The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is pleased to announce the winners of the
2026 Summer Writing Challenge
, the fifth instalment of this annual writing competition, which continues to encourage creativity, self-expression and the development of writing skills among young people in Antigua and Barbuda.
Participants were invited to explore issues of personal, national and global significance through any of three literary genres:
poetry, prose or drama
. Entries were expected to address one of four themes:
History and Identity
,
Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
,
The Commonwealth
, or an
Open Theme
.
Under
History and Identity
, participants explored significant moments that shaped their own lives, families, schools, organisations or nation. The theme
Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
invited them to consider what they could do to make the world a better place. Under
The Commonwealth
, writers reflected on
The Wealth of the Commonwealth: A Personal Perspective
. The Open Theme allowed participants to select a subject of their choice.
All entries had to be original and previously unpublished for, or unsubmitted to, any other activity, including school assignments. The competition was organised into three age categories, with specific word-count requirements for each:
•
Ages 6–9:
80–150 words
•
Ages 10–13:
150–250 words
•
Ages 14–18:
250–450 words
2026 Summer Writing Challenge Winners
The Ministry is pleased to recognise the following winners in each age category.
Ages 6–9
Place
Name
Theme
School
First
Dylan Walter
Open Theme – Recycling
St. John’s Catholic Primary
Second
Khor Johnson
History and Identity
Newfield Primary School
Third
Shawntae Donaldson
Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
St. John’s Lutheran School
Ages 10–13
Place
Name
Theme
School
First
Kaustav Kishan
Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
Post Millennial Academy
Second
Ann Mary Shinse
Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
Post Millennial Academy
Third
Najah Price
History and Identity
All Saints Secondary School
Ages 14–18
Place
Name
Theme
School
First
Ti-ikha Edwards
The Commonwealth
Island Academy International
Second
Harmony Grayman
Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
St. Mary’s Secondary School
Third
Jayden Baptiste
Responsibilities of a Global Citizen
Antigua Grammar School
Third
Shakeir Thomas
History and Identity
Antigua Grammar School
The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and the sponsor of the Summer Writing Challenge,
Mrs. Cheryll Rogers
, extend heartfelt congratulations to all the winners and commend every participant who submitted an entry. Their efforts reflect the value of nurturing young writers and providing opportunities for
children
and adolescents to communicate their ideas, explore important issues and develop their literary talents.
An award ceremony will be held at
Hodges Bay Resort
after the close of the school term in December 2026 to celebrate the achievements of the winning writers.
The Ministry looks forward to the continued growth of the Summer Writing Challenge and to seeing more young people embrace writing as a means of creative expression, reflection and meaningful engagement with the world around them.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Ministry of Education Announces Winners of the Fifth Annual Summer Writing Challenge.