Short Story Contest

The Olive and Fred Robins Junior Short Story Contest is an annual programme held each October. Wellington County students in Grades 4, 5 and 6 are invited to submit original stories for the chance to win a cash prize and publication of their work.

Our 2025 contest is now closed, and winners will be announced shortly. In the meantime, please enjoy our winning stories from 2024!

Eligibility

Contest rules

Entrants are asked to submit a short story between 500 – 750 words.
Only one entry per person will be accepted and illustrations are not considered.
Stories must be the original unpublished work of the entrant. Co-authored stories are not accepted.
Use of AI tools is not allowed. Minimal feedback from a parent or peer is permitted, but stories must be entirely the entrant’s own work.
Stories must be in English but may include invented words.

Judging criteria

Stories are judged anonymously by the Short Story Contest Committee following the entry deadline.

Each story will be judged based on the following criteria:

Creativity and originality
Story structure, including plot and characters
Style and quality of writing, including spelling and grammar
In the event of a tie, a winner will be selected based on the most creative idea.

Prizes