Brantford’s Assumption College School Grade 12 student Seerat Virk has won the 2026 Laurier Stedman Prize for her short story “The Same Wind,” earning a $3,500 award. The prize was presented during a ceremony at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus on May 27.
Virk’s first-place finish continues a strong run for the school in the biennial competition, which awards a total of $13,000 to young storytellers. The Laurier Stedman Prize is open to original, unpublished fiction up to 1,500 words from students in the Grand Erie and Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District school boards. This year’s contest drew a record 54 entries.
The competition is funded through an endowment and estate gift from the late Mary Stedman, a former executive member of the Canadian Booksellers Association and a champion of Laurier’s Brantford campus. Ken Paradis, an associate professor of English at Laurier Brantford who chairs the prize jury, said each story was “a work of art” that the panel found difficult to rank.
Virk is the third Assumption College School student recognized in as many competitions. In 2024, then-Grade 11 student Navraj Patial took first place with “Achhut,” and in 2022, Tahiyah Syeda earned second place with “A Day at the Store.”
The school community welcomed the news this week, highlighting how the award reflects student dedication and the support of teachers who nurture creative writing talent.
