The Meaning of Home contest is a unique and meaningful way to get students involved in creative writing. The goal is to teach students the importance of actively participating to better their communities.
It is also a way for you to meet curriculum criteria in the area of language/language arts. Some of the curriculum requirements that can be addressed through participation in the contest include:
- Producing an original piece of work that reflects a capacity for independent critical thought
- Organizing ideas and writing for an intended purpose or audience
- Writing to express thinking and communicate personal opinions
- Developing proper grammar, spelling and punctuation
- Fostering proofreading, editing and revision skills
Timing:
| January 4, 2021 | Contest opens for submissions |
| February 19, 2021 | Contest closes |
| February 20 – April 30, 2021 | Judging of all entries |
| May/June, 2021 | Winners are announced |
Each grade will have a grand prize winner and three runners-up.
Grand Prize Winner (three total, one per grade) – $30,000 grant each
Each grade winner of the Meaning of Home contest will receive a $30,000 grant to direct to a local Habitat build. In addition to the $30,000 grant, the contest grand prize winners will also receive an iPad and a pizza party for their class.
3 Runner-up Prizes (nine total, three per grade) – $10,000 grant each
Three contest runners-up per grade will receive a $10,000 grant towards a local Habitat build project, an iPad and pizza party for their class.
And $10 per essay will be generously donated by the contest’s founding sponsor, Sagen™ (formerly Genworth Canada)1, to your local Habitat for Humanity for every contest entry submitted. That means that your student’s participation is helping Canadian families access safe, decent and affordable homes that they pay for with a no down payment, interest-free affordable mortgage.
Resources for Download
1. Sagen™ is the business name of Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Company Canada (“GFMICC”) and is a trademark owned by Sagen MI Canada Inc. Genworth Canada is the former brand name of GFMICC.
