World Literacy Canada (WLC) is looking for stories from Grades 5 to 8 students.
The non-profit organization, founded in 1955, supports international literacy and social justice in marginalized communities as a means to alleviate poverty.
To get Canadian children excited about literacy, thinking about the issues, and inspired by a sense of community, WLC runs an annual contest called Write for a Better World.
This year’s theme, what the contest organizers call their “story prompt” is loss and was created by award-winning author Melanie Florence, famous for her story Missing Nimama.
“It can be hard when we lose someone important to us in our lives, or when we watch someone close to us lose someone important to them,” the prompt says. “I remember when I lost someone important to me. In my case it was when my best friend moved away with her family.”
Stories must be 400 words or less and submitted by April 1 via the WLC website www.worldlit.ca.
The Top 10 finalists will be selected by a committee of children’s writers and educators based on criteria such as creativity, clarity and organization, spelling and grammar and the quality of main character development.
Florence will select the first place winner.
The main prize is $500 and a Skype conversation with Florence.
The other nine finalists will receive $50 and all finalists will be published both in print and online and receive a copy of Missing Nimama, a world map and other WLC swag.
