Each contest entry is given a mark out of 50 for braille accuracy and a mark out of 50 for creativity. The combined score (out of 100) determines the first, second and third place winners for each group and category.
Braille Accuracy
Braille accuracy marking is done by CNIB Beyond Print Braille Room volunteer transcribers. Each entry is marked according to the braille proficiency level indicated on the entry form (students are marked according to what they indicate they have learned).
Creativity
Each year a Canadian author (Children or Young Adult books) is invited to volunteer for this role.
2025 Contest Judge: Emily Urquhart
Emily Urquhart is the author of three books of creative nonfiction including the essay collection, Ordinary Wonder Tales, a finalist for the 2023 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction. She has a doctorate in folklore (yes, you can earn a PhD studying fairy tales) and a background in journalism. She is a five-time National Magazine Award nominee for her journalistic work and has won gold and silver. Emily is a nonfiction editor for The New Quarterly and teaches creative writing and science communication at the University of Waterloo. In summer 2024 she ran the creative writing workshop for the Writing with Feeling program at CNIB Lake Joe, which was extraordinarily fun. She lives in Kitchener, Ontario, with her husband, two children, and a giant puppy named Junebug Valentine.
Volunteer as a judge!
As a volunteer judge, you'll be reviewing 50+ text entries (including poetry, stories and essays) and giving them a score for creativity. The guest judge typically has July and August to review approx. 50 entries and provide feedback. Note: each entry will have already been assigned a score for Braille Proficiency prior to you reviewing/scoring the creativity.
Learn more about what's involved and how to become a volunteer judge for the CNIB Braille Creative Writing Contest. Review the volunteer judge application.