Molly River Ryan, Nova Scotia

Fair address: Cape Breton Victoria Regional School Board Regional Heritage Fair

Project: Lucy Maud Montgomery

The project is an exploration of the life of Lucy Maud Montgomery and her impact on women's rights in Canada.

What was the most interesting thing you learned about your topic?

Lucy M. Montgomery wasn't paid as much as men to write. She had to enter into a contract to get published which gave her less pay than male writers. Lucy M. Montgomery wasn't even paid what she was owed under that contract and had to fight long legal battles to get paid what she was owed.

What important lessons have you learned that you want to share with other Canadians?

Lucy M. Montgomery was not just an author. She advanced women's rights in Canada.

How would you compare your life today to the lives of those studied in your project?

As a girl today, I face less challenges based on my gender than Lucy M. Montgomery would have in her time. I am free to write and if I write well enough, I could get published without the same struggles. I like to write just like Lucy M. Montgomery. In my time, I can be anything I want to be.