Rotary Youth Competitions
2026–27
Rotary: Pen or Lens — show us Friendship. Enter the Young Writer or Young Photographer competition.
Take part in this year’s Rotary Youth Competitions
Stranraer Academy is delighted to take part in the Rotary Youth Competitions 2026–27. Pupils can enter the Young Writer or Young Photographer challenge — or both — and explore this year’s theme, ‘Friendship’, however it means something to you.
Young Writer
Short story or poem · ‘Friendship’Write a handwritten or typed piece — fiction or non-fiction, prose or poem — that explores what friendship means to you.
- Prose: up to 550 words
- Poetry: up to 40 lines
- No pictures or drawings as part of the entry
- Judged on imagination, engagement, argument & relevance to theme
- Must be entirely your own original work — no AI, plagiarism or close copying
Young Photographer
Single photo or collage · ‘Friendship’Capture your vision of friendship in one photograph — or a collage made only of your own photos, submitted as a single entry. Phones and cameras both welcome.
- Must include a sentence explaining how it relates to ‘Friendship’
- Consent form needed if it shows anyone under 18
- National Final: JPG, 1500px+ on the longest side
- Judged on technical merit, composition, imagination & theme
- Must be entirely your own original work — no AI, plagiarism or close copying
Need a spark of inspiration?
A few ideas of what “friendship” can look like through a lens — laughter, comfort, teamwork, quiet moments. Tap any photo to see it bigger.
Laughing together
A shared moment
Playing together
Pure joy
Adventures together
Everyday friendship
Inspiration photos via Unsplash — not eligible as competition entries, ideas only.
Stuck on where to start writing?
Spin up a random friendship prompt for inspiration — then make it your own.
How the competition works
Local Heat — Stranraer Academy
Submit your entry to Mr James or Mrs Fay by the school deadline.
Deadline: Friday 27 November 2026District Final
Winning entries from Stranraer go forward to the Rotary district final.
National Final
District winners are entered into the Rotary GB&I National Final.
National deadline: 30 April 2027How to submit your entry
Email your entry directly — attach your story, poem, or photo and send it in.
All entries must be entirely your own original work. Rotary does not permit AI-generated, plagiarised or closely-copied entries in any Youth Competition — entries found in breach will be disqualified.
