my mom lights. The sound of my family laughing in the kitchen, and the warmth of the blazing fireplace, these are the things that make my home itself. It is a collection of small everyday moments that make a boring home into a building of love.
I call home a museum, because it holds all my great memories. Every room has a story, from the marks on the wall to the scratches on the floor. This is the place I grew taller, the place I became me. The place where I learned the difference between right and wrong. These walls have seen a lot, either my greatest smiles, or my quietest struggles. Acting as a canvas that represents who I am.
Home is a place of belonging. It is a place where I can express all of my greatest ideas. A place where people won’t judge me. Home is a place I can be myself.
I used to think home was a castle, where my parents would pretend to be knights that protected me, or my home was the deep blue sea where I’d save my parents from a “shark” attack. I would let my imagination take over. Home is real, home is reality. Now I like to cherish every moment I spend in my home.
In the end, home isn’t a place you find on a map, it is a place you find in your heart. Thank you, Habitat for Humanity, for building not just homes, but futures and hope for families all across the country.