Competition Writing Topic 2026

Shipwrecked! Tales from an Unknown Isle.

What happens when the storm hits and you wake up on an island?

From crashing waves and mysterious maps to deserted islands and unexpected friendships, anything can happen!

Writers can explore adventure, survival, mystery, teamwork, humour, or even magical twists. What challenges will be faced? What surprising discoveries await? And most importantly… how will we return home?

We’re looking for imagination, vivid settings, memorable characters, and stories that keep us hooked from the first splash.

Grab your life jacket, steady your sea legs, and set sail into your imagination. The adventure begins the moment you’re shipwrecked!

Participants are encouraged to think about the following:

  • Characters and plot
  • The story’s setting
  • The challenges the characters may face
  • How the story will end.

Writing prompts:

  • Setting – Is the island a tropical jungle? A white sandy beach? Made up of lush mountains? Or boggy marshland?
  • Characters – Is the main character alone on the island? Who will we meet? Is the island inhabited? Will there be bloodthirsty pirates?
  • Discovery – What will we discover on your island? Perhaps a hidden clue, an abandoned ship, or a message in a bottle.
  • Challenges – How will we get home? How will those trapped survive on the island? Will pirates invade your shores? Must you uncover a secret long-since forgotten?

Division Age Groups & Word Limits

  • Division A: 6-8 years. Word count: up to 200 words
  • Division B: 9-11 years. Word count: up to 300 words
  • Division C: 12-14 years. Word count: up to 400 words

Competition Dates

  • Launch Date: Thursday 5th March, 2026
  • Closing Date: Thursday 23rd April, 2026 at 5pm
  • Judging: Monday 27th April – Monday 11th May, 2026
  • Winners announced and prizes awarded: Friday 15th May, 2026

How to Enter

Parents/caregivers/teachers should email submissions to: competition@acorn.ky.

Please provide your name, the child's name, their age, which school they attend and preferred contact email/telephone number.

Please read the Terms and Conditions below carefully.

Prizes!

Cayman Parent will be awarding a first and runner up prize in each category. In addition, the class of each first prize winner will be awarded a special prize too!

Cayman Parent will also publish all three of the first place winning entries in the 2027 edition of Cayman Parent magazine and online - giving Cayman's youth the opportunity to become published authors! Please read the Terms and Conditions below.

A huge thank you to Ambassadors of the Environment, Camana Bay, Cayman Crystal Caves, Cayman Parrot Sanctuary, Cayman Turtle Centre, Kirk Office, National Trust for the Cayman Islands, Book Nook and Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park for sponsoring these wonderful prizes.

Division A: 6-8 years

  • First Prize: CI$150 Camana Bay voucher, CI$50 Book Nook voucher, an annual Family Membership for the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and a Family Day Pass to the Cayman Parrot Sanctuary, plus a CI$50 Tukka food voucher.
  • Runner Up Prize: CI$75 Camana Bay voucher
  • Winner's Class Prize*: Free entry for a class to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, including a tour of the gardens and a visit to the Children’s Garden.

Division B: 9-11 years

  • First Prize: CI$150 Camana Bay voucher, CI$50 Book Nook voucher and a Family Day Pass to the Cayman Turtle Centre.
  • Runner Up Prize: CI$75 Camana Bay voucher
  • Winner's Class Prize*: TBA

Division C: 12-14 years

  • First Prize: CI$150 Camana Bay voucher, CI$50 Book Nook voucher, and a Family Day Pass to the Crystal Caves, plus CI$50 to spend at the Treehouse Restaurant on site.
  • Runner Up Prize: CI$75 Camana Bay voucher
  • Winner's Class Prize*: National Trust Tour and the Ambassadors of the Environment will provide a mangrove kayak tour for the whole class. Students will learn about this unique ecosystem and why it’s so important. Spot local wildlife including baby barracudas, crabs, egrets and more!

*This prize will be awarded to the class of the First Prize Winner.

Judges

We have selected three independent judges from the literary and educational fields to judge this competition.

Dr Shari Smith

Dr Shari Smith

Ministry of Education

Dr Shari will be judging the Division A category of 6-8 year olds.

Dr Shari Smith is a clinical psychologist who has over 30 years in the education system here in the Cayman Islands. She is the Owner of Life Options and the Manager of the Scholarship Secretariat in the Ministry of Education and Training. Dr Shari’s expertise is in special education and disabilities.

Paullette Mc Field

Paullete McField

Local Children's Author

Paullete will be judging the Division B category of 9-11 year olds.

Born and raised in the Cayman Islands, Paullete McField is the author of The Adventures of Tim and Chippa: Exploring Grand Cayman. With over 25 years of experience in banking and regulatory compliance, she holds a BSc in Human and Social Services (Cum Laude), is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist, and serves as a Notary Public. She has a genuine love of learning and is committed to personal growth and lifelong development. Paullete loves all things Cayman, long island drives, and a good cup (or two) of hot tea. She is a proud mother, devoted aunt to her niece, who affectionately calls her “Handbag” and a dog mom committed to uplifting youth, women, and her island community.

Juliet Austin

Juliet Austin

Education & Outreach Coordinator at LIFE

Juliet will be judging the Division C category of 12-14 year olds.

As LIFE’s Education and Outreach Coordinator, Juliet is committed to equitable access to quality education for all. A champion of literacy, she believes that language-rich early experiences, nurtured through warm, responsive interactions, set the foundation for a child’s life trajectory. Informed by current research, her work underscores the importance of protecting the early years from screen exposure, which can displace the face-to-face communication and play essential for a healthy brain, language, and literacy development. She sees this as a shared responsibility, with collective investment in young children yielding powerful, lasting benefits for society.

FAQs

Can my parent or caregiver help me with my entry?
No - we want to hear from you! The entry submitted must be all the child's own work.

How do I submit my entry?
Parents/caregivers/teachers should email the competition entry to competition@acorn.ky.

Are multiple entries allowed?
You can only enter the competition once. 

Can I use AI?
No, the use of AI is prohibited in this competition.

Terms & Conditions

  • Winners and runners up from the 2025 competition may not enter this competition.
  • Parents/caregivers/teachers are required to submit their child’s entry via email and will be notified if the child is a winner.
  • In submitting your entry, parents agree to have the child’s story printed in Cayman Parent magazine and on the Cayman Parent website.
  • By entering this competition, parents of the winners agree to have their child’s photo taken with the prize and allow for the images to be shared on Cayman Parent's social media, the social media platforms of the prize givers, in Cayman Parent magazine and on the Cayman Parent website.
  • Open to students enrolled in Cayman schools only. No international entries.
  • One winner and one runner up to be selected for each category.
  • Free to enter.
  • Individual entries only (no group submissions).
  • Typed and neatly handwritten entries will be accepted (saved as a jpeg or pdf and emailed to competition@acorn.ky).
  • The use of AI is strictly prohibited in this competition. Acorn Media will employ an AI detection tool to review all winning and runner-up submissions before contacting the individuals. Any submission found to have used AI will be disqualified.
  • Each entrant may submit only one story.
  • All entries are final. No revisions are accepted.
  • The judges' decision will be final.
  • Winners will be selected and notified using the contact details supplied on the entry.
  • If the winner does not respond within 7 days, another entrant will be contacted and awarded the prize.
  • All winners will receive their prize within 30 days of being notified. Prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered.