1. Competition Overview
The SKYKY Writing Competition invites young writers to imagine what our world will look like in the year 2050. Students will explore future societies, technology, environment, culture, education, and human relationships through creative writing. The goal is to encourage imagination, critical thinking, storytelling skills, and global awareness.
2. Eligibility
Students will compete in two age categories:
Group A: Ages 9–12
Group B: Ages 13–16
3. Theme Description: “The World in 2050”
Students are encouraged to use fiction, speculative writing, or creative nonfiction to explore:
What will daily life look like in 2050?
How will technology shape human relationships, learning, health, or work?
What environmental challenges or solutions have reshaped the planet?
What will cities, communities, or rural life look like?
What values will society protect or struggle with?
What does hope look like in 2050? What about conflict or change?
Writers may submit short stories, personal reflections, imagined diaries, letters from the future, or creative essays.
4. Submission Requirements
Format
Written in English by pdf.
Length:
Group A (9–12): 600–1000 words
Group B (13–16): 800–1,200 words
Typed, double-spaced, 12-point standard font (Times New Roman or Arial).
Include a cover page with:
Title of the work
Student name
Age group (9–12 or 13–16)
School and grade
Contact email
Originality
All submissions must be original and unpublished.
6. Awards
For Each Age Group (9–12 and 13–16):
1st Prize – Trophy + Certificate + $2000
2nd Prize – Medal + Certificate+$300
3rd Prize – Medal + Certificate+$100
Honourable Mentions – Certificate of Achievement
Winning entries will be published by Skyky Publishers.
7. Important Dates
Submission Deadline: August 18th, 2026
Judging Period: August 18th -September 18th , 2026
Winners Announced: September 18th , 2026
Award Ceremony: October 18th , 2026
8. Submission Method
Students may submit through:
Email: submitskyky@gmail.com
Online Registration Form at
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfUxyyQnGmWA8z0-s5jxBzuhgrL85Tv_Xe2pkD-6Y-kMW_Z3A/viewform
9. Rules & Policies
One entry per student.
Offensive, discriminatory, or unsafe content is not allowed.
SKYKY reserves the right to publish winning entries with author credit.
Judges’ decisions are final.
10. Contact Information
For questions, please contact:
SKYKY Multicultural Learning Foundation
Email: skykyfoundation@gmail.com
Phone: 6479220676
11. Our Judges
Cindy Watson is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author, negotiation strategist, speaker, and literary leader. She is the founder of Women On Purpose and host of the globally recognized Art of Feminine Negotiation podcast, where she explores power, influence, and authentic leadership.
Her bestselling book, The Art of Feminine Negotiation: How to Get What You Want from the Boardroom to the Bedroom, has been praised for redefining negotiation through the lens of empathy, collaboration, and strength. She is currently expanding the series to include editions for men and young readers.
In addition to her nonfiction work, Cindy is an accomplished novelist whose fiction explores themes of resilience, trauma, and human complexity. A managing partner at Watson Palmer Labour Lawyers and a respected voice in leadership and influence, Cindy brings a rare blend of legal insight, storytelling craft, and psychological depth to her work — making her uniquely qualified to evaluate powerful writing across genres.
Wendie Donabie has a knack for painting vivid pictures with her words, sprinkling her poetry and prose with alliteration, similes, and metaphors. But when words alone can't capture what she's feeling, she turns to her easel and a fresh canvas. Her short stories and poems have found homes in various magazines and literary collections, and her essay, Mother Earth, won gold in Art Ascent Magazine.
In June 2024, Wendie released Views from the Edge of the Earth, a beautiful blend of poetic musings, artwork, and photographs that celebrates the natural world. The book invites readers to not just admire nature’s beauty but to recognize our interconnectedness and take steps to protect our shared planet.
Currently, Wendie is diving into a double murder mystery set in a Muskoka, with the names and places changed to protect the innocent.
Wendie is the co-founder and Vice-President of Muskoka Authors Association, an organization supporting writers at all stages of their creative journeys.
David Bruce Patterson is a versatile author whose diverse works showcase his wide-ranging talents. He authored Forthright but Furtive, an anthology of poems that explore themes from feminism to playful nonsense, reflecting both depth and humour. His foray into historical fiction includes Square Wheels, a vivid journey into Toronto of 1925, capturing the essence of a bygone era. Currently, he is crafting a satirical, historical murder mystery featuring the sharp-tongued Dorothy Parker of the Algonquin Round Table, blending wit with intrigue.
​
Patterson's reflections on his writing process reveal a thoughtful approach: he describes poetry as an act of spontaneity, while his novels embody a more deliberate wisdom, balanced by an awareness of his own ignorance. This duality underscores his creative versatility and philosophical outlook on storytelling.
Yunkai Shi is an IB graduate of Upper Canada College (42/45) and a BA+BFA candidate at Tufts University . A passionate writer and filmmaker, he combines strong academic writing with visual storytelling. He has led design and media teams for North America’s largest student-led World Affairs Conference and worked with Hangzhou TV Station. As a tutor and coach, he has mentored students to success in prestigious competitions, including the John Locke Essay Prize and Scholastic Awards. Yunkai brings creativity, critical thinking, and a deep love of literature to his role as a youth writing competition judge.
Sophia Goold grew up in Vancouver, BC and is currently a student
at the University of Toronto, where she studies comparative literature, history, and French. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in June 2025, she aims to pursue a Master of Information with the eventual goal of becoming a children’s librarian.
Sophia has had a passion for writing and books since childhood, and beyond her coursework, she is an editor for two U of T student publications and a staff member of the Toronto Public Library. Sophia is also an occasional poet, and her work has been published in several youth poetry publications, including the Vancouver Public Library’s journal ink.
​
Sophia has experience mentoring young and aspiring writers as a private tutor and she has a particular love of children’s literature. If she had to pick a favourite children’s book, it might be Howl’s Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones.
