Canadian Innovation Contests · Leadership 2027
Canadian Innovation Creative Writing Contest
Explore leadership through a character's choices, courage and responsibility. CIWC combines reading comprehension with an original creative response completed during a 75-minute online test.
2027 theme · Leadership
Stories of Courage and Responsibility
A story becomes compelling when a character has something difficult to decide. Stories of Courage and Responsibility explores leadership through those turning points: speaking up when silence is easier, accepting responsibility for a mistake, or helping people with different views act together. Students consider motives and perspectives as readers, then use character, conflict and consequences to show leadership through the choices people make.
What the contest develops
Strengthen reading comprehension and create an original written response with clear structure, purposeful language and imagination.
Find the right level
Eligibility and entry levels
Grades 3–8
Enter the category for your current school grade. Contact CKSTEM if your grade falls outside the published levels or you need help choosing a category. The contest instructions will confirm placement and any accommodations before entry.
What students do
Contest format
75-minute online test
Three levels cover Grades 3/4, 5/6 and 7/8. Section A has multiple-choice questions on two short reading passages, which vary by level. Section B is a creative-writing prompt. Both sections are completed in one 75-minute online sitting during the contest window.
Supervision and equipment
School entries use teacher supervision. Ask CKSTEM about current individual supervision, permitted materials and the online submission process.
Curriculum connection
Foundations + comprehension + composition.
Skills development in language and literacy is critical to student success. Strong oral and written language foundations are necessary to support more complex skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving.
This contest focuses on both reading and writing with emphasis on three areas: foundations of language (spelling, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and language conventions), comprehension and understanding of text, and composition (expressing and creating text).
Help your child prepare
Explore the theme, practise the skills
Read together and discuss why a character acts as they do. Practise planning short stories with a clear problem, a meaningful choice and consequences that follow from it.
Preparation idea
Preparation idea: write a short scene in which a character must admit a mistake that affects their team. Show what makes the decision difficult and how the other characters respond. This is a writing exercise; students must answer the actual prompt during the timed contest.
For teachers
Connect comprehension discussions to motives, viewpoint and consequences. Give students opportunities to plan and revise original stories in class, then supervise the timed reading-and-writing contest.
The themes below describe the 2027 creative direction. Exact questions, grade-specific prompts, speech topics, artwork requirements and judging rubrics will be provided in the contest instructions. The preparation examples are ideas to explore, not official contest tasks.
Previous contest guide & practice resources (2026) · Explore CKSTEM’s learning resources
Achievement and participation
Awards and results
CIC awards and participation certificates recognise achievement. Current 2027 award details will be announced separately.
The published CIC award framework includes Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honors recognition by contest level, with a participation certificate for each participant. Medal delivery and any Greater Toronto Area award-ceremony arrangements are communicated separately; CKSTEM does not cover international award shipping.
| Recognition | Placing |
|---|---|
| Gold | Top 1% |
| Silver | Top 2–3% |
| Bronze | Top 4–6% |
| Honors | Top 7–10% |
For families and school coordinators
Registration and fees
2027 registration details and any individual-entry fees to be announced. Schools can contact CKSTEM to coordinate a group.
School entry
A coordinator can register a group, confirm categories and organise the supervised sitting or submission process. Contact CKSTEM with the participating grades and approximate student count.
Individual entry
Ask CKSTEM for the current individual registration route, fee and supervision instructions before entry.
Email info@ckstem.org or send a contest enquiry. Dates and registration deadlines are listed below.
Plan your year
CIWC · Writing dates & deadlines
Dates below are for CKSTEM’s Canadian entries. ET means Toronto time; PT means Vancouver time. Use “Other time zones” for your location.
1 calendar entries
| Contest & round | Date & start time | Duration / format | Register by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing · Contest windowOpen entry | Apr 1, 2027 – Apr 16, 2027 Choose one supervised sitting | 75 minutes | Mar 15, 2027 |
No contests match both filters. Choose another format or reset the filters.
For a fixed-date contest, registration closes three weeks before the sitting. For a submission or sitting window, registration closes two weeks before it begins, except Math, Science, Computing and Writing: their confirmed deadline is March 15, 2027. Finals require qualification and a separate invitation or registration.
Download contest calendar (CSV) · Academic calendar and class schedule