The Historica-Dominion Insitute encourages you to pick a moment or period in Aboriginal history and create a fictional short story that is based on this history. The event selected should be tied to Canadian history and/or the participant’s ancestral history. There are several prizes, with cash winnings of up to $2000, an all-expenses paid trip for two to a major Canadian city to receive his or her award at a special reception with a group of esteemed Aboriginal leaders and authors, and a chance for your story to be published in Canada's History (formerly The Beaver). Read the 2011 winning entries by Candace Toma and Alyssa Megan General.
Eligibility and Conditions: Open to Canadian students of Aboriginal ancestry (Inuit, Métis, Non-Status, or Status); ages 14 through 18 or 19 through 29. Essays can be submitted in either official language.
To learn more, go to Our Story — Writing Challenge.
This contest, called Portraits of Valour, is an opportunity to learn about the 1941 Battle of Hong Kong, and the soldiers who fought in that battle. Students are asked to choose one of the five soldiers listed as their topic. All are deserving of attention, there is no wrong choice.
Eligibility and Conditions: Open to high school history students across the country (Junior High category: Grades 9 and 10; Senior High category: Grades 11 and 12). Submissions can be made in either official language, with a submission deadline of May 25, 2012. There are four prizes in total: $200 and $100 in the senior category; $150 and $75 in the junior category.
Winners will be notified before the end of the school year, and winning entries will be published on the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association website.
To learn more, go to HKVCA Cross Canada Writing Contest.
Sponsored by the Government of Canada, these award recipients are recognized as exceptionally innovative leaders who help students excel and young children get the best possible start in life. There are two categories: one for Excellence in Early Childhood Education and one for Teaching Excellence.
Eligibility and Conditions: Submissions can be made in either official language; deadline is November 30, 2011. All winners receive a certificate, a pin and a letter from the Prime Minister. Certificates of Excellence are each worth $5,000 and are shared equally between the winners and their schools or childcare institutions. Certificates of Achievement are each worth $1,000 and are given directly to recipients.
To learn more, go to Prime Minister's Awards.
Prizes are being offered for works which make a significant contribution to understanding the teaching, learning, and assessment of history in Canada, whether published in Canada or elsewhere.
Eligibilities and Conditions: Authors, or others who nominate them, may submit three hard copies of a book or dissertation, or one copy of an article by email attachment, to the adjudication committee for consideration by June 30th. Submissions for articles and books are to have been published in the previous calendar year (2010). Submissions for dissertations are to have been completed in the two previous calendar years (2009 or 2010). For 2011 we will be awarding a prize to a French-language dissertation only. Next year we will award a prize to an English-language dissertation.
To learn more, visit THEN/HiER.