Ontario Nature's 3rd Annual Youth Writing Contest

We bet you’ve had a great experience with some part of nature. Perhaps it was collecting and studying frogs at the lake this summer? Perhaps it was climbing your favourite tree in the park close to your home.

Nature is everywhere, miles away from nowhere, and right in your own backyard!

We’d like to hear about what you think about nature.

The challenge:

Think about it and be creative. Your topic is: How is climate change affecting you and your community?

What you need to know:

• You must be an Ontario grade 7 or 8 student.
• It can be an essay, a story, or a piece of creative writing, with a maximum count of 700 words, typed and double-spaced.
• The top three entries will be published in ON Nature magazine, the award-winning nature and environment magazine in Ontario.
• The winners will receive cool prizes for their work, and will be honoured for their achievement at Ontario Nature's Annual General Meeting & Conference in Peterborough.

Send your original entries by March 3, 2008 to:

Youth Writing Contest
Ontario Nature
366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 201
Toronto, ON M5V 1R9

Make sure you have a title page telling us the title of your essay, your name, address, phone number, email address, your parent’s or guardian’s name, what grade you’re in, and the name of your school.

Take a look at the 2007-2008 Contest Flyer (PDF 268k) - teachers are invited to print a copy and post it at their school.

Ontario Nature's Youth Writing contest is sponsored by Waste Management.

First place:
101 Ideas   by Emma from Toronto

Second place:
How Is Climate Change Affecting You and Your Community?   by Lauren from Burlington

Third place:
The Diary of a Canadian Eh?   by Taylor from Sault Ste. Marie

Fourth place:
Not Today   by Melyssa from Toronto

Fifth place:
The Marsh   Andrew from Scarborough

Congratulations to our winners for 2006-2007!

AGM Conference And Awards Ceremony Youth Award Winners Jenna and Dylan with Ontario Nature Executive Director Caroline Schultz

Ontario Nature’s second youth essay challenge was a success. With over 150 entries from across the province the judges had a wonderful time reading through the essays, poems and creative stories that were submitted.

Thank you for letting us know why you think we need nature and a healthy environment in Ontario.

First place:
Weeping Wetlands   by Jenna from Whitby

Second place:
Just Change   by L. Jarvis from London

Third place:
The World in 2050   by Dylan from London

Fourth place:
A Day In the Life of a Polar Bear: 2050   by Samantha from Oshawa

Fifth place:
The Environment in 2050   by Farhana from London

The top 5 submissions were presented to Premier McGuinty and posted on the Ontario Nature’s website.

Congratulations to our winners for 2005-2006!

First and second place winners of the youth essay challenge. From left: DOW representative Dave Shortt, Rachel, Sara and Ontario Nature Board member Stephanie Foster. Photo by Vanessa Denov/Ontario Nature Collection

Ontario Nature’s first youth essay challenge was a success. With over 150 entries from across the province the judges had a wonderful time reading through the essays, poems and creative stories that were submitted.

Thank you for letting us know why you think we need nature and a healthy environment in Ontario.

First place:
I wonder by Rachel from Elmira

Second place:
Listen by Sara from Elmira

Third place:
Nature is by Kenny from Vankleek Hill

Runners up:
What would I do without nature? by Ben from Chute a Blondeau
My own backyard by Rebecca from Alfred
Why do we need nature? by David from Kinkardine
Behind every tree... by Marie-Claude from Roslin