Sanaa Lake wins Dame Ruby Bute Short Story Contest for second consecutive year

GREAT BAY--Young writer Sanaa Lake has won the 2026 Dame Ruby Bute National Short Story Contest, securing the top prize for the second consecutive year, while Gabrielle Joseph placed second in the annual competition organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS).

Now in its second year, the contest is open to students ages 12 to 14 and is designed to encourage reading, writing, literacy and creative expression among St. Maarten’s young people. It also honors the legacy of Dame Ruby Bute, one of the island’s celebrated cultural icons, writers and storytellers.

This year’s theme, “Beats, Bytes & Bacchanal: It’s St. Maarten Carnival 2050,” challenged students to imagine what Carnival could look like several decades from now in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Students were asked to explore how innovation could transform the Carnival experience while also considering how St. Maarten can embrace technological change without losing the culture, traditions, identity and spirit that make its Carnival unique.

Lake’s winning story examined the relationship between technological progress and cultural preservation, considering how innovation could help shape the future while maintaining the human creativity, identity and community spirit at the heart of Carnival.

The winners were recognized during a ceremony at the Government Administration Building held in observance of International Literacy Day. Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa D. Gumbs welcomed the young writers, along with members of her Cabinet, contest judges, sponsors and families.

Gumbs encouraged the students to continue reading, writing, expanding their vocabulary and developing their own voices as young storytellers.

“This contest is especially close to my heart because the idea for it began long before I became Minister. I wanted to create something that would make our young people want to read, write, imagine, and tell their own stories. This year, we asked them to imagine Carnival in 2050 because embracing the future should never mean losing sight of who we are. Dame Ruby Bute showed us the power of telling our stories in our own voice, and I want our young people to know that their voices, their imagination, and their perspectives matter too,” Gumbs said.

International Literacy Day marked its 60th anniversary in 2026 under UNESCO’s theme, “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity.” The annual observance highlights literacy as a fundamental human right and a foundation for opportunity, participation, peace and sustainable development.

MECYS said literacy today extends beyond the ability to read and write. It also includes the ability to communicate effectively, think critically, evaluate information and confidently express ideas, skills that have become increasingly important in a digital environment shaped by technology, artificial intelligence and misinformation.

The Ministry thanked contest judges Mahkicia Brooks, Alita Singh, Ashille Brooks and Dimitri Whitfield for contributing their time and expertise. It also recognized Boolchands, Antek IT Solutions and RBC for supporting this year’s competition.

MECYS said the Dame Ruby Bute National Short Story Contest will continue bringing literacy, creativity, culture and contemporary issues together while providing a platform for the voices of St. Maarten’s young people. The Ministry said it hopes to expand the initiative in the years ahead and inspire more young writers to discover the power of telling their own stories.

‍