Sometimes I come across neat contests, projects, programs and other opportunities for youth. Here they are! I only list things that are open to Ontario kids and teens, and sometimes post-secondary students.
(And yes, there's a lot of Toronto stuff on here - that's what I hear about the most. Sorry Brockville. I still love you.)
Disclaimerlicious!
Please note I'm not involved with any of these programs and I'm just passing on the links as information, not recommendations (which is to say, be sure to read the fine print).
The most recently added items are marked NEW!, so keep coming back to see what's been added.
OCTOBER DEADLINES
NEW! Tarragon Theatre Young Playwrights Unit
•
Open to ages 15-18 (program takes place in Toronto)
• Deadline October 7, 2011
Five young writers will be invited to take part in this free program, which runs from late October to early March. Members of the Tarragon Theatre Young Playwrights Unit will develop and workshop a piece with a professional playwright, and the results will be performed in a festival context in May. Applicants will need to submit a 5-10 page writing sample and short letter to be considered.
11th Annual Paprika Festival (Theatre by Youth)
• Open to ages 21 and under (programs take place in Toronto)
• Deadline October 7, 2011
The Paprika Festival is now accepting applications for four programs; Festival Productions, the weekly Creators' Unit, Playwrights-in-Residence, and the Resident Company. Paprika's programs are designed to support and celebrate young, emerging theatre artists in a variety of ways, so any youth in the GTA who is interested in theatre should visit the website to read about the many different opportunities available.
Roald Dahl Day Story-Writing Contest
• Open to ages 8-12 (Toronto)
• Deadline October 14, 2011
On October 23rd, Small Print Toronto is holding a Roald Dahl Day Celebration, which will particularly focus on the 50th anniversary of Dahl’s novel, James and the Giant Peach (tickets for the event are $10). Tied in with that celebration, young writers are invited to submit a story of up to 1500 words that answers the question, "What would happen if James discovered the Giant Peach in today's Toronto?" The top entries will be read aloud at the event on the 23rd, and one winner will have their entry published online.
The TD Friends of the Environment Foundation and Earth Day Canada Art Contest
• Open to Canadian elementary school students (Grades 1-8)
• Deadline October 14, 2011
Beginning September 19th, the TD FEF & EDC Art Contest will begin accepting colour drawings by Canadian students based around the theme "My favourite part of nature...". A panel of judges will pick ten pieces as semi-finalists, then online voting in early November will determine the Grand Prize winner. The top prize includes a digital camera, a litterless lunchbox for every student in the winner's class and a $7,500 grant to the winner’s school "to support the development of an outdoor classroom or schoolyard naturalization project". The winning piece of artwork will also be reproduced on a limited edition TD FEF bag, and one bag will be given to every student and teacher in the winner's school. The other 9 finalists will receive a litterless lunchbox, $25 cash, $500 for their school to support "environmental education or sustainability projects", and the chance that their artwork could be featured in Earth Day Canada's 2012-13 EcoKids calendar.
Oakville Public Library - Write2Xpress Contest
• Open to students in Grades 7-12 who reside in and/or attend school in Oakville, ON
• Deadline October 24, 2011
Oakville students are invited to submit a short story (up to 1,500 words), poem (up to 25 lines) and/or a graphic novel (6 page minimum) based around a photo which appears on the Write2Xpress contest page on the Oakville Public Library website. Students may submit in each category, but only once per category. Prizes, which will be given out in three grade-based groups (7 & 8, 9 & 10, 11 & 12), consist of a gift certificate to Oakville Place Mall. First, second and third place winners will be selected from the short story entries, and the library reserves the right to give out prizes or honorable mentions for poetry and graphic novels, depending on the number of entries received. First place will receive a $100 gift certificate, second place earns $50, and third place and any honourable mentions will receive a $25 certificate. Everyone who enters will be given a certificate of participation.
eInstruction's 2011 Classroom Makeover
• Open to K-12 classrooms in the United States, Canada (excluding Quebec), Puerto Rico, New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, or the United Kingdom
• Deadline October 25, 2011
The eInstruction 2011 Classroom Makeover Video Contest invites teachers to create a music video with their class about classroom technology for a chance to win tech prizes from sponsoring companies worth tens of thousands of dollars (see the full list of specific prizes in the "Official Rules" section of the website). Videos will be judged and prizes awarded in three grade categories: K-5, 6-8, and 9-12. There are a number of specific requirements for the videos, so be sure to read the full rules carefully before beginning your project!
NOVEMBER DEADLINE
NEW! CAA Practise Safe TXT Video Contest
• Open to Canadian legal residents aged 16 and up who are enrolled full- or part-time in a Canadian Secondary or Post Secondary institution
• Deadline November 13, 2011
In an effort to change attitudes regarding texting while driving, the CAA is inviting young Canadians to create a video up to 90 seconds long depicting “Why it is important to NOT text and drive, for a chance to win a $3000 grand prize. The CAA Practise Safe TXT Video Contest will also award ten finalist prizes of a $100 gift card to a major electronics retailer. There are also ten $50 online music download gift cards to be won by those who participate in the online voting process, which will run until November 23rd. An important note: considering the nature of the contest, the rules are very specific that you must not violate any distracted driving laws, meaning you may not actually film your video in a moving vehicle. Read the full rules for all the details.
"The Art of Democracy" National Youth Challenge
• Open to residents of Canada ages 14-30
• Deadline November 30, 2011
Elections Canada and Apathy is Boring have teamed up to invite young Canadians to submit a video (max. 90 seconds), a blog post (max. 1000 words), or a tweet in response to the question "What does your democracy mean to you?" Prizes vary for each category, but include a Nikon camera, PS3s, iPads, an iPod, and Chapters Indigo gift cards. Visit www.democracy-democratie.ca for all the details and to learn more about Democracy Week activities.
DECEMBER DEADLINES
Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds School Ground Greening Grants
• Open to Canadian publicly-funded schools and not-for-profit daycares
• Next deadline December 2, 2011
Okay, this one isn't strictly for youth, but young environmental leaders can certainly work to get their school involved. The Toyota Evergreen Learning Grounds School Ground Greening Grants
help schools and daycares "create outdoor classrooms to provide
students with a
healthy place to play, learn and develop a genuine respect for nature."
Grants range from $500–$3,500. See the website for full, detailed
guidelines.
• Not ready yet? Future deadlines for the program fall on March 16 and June 1.
Seventeen Magazine 2011 Fiction Contest
• Open to girls ages 13-21 in the US and Canada (excludes Quebec)
• Deadline December 31, 2011
Seventeen is teaming up with Scholastic and the writing community at Figment.com for the Seventeen 2011 Fiction Contest.
Young women are invited to submit a fictional story of up to 500 words on any subject through the Figment website (you'll need to register as a user, which is free). Author Maggie Stiefvater will help with the selection of the grand prize winner, who will be awarded $5000 USD and receive a phone call from Maggie Stiefvater. Check the official rules for details on how the winner will be selected, and if you're new to Figment be sure to explore the site to learn about including a cover, "hearting" other entries you like, tagging your entry properly, and more.
JANUARY DEADLINE
Walmart Canada Green Student Challenge
• Open to legal residents of Canada aged 18 or older who are enrolled full- or part-time in a post-secondary educational institution
• Deadline January 20, 2012
The Walmart Canada Green Student Challenge invites post-secondary students from across the country to submit ideas for new sustainable business practices. Students must create a written proposal outlining their idea, and supplemental video is welcome but not required. Semi-finalists will be flown to Toronto, where they will pitch their idea to a panel of judges made up of Canadian CEOs. The submissions will be judged on three criteria - ease of implementation; originality; and potential economic, social and environmental impact. Students may submit as an individual or as a team with up to four members. The winning entry will earn $30,000 for the student(s) and another $30,000 for the winner's school. Second to fifth place will earn $20,000, $10,000, $6,000 and $4,000 for each individual/team, respectively.
FEBRUARY DEADLINE
NEW! My Privacy & Me National Video Contest
•
Open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents aged 12-18 (adult advisor required)
• Deadline February 1, 2012
Held by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, the My Privacy & Me National Youth Video Contest invites entries from production teams of one or two people in four categories, looking at privacy issues related to mobile devices, social networking, gaming or cybersecurity. Videos must be 60-120 seconds in length and may be in either English or French. All teams will need an adult advisor, such as a parent, guardian or a school staff member (there's a limit of ten submissions per school, so teachers may need to coordinate an in-school competition to select which videos to submit). First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in each category, consisting of gift cards worth $350, $200 and $100 respectively. View previous winners and get lots of information along with full rules on the website.
ONGOING
Sophie's Studio: Creative Workshops for Youth at the Toronto Public Library
• For young Toronto writers; ages vary (7 and up)
• Workshops run from September - December 2011; registration deadlines vary
In fall of 2011, the Toronto Public Library is offering several writing workshops for kids and teens through the Sophie's Studio program. Topics include writing for film, writing fractured fairy tales, "becoming a writing superstar", and more.
Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF)
• For Canadian entrepreneurs aged 18-34
• Various deadlines, based on program
The
Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) supports youth entrepreneurs who would like to run their own business. There are variety of specific support programs, plus events, resources and more. Although based in Toronto, CYBF has regional offices across the country and of course the website has a wealth of information for you to explore.
