Youth Writing Contest

Every year, the Vancouver Writers Fest launches a youth writing contest for short stories and personal essays in spring. We’re thrilled to once again be organizing two writing contests for students in British Columbia: one for grades 5-7 and the other for grades 8-12. These contests are judged by esteemed members of the Vancouver literary community. A total of four cash prizes and publication in our newsletter are awarded each year. Many winners have subsequently had their works published—either by a publisher or in major literary journals.

The 2026 Youth Writing Contest is closed. Scroll down to read the winning stories!

The next writing contest will open in spring 2027.

2026 Winners

High School Winners

1st Prize winner: “The Cartographer of Lost Sounds” by Leqi (Angela) Xiao, Southridge School, Surrey

Shannon Ozirny: Every time I read this short story about grief, I have to physically close my mouth when I get to the end. In all my years judging this contest, this is one of the most mature and restrained pieces I’ve encountered. A woman returns to her mother’s empty home for a very specific reason and, without any dialogue and minimal interaction with other characters, the author creates both a compelling, propulsive narrative and a rich description of the main character’s life. I actually yelled “Oh!” out loud when I read this line from early in the piece: Pauline next door had left a jar of Folgers on the counter and a note with an exclamation point that was doing the work of an entire condolence.

2nd Prize winner: “I Used to Hear Colour First” by Karen Zhao, Collingwood School, West Vancouver

Shannon Ozirny: Like the winner, this is coincidentally another piece about memory and sound, but markedly different in tone and genre. This personal essay about the experience of synaesthesia tackles a very tough, technical task (beautifully describing what it feels like to see colour in sound) while also capturing the transition from childhood to adulthood. There is a universality and relatability to this essay, even for readers who don’t connect with music.

Shannon Ozirny, judge of the 2026 High School Writing Contest, is the Head of Youth Services at the West Vancouver Memorial Library.

Elementary School Winners

1st Prize winner: “Girl in Silk” by Meilin Li, Saint Pius X Elementary School, North Vancouver

Jamie Fong: An aerial dancer attempts to pull off a dangerous mid-show heist on a ruthless gang leader who is already on to her. In just a few short pages, the writer vividly constructed a wonderfully unexpected and intriguing premise: a high-flying aerial performance set against the backdrop of a fantasy criminal underworld. I want to know more about the illegal trade of dragons and wyvern scales! I was instantly swept up in the personal stakes of Vanyia’s tense verbal and action-packed showdown with overconfidant Pyotr. This stood out among the entries for its unique characters, setting, and narrative efficiency, though it also provides delicious hints of a much larger story and world that I’d love to read more about.

2nd Prize winner: “The Lake at Bellmere” by Judy Dong, James McKinney Elementary School, Richmond

Jamie Fong: This haunting and atmospheric story is told with impressive restraint and deliberate pacing. I found it evoked the feelings of a local folk tale or urban legend shared in whispered tones. The writer effectively built a slow-burn feeling of dread throughout without cheap scares. I particularly appreciated that the narrative ultimately explored the sadness and emotional impact of the eerie lake disappearances rather than just the horror or mystery of the situation. It was both an unsettling yet refreshingly thoughtful read.

Jamie Fong, judge of the 2026 Elementary School Contest judge, is a Children’s Librarian at the Vancouver Public Library.

Contest Rules

1. The elementary school youth writing contest is open to all writers in grades 5–7 who are attending a school or being taught in a home-school environment in British Columbia.

2. The high school youth writing contest is open to all writers in grades 8–12 who are attending a school or being taught in a home-school environment in British Columbia.

3. Entries will be accepted for previously unpublished short stories and personal essays: 1,000 word limit (for elementary school student submissions) and 1,500 (for high-school student submissions).

4. Entries are judged blind. Please do not put your name on your story, in the file you have uploaded or in the file name.

5. Entries must be submitted in MS Word (DOC or DOCX) or PDF formats. Please use standard margins, 12-point font and double spacing.

6. Prizes:

a. Elementary – First prize winner receives $100 and publication in our Books & Ideas Newsletter, plus social media shout-out; Second prize winner receives $50 and publication in our Books & Ideas Newsletter; both winners receive a certificate from Vancouver Writers Fest.

b. High school – First prize winner receives $200 and publication in our Books & Ideas Newsletter, plus social media shout-out; Second prize winner receives $100 and publication in our Books & Ideas Newsletter; both winners receive a certificate from Vancouver Writers Fest.

Youth Writing Contest Judges

The high-school youth writing contest is open to students in grades 8-12 and is judged by Shannon Ozirny. Shannon Ozirny is the Head of Youth Services at the West Vancouver Memorial Library. She has taught a children’s materials course as an adjunct at the UBC iSchool, reviewed young adult books for The Globe and Mail and Quill & Quire. She has served as a juror for the BC and Yukon Book Prizes, Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books and Odyssey audiobook awards and moderates kidlit events for the Vancouver Writers Fest and Kidsbooks.

The elementary school youth writing contest is open to students in grades 5-7 and is judged by Jamie Fong. Fong is a life-long supporter and patron of public libraries, starting his library career in high school as a student page at the Edmonton Public Library. Since 2013, he’s been a Children’s Librarian at Vancouver Public Library. He is a former committee member of the Young Readers’ Choice Awards Society of BC. Fong also recently sat on the Canadian selection committee for the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) third edition of The World Through Picture Books, a publication of favourite picture books recommended by librarians from around the world.