✏️📖 🏆 💡🚀 📝🎉
🎂 Switch Summer Camp Turns 10!

The Switch✏️ Pen Battle

Your story deserves the world's stage.

A global writing competition for children & teens aged 5–16.
Unleash your creativity. Win big. Make your voice heard.

Opens
Mar 1, 2026
Deadline
Mar 29, 2026
Grand Finale
Apr 3, 2026
Ages
5 – 16 yrs
⏰ Countdown to submission deadline
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🖊️ About the Competition

More than a contest —
it's your stage.

The Switch Pen Battle is organised to celebrate our 10th Anniversary and launch the Switch Blog. We're inviting young writers from all over the world to write with purpose, precision, and passion.

We're not just looking for the "best" story — we're looking for YOUR story. Let's write, learn, and grow together!

🌍

Global

Open to kids worldwide, 100% online.

🏆

Big Prizes

₦1,000,000 total prize pool!

📣

Get Published

Top entries on the Switch Blog.

🎓

Certificate

Certificates of excellence.

🏆 Total Prize Pool

Win Incredible Prizes!

₦1,000,000

Plus amazing extras for all top finalists!

🏅 Certificates of Excellence
📰 Published on the Switch Blog
🏕️ Sponsorship to Switch Summer Camp 2026
📸 Grand Finale IG Live – April 3
📝 Competition Topics

Choose Your Story

Pick ONE topic and write a poem, story, or essay. Your words — your rules!

🌟

Big Dreams, Brave Stories

Tell us about a big dream you have and the courage it takes to pursue it. Dream fearlessly!

📖 Story📝 Essay🎵 Poem
🇳🇬

Dream Big: Nigeria of My Dreams

Describe the Nigeria you imagine — what does your ideal country look and feel like?

📖 Story📝 Essay🎵 Poem
👑

A Young Leader Who Changed Things

Write about a young leader — real or fictional — who stood up and made a real difference.

📖 Story📝 Essay🎵 Poem
📰 Switch Blog

Blog Categories

Your published entry will be featured under one of these exciting categories on the brand-new Switch Blog!

🔭

Future Focus

🏛️

Nation Building

⚙️

Skill

🦁

Leadership

🎨

Creativity Showcase

✅ Eligibility

Can You Enter? Yes — If You're...

Check both boxes and you're ready to battle!

🎂

Aged 5 to 16 Years Old

The competition is open to children and teens aged 5–16 from any country in the world. It's 100% online — so no matter where you are, you can join!

📱

Following Us on Instagram

Participants must follow our Instagram page @switch.summer.camp to be eligible. Follow us for updates, announcements, and the Grand Finale Live!

🎯 Our Goals

What you'll gain by joining

Whether you win or not, the Switch Pen Battle is designed to help every young writer grow, connect, and shine brighter than before.

🎨

Unleash Your Creativity

Let your imagination run wild with stories only you can tell!

🛠️

Learn Useful Skills

Writing is a superpower — sharpen it for school and life.

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Showcase Your Talent

Share your work with a global audience of eager readers.

🤝

Make New Friends

Connect with young writers from around the world who love words.

🦁

Become a Leader

Powerful stories create powerful leaders. Write fearlessly!

🏅

Gain Recognition

Be celebrated globally for your originality and hard work.

📋 Submission Rules

How to Submit Your Entry

Follow every rule carefully — adherence is mandatory!

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Word Count

200 words min1,000 words max. Quality matters more than length!

🖊️

Formatting

Times New Roman, 12pt, 1.5 line spacing, Justified alignment.

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File Format

Save as .docx or PDF, named after yourself (e.g. Ada_Obi.pdf).

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Cover Page

Full name, age, class, location, parent/guardian email & phone number.

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Language

Entries must be written in English. All nationalities welcome!

1️⃣

One Entry Only

One topic, one submission. Multiple entries = disqualification.

🚨

No AI Content. No Plagiarism. Ever.

All entries must be 100% original work by the participant. AI-generated content and plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification. Parents and guardians may guide — but you must write every word yourself!

⚖️ Judging Criteria

What Our Judges Look For

Originality & Creativity

Is it fresh, imaginative, and uniquely yours?

💡

Content & Clarity

Are your ideas clear, well-expressed, and meaningful?

📐

Language & Structure

Is your writing well-organised with good grammar?

🧠

Depth of Argument

Does your writing show real thoughtfulness and depth?

❓ FAQs

Got Questions? We've Got Answers!

Children and teens aged 5–16 from any country in the world. The competition is 100% online so you can join from anywhere!
You can submit a poem, a story, or an essay — just make sure it's based on one of the three approved competition topics!
Each participant must choose only ONE topic and submit ONE entry. Multiple submissions will lead to disqualification.
Parents and guardians can guide and encourage, but the writing must be the participant's own original work. Any plagiarism or AI-generated content will result in disqualification.
March 29, 2026 at 11:59pm WAT. Late entries will not be accepted — so submit early!
Winners are announced at the Grand Finale Webinar, streamed live on Instagram (@switch.summer.camp) on April 3, 2026 at 10:00am WAT!
A total prize pool of ₦1,000,000, certificates of excellence, publication on the Switch Blog, and sponsorship to Switch Summer Camp 2026 for top finalists!
Slide into our DMs on Instagram at @switch.summer.camp — we'd love to hear from you!
✍️ Submit Your Entry

Ready to Battle? Let's Go! 🚀

Click the link below to register and submit your entry. Read all the guidelines first!

Follow for Live Updates! 📱

Don't miss the Grand Finale Live on April 3rd — follow us for all announcements and winner reveals!

@switch.summer.camp