Attention creative writers... It's time to write your manifestos! If you were in charge for a day, what wild and wonderful changes would you make in Cayman or around the world?

Competition Writing Topic

Write a creative response to: “If I were in charge for a day…”

Imagine this: You are in charge for a whole day! Will you preside over the Cayman Islands, or the whole world? What wild and wonderful proclamations will you make? Who will make up your team? How do you think you could improve our world? And where might your ideas make the biggest and best difference?

Whether you wish to implement new laws that affect people in every corner of the globe, your local community, or even just your school, we want to hear what you’re passionate about changing. Your stories can be as whimsical or sincere as you prefer.

This is your chance to make your dreams for the world a reality, but remember, with great power comes great responsibility!

Writing prompts:

  • Setting – where/what/who are you in charge of?
  • Your team – who is on your team/government? And how will they help you govern?
  • Changes – what changes will you make and why?
  • Challenges – what challenges might you face whilst in charge? And how will you deal with them?
  • Result – How will your governance improve the world for those around you?

Whatever your child is passionate about, we are looking for a piece of inspired writing that clearly demonstrates a passion for making the world, even if it’s just a small corner of it, a better place.

Submissions will be judged by independent experts. There will be a winner and runner-up prize for each age category.

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: Monday 24th March, 2025
  • Closing Date: Wednesday 30th April, 2025 (Easter is Sunday 20th April, 2025)
  • Judging: 10th May-24th May, 2025
  • Winners announced and prizes awarded: Wednesday 28th May, 2025

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 the first place winning entries in the 2026 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 Islands Parliament, Cayman Parrot Sanctuary, Cayman Turtle Centre, Kirk Office, National Trust for the Cayman Islands, Next Chapter 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 Next Chapter 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, CI$25 Next Chapter 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 Next Chapter voucher and a Family Day Pass to the Cayman Turtle Centre, plus a CI$50 food voucher.
  • Runner Up Prize: CI$75 Camana Bay voucher, CI$25 Next Chapter 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!

Division C -12-14 years

  • First Prize: CI$150 Camana Bay voucher, CI$50 Next Chapter voucher, CI$150 Kirk Office 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, CI$25 Next Chapter voucher.
  • Winner's Class Prize*: A guided tour of the House of Parliament.

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

Judges

We have selected three leaders within the community to judge this competition.

Lesley 1

Lesley Maddock

Manager at Little Trotters School

Lesley Maddock will be judging the Division A category of 6-8 year olds.

Miss Lesley is the glue that holds the wonderful world of Little Trotters nursery school together. She is a qualified Nursery Nurse (NNEB 0-7 years), is First Aid trained and has over 25 years childcare experience. She first joined Little Trotters in 2005 as a nursery teacher and has risen through the ranks. Miss Lesley now runs everything with a capable, steady hand, and an inspiring vision for the school and the children within. Miss Lesley revels in time spent with the enchanting little people entrusted to her care. A high point of her school year is being able to write the school reports, capturing how magical and wonderful each individual child is with the most marvellous use of written English.

Hailey Myles Digital copy IMG 1547

Hailey Myles

Talent Development Administrator at Inspire Cayman Training

Hailey Myles will be the judge of the Division B category of 9-11 year olds.

Hailey Myles is the Talent Development Administrator at Inspire Cayman Training where her passion for empowering others to achieve their dreams is evident every day. With a Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts & Food Science, three years of leadership experience, and her unwavering dedication to fostering the growth, confidence and success in others, Hailey plays a vital role in the ‘Inspired to Hired’ employment initiative that makes Inspire Cayman Training such a life-changing company in Cayman’s education field.

Governor Jane Owen photo 2025

Jane Owen

Governor of the Cayman Islands

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

Jane Owen is a British diplomat and a graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge where she gained a BA Hons in Russian, French and German. After entering the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, she worked on European affairs in London and was posted to Japan, Vietnam and India. Since 2010 Jane has been HM Ambassador to Norway, the Deputy CEO of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), and HM Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. She has been the Governor of the Cayman Islands since April 2023.

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 2024 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.