children's day essay writing competition

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Best Children's Writing Contests in 2024

Showing 17 contests that match your search.

Promising Young Writers Contest

National Council of Teachers of English

Genres: Children's

Through collaboration and community, shared stories and shared experiences, NCTE supports teachers and their students in classrooms, on college campuses, and in online learning environments. The Promising Young Writers Program stimulates and recognizes the writing talents of eighth-grade students and to emphasize the importance of writing skills among eighth-grade students.

The NCTE Certificate of Recognition

💰 Entry fee: $25

📅 Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)

World Historian Student Essay Competition

World History Association

Genres: Children's and Essay

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. Past winners may not compete in the same category again.

📅 Deadline: May 01, 2024 (Expired)

IEW Writing Contest

Institute for Excellence in Writing

We are delighted to present our annual writing contest for all aspiring and accomplished writers, ages eight to eighteen. Whether or not they have experience with IEW's Structure and Style® writing method, your students are invited to participate. For both the students and their teachers, we have great prizes for the top three in each category!

📅 Deadline: April 30, 2024 (Expired)

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Plan, write, edit, and format your book in our free app made for authors.

Learn more about Reedsy Studio .

Cricket Magazine Contest

Cricket Magazine

Will you write about a hidden talent or secret superpower? A secret identity or a hidden message? Whatever you decide, all the bugs in Cricket Country just can’t hide their excitement to read your wonderful words. They’ll be sticking close to the mailbox in hopes that you don’t hide your poetic talent. Proudly share your best poem—of 24 lines or fewer, please—about hiding.

Publication in Cricket Magazine

📅 Deadline: May 30, 2024 (Expired)

Celebration Day Writing Contest

The Celebration Day Competition gets children to connect with the oldest person they know and interview them about the person who inspired them most growing up. They will retell the story in a creative way to win their work being read out on camera by a star-studded collection of celebrity guests, an iPad, and a £100 Amazon voucher. You must be aged between five and 18 to enter the competition, or be a teacher, and can live anywhere in the world.

£100 Amazon Voucher

Additional prizes:

Celebrities reading out winning entries, publication on website.

📅 Deadline: June 21, 2022 (Expired)

$1000 for 1000 Words Contest

The Layla Beban Young Authors

Genres: Children's and Short Story

The $1000 for 1000 Words fiction writing contest is open to all students enrolled in grades 6-12. Each entrant may submit a fiction piece consisting of exactly 1,000 words (not including title or author’s name). The fiction piece can be on any topic, as long as it is not vulgar or offensive, does not use inappropriate profanity, and is the original work of the entrant not previously published.

📅 Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)

I Am Writing Competition

Genres: Children's, Crime, Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, and Young Adult

Please submit the first 3,500 words of your novel. A one-page synopsis is also required.

30-minute consultation with genre expert

💰 Entry fee: $13

📅 Deadline: May 28, 2024 (Expired)

Rattle Poetry Prize

Rattle Foundation

Genres: Children's and Poetry

The annual Rattle Poetry Prize offers $15,000 for a single poem to be published in the winter issue of the magazine. Ten finalists will also receive $500 each and publication, and be eligible for the $5,000 Readers’ Choice Award, to be selected by subscriber and entrant vote.

💰 Entry fee: $30

📅 Deadline: July 15, 2024

Youth Writing Contest

Vancouver Writer's Fest

Every year, the Vancouver Writers Fest launches a youth writing contest for short stories and personal essays in spring. We’re thrilled to once again be organizing two writing contests for students in British Columbia: one for grades 5-7 and the other for grades 8-12. These contests are judged by esteemed members of the Vancouver literary community.

📅 Deadline: May 31, 2024 (Expired)

The Betty Award

As one of the few competitions for elementary and middle school students, The Betty Award grants cash prizes for written pieces below 1,000 words. The Betty Award has both a Spring & Fall contest.

💰 Entry fee: $20

📅 Deadline: May 04, 2024 (Expired)

Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest

Jane Austen Society of North America

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's works in new generations of readers. Students world-wide are invited to compete for scholarship awards in three divisions: high school, college, and graduate school.

$1,000 scholarship

Two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s Annual General Meeting

📅 Deadline: June 02, 2022 (Expired)

North Street Book Prize

Winning Writers

Genres: Fiction, Memoir, Non-fiction, Poetry, Children's, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Science Fiction, Thriller, and Young Adult

Submit a self-published or hybrid-published book, up to 200,000 words in length. One grand prize winner will receive $10,000, a marketing analysis and one-hour phone consultation with Carolyn Howard-Johnson, a $300 credit at BookBaby, three months of Plus service (a $207 value) and a $500 account credit from Book Award Pro, and 3 free ads in the Winning Writers newsletter (a $525 value)

$1,000 for top winner in each category | $300 for honorable mentions

💰 Entry fee: $75

"Write On!" Short Story Contest

Ann Arbor District Library

The annual "Write On!" Short Story Contest for Grades 3-5 accepts story entries each winter. All writers, their friends, and families are invited to a Story Celebration and awards ceremony on Saturday, April 23, 2022, featuring a published children's author and the top three writers in each grade will receive an award.

Publication on website

📅 Deadline: February 05, 2024 (Expired)

John Estey Student Writing Competition

American Writers Museum

“Tradition was safety; change was danger.” — Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow. This prompt is a quote from Russell’s The Sparrow and can be used as a first line, a last line, a jumping-off point, an inspiration for your students’ work.

📅 Deadline: June 07, 2024

The Bath Children's Novel Award

The Bath Novel Awards

Genres: Children's, Fiction, and Young Adult

The Bath Children's Novel Award is a £5,000 international prize for emerging writers of children's fiction. Submit the first 5,000 words plus a one page synopsis of your chapter book or novel for children or young adults, or up to three picture book texts with summaries. Shortlistees receive feedback on their full manuscript from young judges and all listees receive editorial director feedback on their extract and synopsis.

£1,800 course for one longlistee

💰 Entry fee: $38

📅 Deadline: November 30, 2024

Amazing Women’s Edition Contest

National Youth Foundation

Founded by Black women with a vision for change, the mission of the National Youth Foundation is to promote diversity, inclusion and gender equality through innovative literary programs. To honor the vast accomplishments of women in the United States, the National Youth Foundation is pleased to announce the Amazing Women’s Edition (AWE) competition. This writing contest is open to students in grades K to 8 residing in the United States.

📅 Deadline: January 07, 2022 (Expired)

100 Word Writing Contest

Tadpole Press

Genres: Essay, Fantasy, Fiction, Flash Fiction, Humor, Memoir, Mystery, Non-fiction, Science Fiction, Science Writing, Thriller, Young Adult, Children's, Poetry, Romance, Short Story, Suspense, and Travel

Can you write a story using 100 words or less? Pieces will be judged on creativity, uniqueness, and how the story captures a new angle, breaks through stereotypes, and expands our beliefs about what's possible or unexpectedly delights us. In addition, we are looking for writing that is clever or unique, inspires us, and crafts a compelling and complete story. The first-place prize has doubled to $2,000 USD.

2nd: writing coach package

💰 Entry fee: $15

Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors — including short story competitions, essay writing competitions, poetry contests, and many more. Updated weekly, these contests are vetted by Reedsy to weed out the scammers and time-wasters. If you’re looking to stick to free writing contests, simply use our filters as you browse.

Why you should submit to writing contests

Submitting to poetry competitions and free writing contests in 2024 is absolutely worth your while as an aspiring author: just as your qualifications matter when you apply for a new job, a writing portfolio that boasts published works and award-winning pieces is a great way to give your writing career a boost. And not to mention the bonus of cash prizes!

That being said, we understand that taking part in writing contests can be tough for emerging writers. First, there’s the same affliction all writers face: lack of time or inspiration. Entering writing contests is a time commitment, and many people decide to forego this endeavor in order to work on their larger projects instead — like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests. 

But we’re here to tell you that two of the great benefits of entering writing contests happen to be the same as those two reasons to avoid them.

When it comes to the time commitment: yes, you will need to expend time and effort in order to submit a quality piece of writing to competitions. That being said, having a hard deadline to meet is a great motivator for developing a solid writing routine.

Think of entering contests as a training session to become a writer who will need to meet deadlines in order to have a successful career. If there’s a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words you’ll need to write per day in order to meet that due date — and don’t forget to also factor in the time you’ll need to edit your story!

For tips on setting up a realistic writing plan, check out this free, ten-day course: How to Build a Rock-Solid Writing Routine.

In regards to the fear of rejection, the truth is that any writer aspiring to become a published author needs to develop relatively thick skin. If one of your goals is to have a book traditionally published, you will absolutely need to learn how to deal with rejection, as traditional book deals are notoriously hard to score. If you’re an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.

The good news is that there’s a fairly simple trick for learning to deal with rejection: use it as a chance to explore how you might be able to improve your writing.

In an ideal world, each rejection from a publisher or contest would come with a detailed letter, offering construction feedback and pointing out specific tips for improvement. And while this is sometimes the case, it’s the exception and not the rule.

Still, you can use the writing contests you don’t win as a chance to provide yourself with this feedback. Take a look at the winning and shortlisted stories and highlight their strong suits: do they have fully realized characters, a knack for showing instead of telling, a well-developed but subtly conveyed theme, a particularly satisfying denouement?

The idea isn’t to replicate what makes those stories tick in your own writing. But most examples of excellent writing share a number of basic craft principles. Try and see if there are ways for you to translate those stories’ strong points into your own unique writing.

Finally, there are the more obvious benefits of entering writing contests: prize and publication. Not to mention the potential to build up your readership, connect with editors, and gain exposure.

Resources to help you win writing competitions in 2024

Every writing contest has its own set of submission rules. Whether those rules are dense or sparing, ensure that you follow them to a T. Disregarding the guidelines will not sway the judges’ opinion in your favor — and might disqualify you from the contest altogether. 

Aside from ensuring you follow the rules, here are a few resources that will help you perfect your submissions.

Free online courses

On Writing:

How to Craft a Killer Short Story

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction

How to Write a Novel

Understanding Point of View

Developing Characters That Your Readers Will Love

Writing Dialogue That Develops Plot and Character

Stop Procrastinating! Build a Solid Writing Routine

On Editing:

Story Editing for Authors

How to Self-Edit Like a Pro

Novel Revision: Practical Tips for Rewrites

How to Write a Short Story in 7 Steps

Reedsy's guide to novel writing

Literary Devices and Terms — 35+ Definitions With Examples

10 Essential Fiction Writing Tips to Improve Your Craft

How to Write Dialogue: 8 Simple Rules and Exercises

8 Character Development Exercises to Help You Nail Your Character

Bonus resources

200+ Short Story Ideas

600+ Writing Prompts to Inspire You

100+ Creative Writing Exercises for Fiction Authors

Story Title Generator

Pen Name Generator

Character Name Generator

After you submit to a writing competition in 2024

It’s exciting to send a piece of writing off to a contest. However, once the initial excitement wears off, you may be left waiting for a while. Some writing contests will contact all entrants after the judging period — whether or not they’ve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:

Many writing competitions don’t have time to respond to each entrant with feedback on their story. However, it never hurts to ask! Feel free to politely reach out requesting feedback — but wait until after the selection period is over.

If you’ve submitted the same work to more than one writing competition or literary magazine, remember to withdraw your submission if it ends up winning elsewhere.

After you send a submission, don’t follow it up with a rewritten or revised version. Instead, ensure that your first version is thoroughly proofread and edited. If not, wait until the next edition of the contest or submit the revised version to other writing contests.

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Crazy Creatures 2024

• SOS Sagas: Trapped

Annual Showcase 2024

The big green poetry machine.

• Independent Entry
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Elementary Contests

Celebrate your students' writing this academic year!

Closing Date September 13, 2024

A poetry competition to inspire children and young adults and get them writing about nature and the world around them.

Extended Closing Date June 07, 2024

Crazy Creatures is a mini saga writing contest guaranteed to get elementary school students excited about writing!

Archived Contests

Recognizing and Celebrating Young Authors Since 2006!

The Betty Award

A writing contest for kids ages 8-12

The Betty Award has both a Spring and Fall contest.

Enter now for the Fall 2024 contest!

The deadline is October 5, 2024.

Deadline for Fall 2024 Entries

All entries must be entered by October 5, 2024. If contestants and families/adults experience issues with the online entry form, please contact us.

The Fall 2023 Winners Are

How to enter.

To enter, simply fill out our online form.

Reading Fee

There is a $20 US reading fee per story. We accept all major credit and debit cards. Please reach out with any questions on our contact page. The Betty Award.

Publication

Winners for the spring 2024 Contest will be announced on June 22, 2024.

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The following is a list of writing contests for kids. We also maintain a list and resources for writing scholarships . You can find a list of upcoming writing-related contest and award deadlines for adults organized by date on the writing contests homepage.

This information is provided for parents of children looking for writing contests. You should be able to find more local writing contests for kids by checking with the library or with your child's teachers. Be sure to read any contest and/or submission guidelines carefully.

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Home » Competitions for Children » Children’s Writing Competitions

Children’s Writing Competitions

Young writer’s competitions for children and teens aged 5-18

Please read our list of writing competitions for children. The contests are checked and updated each month . We are happy to feature writing challenges open to primary-age children, secondary-age pupils, and young adults in the UK. If you would like your competition featured here, please contact us . We are happy to feature competitions with at least one month remaining before the closing date. We have also compiled a list of recommended creative writing manuals and writing workshop activity guides suitable for use with KS1, KS2, KS3, and KS4 at the bottom of this page.

New competitions are listed at the top of each month. Past and annual competitions are listed below .

Writing competitions for children and teens

Please note – many previously annual competitions were or are being affected by the recession, lockdown, COVID or cost of living crisis. This is beyond our control.

Closing date in June

• BCC Young Entrepreneurs , run by First News invites young entrepreneurs aged 5-15 to write up to 200 words about their business idea or innovation. There are four categories to pick from and prizes include a trip to the British Chambers of Commerce’s Global Annual Conference.
• Stories of the Future creative challenge . What does the future hold for young people around the world? asks this international competition run by Earth4All. With three categories: 15 and under, 16-18 and 19-21, students can enter writing up to 800 words or videos of up to 1.5 minutes. Full details are on the competition website. There are free resources and posters for schools.
• In The b small Young Language Learner Award , 6-11 year olds can “send in a story or comic written in a language of their choice, other than a mother tongue .” There are French and Spanish activity packs available for teachers.
• The Philosophy Garden ‘Write a Script’ competition invites 11-18-year-olds to submit a nature-themed script for a short explainer video using animal characters to tell a story. Full details are on the website. The best entries will be made into a video to be exhibited in the Philosophy Museum in Milan.
• The Wells Festival of Literature offers young poets aged 16-25 the opportunity to enter poems of up to 35 lines on any subject for the annual Young Poets Competition. All entries must be in English .
• Celebration Day writing competition – entrants are invited to write 250 words (primary) or 500 words (secondary) to tell the story of an inspirational person they know. There are five age categories: 5-7; 8-10; 11-13; 14-16; 17-18 & teachers. Full details and resources are available on the competition website and the Celebration Day website.
• The Orwell Youth Prize – for secondary students aged 12-18, entries can be in any form, up to 1000 words. This year’s task is to respond to this title: “The Future We Want”.
• Cambridge University and SATIPS handwriting competition .

Closing date in July

• Martha Mills Young Writers’ Prize invites 11-14-year-olds living in the UK to enter 500 words or less on a prescribed theme. There are cash prizes and books for three winners. Full details are on the competition website run by London Review Bookshop.
• Young & Talented Cornwall invites 16-23-year-old residents of Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly who ‘ aspire to see your work in print, on stage or on screen ‘ to enter a personal statement and sample of work – both of up to 500 words – in this creative writing award scheme ‘ to help budding Cornish writers ‘. Grants of up to £1000 are available, together with a reading award of up to £150 worth of books.
• The Laurie Lee Prize for Writing offers a young person’s category for those who either live in Gloucestershire or were born in Gloucestershire.  16–20-year-olds  can enter up to 2500 words or up to 125 lines of poetry on “a nature or conservation theme”. There are more details on the competition website.
• The Young Wild Writers competition , run by Hen Harrier Action invites children aged 5-8, 9-12 and 13-16 to enter stories, poems, articles, prose or letters of up to 500 words on the theme of Human Impact . Prizes include book vouchers and an online author visit to the winning child’s school. Full details, including a downloadable poster, are on the competition website.
• The Hampshire Young Poets competition is open to any young person aged 4-7; 8-11 or 12-16 “ who lives or studies in Hampshire “. Entrants can submit up to 14 lines of poetry on the theme of ‘ home ’. Full details are on the competition website.
• Foyle Young Poets competition – for 11-17-year-olds, the competition welcomes “poems on any theme and any length”.
• Stephen Spender Trust poetry in translation prize – the challenge is to translate a poem from any language into English. There are three categories for young people: U18, U16, and U14. The top prize is £1000.
• Ledbury Under 18’s poetry competition . Two categories – 11 and under and 12-17 request poems of no more than 40 lines in length. There are cash prizes or book tokens for the winners.
• HG Wells short story competition.

Closing date in August

• Overgrowth Magazine is running an Undergrowth competition open to 16-19-year-olds who can submit 500 words of writing, or artwork, in any form “ about nature and our relationship to it .” Full details and ideas are on the competition webpage.
• Goldsmiths University of London is running a series of competitions for 16-18-year-olds who are invited to a short story, a piece of journalism with a historical angle, or a piece about identity and culture. The Young Writer, Young Columnist, and Young Anthropologist competitions close on 2nd August.
• Cinemagic Young Filmmaker – open to films on any subject from young filmmakers aged under 25. The prizes include winning films being screened in cinemas.
• Young Muslim Writers Award – open to UK children and teens in KS1, KS2, KS3 and KS4 who can submit a short story or poetry – and in KS3 and KS4, this is extended to also include journalism, screenplays, and play scripts. Full details are on the website.

Closing date in September

• The annual OxBright Essay Competition invites 15-18-year-olds to submit an essay of up to 3,800 characters (around 500 words). Details of the theme and subject requirements are on the competition website.
• Atom Learning’s Young Author Award offers 7-9-year-olds and 10-11-year-olds the chance to win a trip to Disneyland Paris. Children can enter fiction stories of up to 500 words inspired by the theme “If I were in charge for a day…” There’s also a free creative writing activity pack to download.
• C.A.B.B Publishing is running a short story competition for children. Full details are available on their website.
• The Betty Haigh Shakespeare Prize – is open to “any sixth-form student of English Literature”. There are two options, both with detailed entry criteria which can be viewed on the competition website.

Closing date in October

• ‘If Dylan met Thomas Hardy’ is the title of a new competition hosted by the Dylan Thomas Society and the Thomas Hardy Society. Writers aged 11+ can submit a play of up to 15 minutes in length for up to four cast members. The best three plays entered will be performed at the Dylan Thomas Theatre.
• The Yorkshire Festival of Story Children’s Story Competition invites short stories from UK children aged 7-12.
• Royal Geographical Society School Essay Competition – an annual competition, run in association with the Financial Times, for 16-19-year-olds, with a closing date in October.
• The Young Walter Scott Prize is dedicated to historical fiction, defined as “in a time before you were born”, and this competition has two age categories: 11-15 and 16-19. Entries can be prose, poetry, drama, fictional letters, or reportage. The closing date is the end of October.
• The Solstice Prize For Young Writers , organised by Writing East Midlands, invites children and teens aged 7-17 to write ‘ imaginative short stories (up to 500 words) and p rovocative poems (up to 40 lines)’. The competition offers cash prizes and an anthology of the best entries. There are three age categories: 7-11, 12-14 and 15-17.
• Saugus Halloween story writing contest.

Closing date in November

• BBC 500 words short story competition for children –  with two age group categories, 5-7-year-olds and 7-11-year-olds.
• The WILD WORDS National Eco-Poetry Project is open to young people aged 18 and under in the UK, who are asked to “imagine co-writing a poem with a tree, river, or even the weather” . Poem entries should be a maximum of one side of A4. Full details are on the competition website.
• Poetry Together Competition – children under 18 in the UK are invited to enter poems of no more than 14 lines on a theme detailed on the competition website, and choose a poem on any theme to learn by heart. There are two age group categories and full details are available on the competition website.
• The East Riding Festival of Words runs an annual poetry competition. Entries of up to 45 lines are open to children aged 4-10 and 11-16 and there are cash prizes for the winners.
• The Tadpole Press 100 Word Writing Contest is a worldwide competition open to writers of all ages. There’s an entry fee for this one, with cash prizes and writing development packages on offer for the winners. The deadline is November 30th.
• Wenlock Olympian Society Short Story Competition – open to students aged 16+ who are invited to write a story on any theme of up to 2500 words. Full entry details are on the Wenlock website.
• One Teen Story – story submission site for teenagers. The deadline is 27th November.
• The Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize for writers aged 18-25 invites entries of 1000-1500 words on a Franklin quote which changes each year. The deadline is 30th November.

Closing date in December

• Love Letters to London , run by the London Society, offers children aged 11 and under and 12-18 year-olds the opportunity to win cash prizes by entering prose (fiction, essays, and reportage) or poetry that celebrates ‘our wonderful, fantastic, infuriating city’. Full details, including this year’s theme, can be found on the competition website.
• Into Film awards will hopefully return in 2024. See also the ‘Film of the Month’ competition and the extensive resources to encourage school film clubs.

Closing date in January

• This Page is Printed offers an under-18s competition with cash prizes for entries of up to one page of A4 ‘in any genre: prose, poetry, script’. Judges will be looking for ‘something that dares to be different.’
• The Young Cartoonist Awards have an under-18 category where children and teens can enter ‘pocket (gag) cartoons, political cartoons and short strip cartoons.’
• The Cheshire Prize for Literature invites primary and secondary-aged students to enter short stories, poetry, children’s literature and scriptwriting. To qualify, entrants ‘must live or have lived, work or have worked, studied or have studied in Cheshire, Wirral, Warrington or Halton.’
• The Royal Mint Museum short story competition – will return in January 2024.
• The Japan Society runs the World Children’s Haiku Contest . Students aged 15 and under can enter a haiku on A4 or letter-sized paper on the theme of “family”, accompanied by hand-drawn artwork on the same page. Full details are available on the competition website.
• The Immerse Essay Competition offers teens aged 13-18 the opportunity to write an essay choosing from a range of topics including architecture, science, law, international relations, medicine, economics, creative writing and many more. There are two age groups: 13-15 and 16-18. The deadline is 4th January.
• North Eastern University London is running an essay competition for students in year 12. Pupils can submit up to 1,500 words, choosing from a range of set essay titles that span a broad range of topics including humanities, philosophy, social issues, the law and creative writing. There are cash prizes for the top three entries.
• The Korean Spirit & Culture Promotion Project Essay Contest is an international competition open to children in two age group categories: years 6-9 and years 10-13. There are cash prizes for the top three entries and honourable mentions in each category. Full entry details are available on this information poster . All submissions must be submitted by 15th January.
• The Herne Hill Lit Fest is running a “Stepping into Stories” competition for children aged 4-7, 8-11 and 12+. The theme is “ bouncing back “. Entries can be written stories, drawings, comic strips, poetry, raps, or digital animations. There are book token prizes for the winners.
• Bournemouth Young Writers prize – open to children in years 3&4, and years 5&6 and stories can be “ about anything you like “. Prizes include £150 worth of books.
• Rotary Club International Young Writer competition.

Closing date in February

• The Philosophy Garden is running a ‘Write a Script’ competition. Open to 11-18-year-olds in full-time education who live in the UK, students are invited to write a script for a short explainer video ‘ to explore how people with different beliefs and values can deal with disagreement and come to a decision or solve a problem together .’ Full details can be found on the competition webpage.
• The Elmbridge Literary Competition is open to children under 18 (free) in four age group categories: 5-7; 8-11; 11-13 and 14-18. The theme for 2024 is “Fame”. Short stories or poems can be entered. Full entry details and requirements can be viewed on the competition website.
• Perse Research’s Year 9 Aristotelian Award is open to students in Year 9 or equivalent. The award exists to “ promote the independent study skills in Year 9 pupils while simultaneously providing an avenue to explore super-curricular interests in the arts, humanities and sciences. ” Entrants are invited to write an 800-1500 word essay choosing a title from a choice of topics and essay titles spanning arts, humanities and the sciences.
• The Canterbury Tales Writing Competition – annual – open to all children of school age, including school and college pupils, home-educated children and entries from young people’s community organisations. There are three age categories: 5-10; 11-14 and 15-18. The 2024 theme is “ Being Part of a Group “.
• Bright Light Education Creative Writing Competition for children aged 7-13. This annual competition returns in 2023 and is open to all children in the UK, with three age categories – 7-9, 9-11 and 11-13. Entries need to be a 500-word story (full criteria on the website) inspired by Joseph Coelho’s advice on the website.  Closes on February 28th.
• The Royal Society of Literature invites students aged 13-18 to write up to 500 words about “ the writer from the past that most inspires them “. Prizes for the “ History is in the Making ” competition include book tokens for both entrants and the school.
• The Hugo Young Award – held in memory of Guardian political columnist Hugo Young, this competition encourages “fresh voices” aged 16-18 and 19-25 from UK state schools to pen political opinion pieces. Highly recommended for students studying A-level politics, sociology or looking towards a career in journalism.
• Voices – a writing competition, run by the charity Coram Voice, which is open to children and young people who are in or have experience with the care system.
• Christopher Tower Poetry Prize – open to young adults aged 16-18.

Closing date in March

• Young Science Writer of the Year Award – run by the Association of British Science Writers, this award is open to UK pupils aged 14-16 in non-selective state schools. Students can submit up to 800 words “on any subject in science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics.”
• Humanimal Trust Creative Awards – children and teens aged 7-18 can share their creative skills on the theme of ‘ Time to Connect ‘ in four age group categories: 7-9; 10-11; 12-15 & 16+. Full details are on the competition website.
• Young Songwriter 2024 – “ The world’s leading songwriting competition for young aspiring songwriters, aged 8-18 “. Children are invited to enter up to five songs. There are three age group categories for UK children and teens: 8-12; 13-15 & 16-18. Full details are on the Song Academy website.
• The BBC Young Reporter Competition is open to children and teens aged 11-18 who “want to report on a story or issue which is important to their life or the world around them”.
• Young Financial Journalist Competition – open to secondary students aged 14-15, 15-15, 16-17 and 18-19. “We are seeking well-argued articles from students aged 14–19”.
• Fitzwilliam College Cambridge is running a series of essay competitions aimed at pupils in their penultimate year of education before university – i.e. Year 12, S5 or Y13 (Northern Ireland). Entries (written in English) are welcome from around the world. With six categories: Ancient World and Classics, Archaeology, History, Land Economy, Medieval World, and Architecture; this competition is highly recommended for 6th formers and could provide useful evidence for university applications, a starting point for an EPQ project, or a talking point for an admissions interview. The deadline is 3rd March.
• The BBC Young Writer’s Award – is open to 14-18-year-olds who can submit a piece of original fiction of up to 1000 words. Highly recommended.
• The Portico Sadie Massey Awards feature two competitions open to children. There’s the KS2, KS3, KS4, and KS5 Young Readers Competition (write a book review – any genre – on any subject) and the Young Writers competition, open to pupils in KS3,4&5 (write a story based in the North of England.)
• The Girton College Humanities Writing Competition – open to Year 12 students in the UK, the writing task is based on five objects in the college’s antiquities museum.
• The Royal Mint runs an annual competition for primary school pupils aged 8-11 who can enter short stories of up to 500 words. Prizes include books for the school library. For this year’s theme and entry details, see the competition website.
• The Lowry’s Creative Writing Challenge is open to children aged 7-11 from across Salford and Greater Manchester. “ Pupils can draw on all aspects of writing for performance “, and enter writing of up to 500 words including poetry and stories or up to three minutes of playscript.
• The ISA Handwriting Competition is open to children in years 1, 2, 3-4 & 5-6 in ISA member schools, “to showcase their handwriting skills”.

Closing date in April

• The Guardian newspaper is running a Young Country Diary  writing competition open to 8-14-year-olds based in the UK. Six winners will be published in the Guardian and to enter students need to write a 200-250 word article about ‘a recent encounter they’ve had with nature’. Full details can be found on the competition webpage.
• Pitch Magazine is running a Young Sports Journalist competition . Students aged 14-24 can enter an article of 400-600 words in response to the question prompts on the website. There are four age group categories: 14-15, 16-17, 18-19 and 20-21 and there’s a £50 prize and work experience opportunity for each winning entry.
• Tadpole Press is running a worldwide 100-word writing contest open to writers of all ages. 100 words can be submitted in any genre. There is an entry fee for this competition and there’s a cash prize for 1st place and writing coaching and editing packages for the 2nd and 3rd places. The deadline is 30th April.
• Reading Zone offers a Create a Picture Book competition that’s open to 4-18-year-olds in three age group categories: 4-7; 7-11 and 11+. Prizes include £200 of books.
• Author of Tomorrow – run by the Wilbur and Niso Smith Foundation, the Author of Tomorrow prize aims to find adventure writers of the future. Young people under 21 can submit entries between 1500 and 5000 words (under 500 words for primary-aged pupils). The prizes are £1000 for the 16-21 age group, £100 and £150 in book tokens for the 12-15 age group, and £100 and £150 in book tokens for the 11 and under age group.
• The Day ‘ Young Journalist Awards ” are open to anyone under 19 (under 10 and 11-18)  and entrants can submit a written article, a video clip, an audio piece, photography, an illustration or a graphic in any one of 12 subject categories. Full details including how to enter are on the competition website.

Closing date in May

• The Poetry of Science Competition – Can you write a ‘ terrific scientific poem ‘? Each entrant can enter one poem of up to 150 words. There are three age group categories: 5-7, 8-11 and 12-16. For schools, there’s a downloadable poster for classrooms here . Winners will be invited to Oxford to attend a celebration event and perform their poems.
• Never Such Innocence – The 2024 theme is “How does war affect people’s lives?” , and to enter children and teens can ‘ using poetry, art, speech and song’ . There are four age group categories (9-11;  11-14;  14-16;  & 16-18) and full details are on the competition website.
• The D.H. Lawrence Children’s Prize: Writing Competition is open to students aged 11 and under and 12-16, who can enter up to 500 words on the theme of “The Four Seasons”. Prizes include Kindles and book tokens.
• Bournemouth Writing Festival is running an international students competition, with the theme of “ On Bournemouth Beach “. It’s open to international students aged 16+ whose first language is not English.
• War Through Children’s Eyes is open to children aged 7-17 and aims to “ raise awareness of the impact of wars and violent conflicts on the communities caught up in them, and particularly on the most vulnerable members of those communities: their children “. Entries of up to 1000 words are invited, there are vouchers for the top three entries and full details are available on the website.
• The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition is open to young people under the age of 19. The competition features a starter paragraph and invites entrants to write under 1000 words to continue the story.

Undated or open

• The Scottish Book Trust runs monthly mini-sage 50-word story writing competitions for children aged 5-11 and 12-18, with a different theme each month.
• Wordhound runs a monthly creative writing challenge for children aged 12 and under, who can send in 300-word stories “of funny, weird or otherwise unique writing” on a different subject each month.
• Kids’ Poetry Club runs a variety of competitions for primary and secondary-aged children, with a new theme announced every few months.
• The Young Poets Network runs regular writing challenges and competitions, which can be viewed on their website.
• BBC Today Student Journalism Awards – annual. this competition features a variety of journalism categories, including journalism (any medium), broadcasting, visual and photojournalism, criticism, publication, and programme. Entrants must be over 18 and in full-time UK higher education. The prizes include places on highly coveted BBC Journalism Trainee Schemes (paid positions).
• BBC Writers Room is inviting speculative screenplay submissions of at least 30 pages from young scriptwriters aged 16+ in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
• Blue Things Zine invites young writers aged 13+ to write articles and stories under 1500 words for consideration for publication.
• Scholastic We Are Writers – not a competition per-se, but lots of ideas for literacy and writing projects with the aim of getting your pupils published. Ideal for fundraisers or whole-school writing initiatives.
• Inkhead short story competition and writing clubs.
• Amnesty International has a series of online resources – ‘ Words That Burn ‘ – to inspire teenagers to write about human rights, equality and discrimination.
• National Literacy Trust competitions page.
• Readers’ Digest Competitions . – including a 100-word story competition for children.
• The Guild of Food Writers Write It – Young Food Writer of the Year – is open to children up to 18 in three age categories.
• Live Canon: Children’s Poetry Competition – for young people aged 5-18.
• For a non-competitive option, the John Muir Award offers schools an opportunity to “encourage people of all backgrounds to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places.” Through an award scheme, pupils can create a dossier of experiences, challenges and presentations to demonstrate how they have discovered a wild place, explored it, done something to conserve it and shared their experience. A good option for larger groups, classes and year groups, this award requires teacher input and planning. Suitable for year 4 through to secondary-aged pupils.
• The First Story Young Writers Festival offers pupils a day-long online festival with workshops, resources, interviews with writers, showcases for young writers, resources and CPD for teachers. This is a fantastic resource to inspire children to write for publication and would make a great starting point for pupils considering entering writing competitions. ( Note the festival is not running a competition of its own ).

Resources for creative writing in schools and at home

• Hoo’s Writing Corner – an exciting creative writing website for primary-aged children. The website includes writing prompts and exercises, and the monthly subscription magazine includes story construction ideas and spelling worksheets.
• Below is a collection of books recommended to inspire children to write – whether it be creative writing, nonfiction, or poetry.

Help! We Need a Story by James Harris

Write Like a Ninja: An essential toolkit for every young writer by Andrew Jennings

500 Words: A collection of short stories that reflect on the Black Lives Matter movement

Descriptosaurus by Alison Wilcox

How to Write your Best Story Ever! by Christopher Edge

How to Write Poems by Joseph Coelho

Just Imagine by James Carter

Spilling Ink – A Young Writer’s Handbook by Ellen Potter & Anne Mazer

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King

For more competition ideas, have a look at our public speaking and debating contests.

Browse our list of Children’s Book Publishers in the UK

Peruse our list of magazines for children and teens

Why not have a look at our suggested reading lists for children aged 3-16?

Books for EYFS & Reception Books for Year 1 Books for Year 2 Books for Year 3 Books for Year 4 Books for Year 5 Books for Year 6 Books for Year 7 Books for Year 8 Books for Year 9 Books for Year 10 Books for Year 11 Books for 6th formers

Please respect copyright and don’t copy or reproduce our reviews. Thanks .

About Tom Tolkien

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Writing Contests

Contests are a great way to sharpen your submission skills, stretch your imagination, and get your work out in the world. That’s why the Institute runs adult and kidlit writing contests throughout the year.

Each children’s book writing contest culminates in a Winners Workshop where we announce the winners and critique the winning entries to help all entrants improve their skills. Plus, each contest has cash prizes for the top five entries.

Check out our adult and children’s book writing contests below.

Photo Prompt Short Story

Ifw photo prompt short story.

Get your inspiration from the photo on the registration page and write a 1,000-word short story.

• Must be inspired by photo on registration page.
• Must be a complete story of 1,000 words or less
• Click here for details

ICL YA Fantasy First Pages

Fantasy novels are always popular with the young adult crowd. Introduce us to a teen and their not-so-ordinary world in our YA Fantasy First Pages Contest.

• Details will be announced in last Spring 2024.
• Click here to be notified when this contest opens.

ICL Rhyming Animal Poetry

Kids love rhyme and kids love animals, so let’s combine the two into a winning poem for kids ages 6-9! This contest is your chance to show us your rhyming poetry skills! The subject of your poem should be an animal (or animals) and should be suitable for publication in children’s magazines, such as Spider or Highlights .

• Winners will be announced at our Winners Workshop in late Spring 2024.
• Entrants will get into the workshop for free. An email invitation will be sent one week prior to the workshop.
• Non-entrants can attend for $7. Click here to be notified of future workshops and contests.

Winners Workshop

Following each writing contest, we hold a live workshop to announce the winners. The contest judge will reveal tips for writing in the contest genre and critique the winning entries sharing why they worked—and how they could be even better. Sign up now to be notified of our next workshop!

Looking to improve your contest entry?

How to Win a Contest

by ICL Instructor Nancy Coffelt

Tighten Up Your Weakest Link for a Contest Win

by ICL Contributor Jan Fields

Why a Contest? 7 Lucky Reasons to Enter

Our most recent contest winners.

Past Contests and Winners

Check out our past contest themes and winners!

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Find details about every creative writing competition—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, grants for translators, and more—that we’ve published in the Grants & Awards section of Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it in the Writing Contests database, the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

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Writing Contests, Grants & Awards

• See Recent Winners
• View the Submission Calendar

The Writing Contests, Grants & Awards database includes details about the creative writing contests—including poetry contests, short story competitions, essay contests, awards for novels, and more—that we’ve published in Poets & Writers Magazine during the past year. We carefully review the practices and policies of each contest before including it. Ours is the most trusted resource for legitimate writing contests available anywhere.

Omnidawn Publishing

Chapbook contest.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Omnidawn Publishing, and 20 author copies is given annually for a poetry chapbook. T.J. Anderson III will judge. Using only the online...

Western Connecticut State University

Housatonic book awards.

Three prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for books of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction published in the previous year. The winners also receive $500 in travel expenses and...

University of Akron Press

Akron poetry prize.

A prize of $1,500 and publication by University of Akron Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Matthew Olzmann will judge. Using only the online submission system,...

New American Press 

New american fiction prize.

A prize of $1,500, publication by New American Press, and 25 author copies is given annually for a book of fiction. Kalani Pickhart will judge. Using only the online submission...

Towson University

Prize for literature.

A prize of $1,000 is given annually for a book of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction by a current resident of Maryland who has lived in the state for at least three years...

Bitter Oleander Press

Library of poetry award.

A prize of $1,500 and publication by Bitter Oleander Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Submit a manuscript of 48 to 80 pages with a $28 entry fee between May 1...

42 Miles Press

Poetry award.

A prize of $1,000, publication by 42 Miles Press, and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner is also invited to give a reading at University of...

Tusculum Review

Chapbook prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Tusculum Review is given annually for a poetry chapbook, a short story, or an essay. This year’s prize will be awarded in nonfiction...

Artist Trust

Grants for artist projects.

Grants of $1,500 each will be given annually to poets, fiction writers, and nonfiction writers who are residents of Washington State. Students enrolled in a degree-granting...

Griffin Trust for Excellence in Poetry

Canadian first book prize .

A prize of $10,000 Canadian (approximately $7,405) will be awarded for a debut poetry collection by a living Canadian poet or permanent resident. Publishers may submit four...

Griffin Poetry Prize

A prize of $130,000 Canadian (approximately $96,268) is given annually for a poetry collection written in or translated into English by a living poet or translator from...

Poetry London

Poetry london prize.

A first-place prize of £5,000 (approximately $6,383), a second-place prize of £2,000 (approximately $2,553), and a third-place prize of £1,000 (approximately $1,277) are given...

University of North Texas Press

Katherine anne porter prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by University of North Texas Press is given annually for a collection of short fiction. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

Autumn House Press

Poetry prize.

A prize of $1,000 and publication by Autumn House Press is given annually for a poetry collection. The winner also receives a $1,500 travel and publicity grant. Kazim Ali will...

Bauhan Publishing

May sarton new hampshire poetry prize.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Bauhan Publishing, and 50 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. Dorsey Craft will judge. Using only the online submission...

University of Pittsburgh Press

Drue heinz literature prize.

A prize of $15,000 and publication by University of Pittsburgh Press is given annually for a collection of short fiction. Writers who have published at least one previous book...

Barrow Street Press

Poetry book prize.

A prize of $1,500 and publication by Barrow Street Press is given annually for a poetry collection. Kevin Prufer will judge. Using only the online submission system, submit a...

Lascaux Review

Prize in flash fiction.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Lascaux Review , both online and in print, is given annually for a work of flash fiction. Previously published or unpublished stories...

Cider Press Review

Editors’ prize book award.

A prize of $1,000, publication by Cider Press Review , and 25 author copies is given annually for a poetry collection. The editors will judge. Using only the online...

Kinsman Quarterly

African diaspora award.

A prize of $1,000 and publication in Kinsman Quarterly will be given annually for a poem or group of poems, a short short story, a short story, or an essay on a theme...

Anthology Magazine

Anthology poetry competition.

A prize of €1,000 (approximately $1,090) and publication in, plus a subscription to, Anthology Magazine is given annually for a single poem. Rachael Hegarty will judge....

International Short Story Prize

A prize of €3,000 (approximately $3,271) is given annually for a short story. A second-place prize of a weeklong retreat at Circle of Misse in Missé, France, with an open-ended...

Winning Writers

North street book prize.

A grand prize of $10,000 and additional prizes of $1,000 each are given annually for self-published and hybrid-published books (works published by presses that coordinate all...

Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival

Elizabeth nunez caribbean-american writer’s prize.

A prize of $1,750; publication in Brooklyn Rail and Moko as well as on the Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival (BCLF) website; and an invitation to...

Bellevue Literary Review

Prizes in poetry and prose.

Three prizes of $1,000 each and publication in Bellevue Literary Review are given annually for a poem, a short story, and an essay about health, healing, illness, the...

Essay Competition in celebration of Children’s Day

Upload here.

“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about” – Angela Schwindt [1]

Children’s Day or Bal Divas is celebrated on November 14 every year on the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Panditji is fondly known as ‘Chacha Nehru’ amongst the children. He used to always say that children should always be carefully and lovingly nurtured, as they are the future of the nation and the citizens of tomorrow.

As per a report published in the Times of India, Haveela Mary Anil, a student of Jyoti Nivas College said that ‘ when I look back on my childhood, I remember having fun as well as learning important values. For me, Children’s Day was a reminder of what a privilege it was to be a kid in n a world filled with endless possibilities, one in which we could dream endlessly and live as though the world was a stage and we could play any role we wanted .’ [2]

Children’s Day is a day to celebrate children just for being themselves. It is a day to listen to them, to marvel at their uniqueness and all they have to offer. They are the most active members of the society and if given a right platform can help start a conversation about important issues and can truly make a difference.

Thus, in an effort to spread awareness about the importance of education and innovation amongst children, IP4Kids, a CSR initiative of S.S. Rana & Co., is organizing an Essay Competition on Children’s Day on the theme, ‘A Step Towards a better India’

Young minds are encouraged to focus on the theme of Children’s Day, and hence may contemplate writing on topics related to –

• Discuss Ban on Plastic
• Contribution of Technology in Education
• Artificial Intelligence – Boon or Bane
• ‘Words have Power’
• ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’
• The importance of ‘Right to Education’

Last date for Submission- November 16, 2019

The Process-

• School students are invited to submit their essays focusing on themes relating to innovation, technology, science, education, etc. before the deadline of November 16, 2019.
• Qualified Experts and Judges appointed by IP4kids and S.S. Rana & Co. will select the best 3 essays.
• Following this, the winners will be announced on the IP4kids website available at ip4kids.in on November 19, 2019.

Rules for Participation-

• The competition is open only to students belonging to the following Categories –

Class – V to VIII – Category A

Class – IX to XII – Category B

• The participants shall mention the following on the front page in bold letters–
• Name of the participant(s);
• Name of the School;
• Contact details including phone number and postal address;
• Participants should mention “Title of the Essay” & “IP4Kids – Children’s Day Essay Competition” as the first page title;
• Entries must be original and in English language only;
• Only a single entry will be accepted from one person. Co-authorship (up to 2 authors) is also permitted;
• The competition is open to essays of up to 1,000 words. Entries outside the word limitation will be disqualified;
• The essay shall be disqualified if it is plagiarized. Due credit should be given to the concerned author and/or publisher(s) in Bibliography and/or Reference, as the case may be, in proper 19th bluebook edition;
• The copyrights of the essay shall be vested with IP4kids and S.S. Rana & Co.;
• All entries are to be sent only in MS Word (.doc or .docx) or .pdf format
• All entries are to be done via portal
• All entries are to be uploaded at the portal only. No physical form shall be accepted.
• The Awards would be given to the top three students in each category;
• The winners will be awarded with exciting prizes;
• Other deserving participants shall also be presented with certificates;

For further information, please write to us at [email protected] or call us at 91-11-4012 3000.

Note: The competition intends to provide a platform to the students to share their views and to raise IPR awareness among them. The decision of the Judges shall be final. The organizers of the competition reserve all rights to change the date of announcements of the results and/or the date of announcements and publication of the results. The organizers also reserve the rights to withdraw any or both categories of awards if the entries thus received do not meet the aforesaid criteria. The organizers also reserve all the rights for Publication and reproduction of essay/write ups, due credit in this regard shall be given to the author(s).

[1] https://www.india.com/festivals-events/childrens-day-quotes-best-and-famous-quotes-which-will-make-you-relive-your-childhood-this-bal-diwas-2017-2629097/

[2] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/childrens-day-a-day-of-beautiful-memories-and-celebration-of-innocence/articleshow/61627253.cms

7 Annual Writing Contests for Kids

• Becoming A Teacher
• Assessments & Tests
• Elementary Education
• Secondary Education
• Special Education
• Homeschooling
• University of Maine

It's not always easy to get your kids motivated to write. One way to encourage them to polish their writing skills is to have them enter a writing contest. Sometimes just the idea of recognition is enough to get those pencils to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

PBS Kids Writers Contest (Grades K-3)

This writing contest has both a regional and national component. After reading the contest guidelines —which include helpful information about how to brainstorm and outline a story—kids can submit illustrated stories to their local PBS station. Each station chooses winners which are then entered in the national contest.

TIME for Kids' TFK Kid Reporter Contest (Ages 14 and Younger)

TIME for Kids, a non-fiction weekly news magazine for classrooms, is a child-oriented version of its parent, TIME Magazine. Many of the articles are written by TFK’s Kid Reporters, a job for which the magazine opens a talent search each year in March—the TFK Kid Reporter Contest. Entrants must be under 15 years old and write a compelling news story about a school or community event.

Kids Are Authors (Scholastic)

This annual contest is unique in that it focuses on kids working collaboratively to create a piece of illustrated work in the form of a children’s book. The 21-29 page book can be fiction or non-fiction and must be created by a group of at least three students.

Not only does this writing contest help kids learn to work together, but it also teaches them about formatting manuscripts for children’s books, as submissions must be formatted according to specific guidelines. The winning book is published by Scholastic and sold at Scholastic Book Fairs across the country.

Letters About Literature (Grades 4-12)

Sponsored by the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress , the annual Letters About Literature competition combines both reading and writing. Students must write an essay (in the form of a letter) describing how a certain book or author has had a profound effect on their outlook on life.

Students are grouped by age into three different levels, all of which are judged at both a state and national level. Entries are judged on the merits of composition (grammar, organization, and language skills); content (how well the theme has been addressed); and voice. National winners receive a monetary or gift card prize as well as a sizable “LAL Reading Promotion” grant in their name for their local school district.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards (Grades 7-12)

This prestigious contest began in 1923, and winners include such notable people as Sylvia Plath , Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates , and Truman Capote .

Writers in seventh through twelfth grade may submit work in one or more of the following categories: Dramatic Script, Flash Fiction, Humor, Journalism, Personal Essay, Persuasive Writing , Poetry, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Short Story, and Novel Writing.

Entries are judged both regionally and nationally—the highest-level regional work is submitted for national consideration. National winners are published in anthologies and Scholastic publications.

Stone Soup Magazine (Ages 13 and Younger)

Though technically not a contest, Stone Soup magazine publishes stories (2,500 words or less) and poetry and book reviews by kids 13 and younger. Not all submissions will be published and kids are encouraged to read the Stone Soup archives to get a sense of what type of writing the editors prefer. The great thing about Stone Soup is that kids can submit work as often as they want, regardless of previous rejection or acceptance for publication.

Creative Kids Magazine (Ages 8 to 16)

Like Stone Soup, Creative Kids Magazine is not a contest but a publication written for kids by kids. Kids can submit everything from stories and songs to editorials and plays. The magazine is published quarterly and submitted work is read not only by editors but also by an advisory board comprised of students between the ages of eight and 16.

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Category: Essay Writing

Patenti Technology Solutions Essay Competition 2023

Patenti Technology Solutions seeks to celebrate World IP Day 2023 with an Essay Writing Competition. Topic for Essay: “Why is Intellectual Property important to me?” This topic seeks to encourage the participants to engage in out-of-box thinking and share what […]

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Online  Competitions to commemorate the 75th Independence Day

The Centre for Innovative Education and Development Research is organizing an online competition to commemorate the 75th Independence Day. Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and […]

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition 2022

The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition is the world’s oldest international writing competition for schools, established in 1883.  Annually, winners are invited to travel to the United Kingdom for a week of educational and cultural activities, which culminates in a special […]

John Locke Institute 2022 Global Essay Competition

John Locke Institute 2022 Global Essay Competition invites students to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting questions beyond the confines of the school curriculum. All of the essay prizes are judged by senior academics from the University of […]

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IIM Sirmaur IDY 2022 Essay Competition. Submission guidelines: • The essay should not exceed 2500-word limit excluding references (if any) and cover page. • The essay has to be submitted on/before 24th June 2022, 23:59:59 IST. • The essay should […]

13th edition of the International Drucker Challenge Essay Contest – 2022

Keeping the human-oriented management philosophy of Peter Drucker alive in the minds of the young generation, 13th edition of the International Drucker Challenge Essay Contest – 2022 is conducted. Eligibility: Open to students and young professionals from all around the […]

The Lasker Essay Contest 2022

The Lasker Essay Contest engages early career scientists and clinicians from the US and around the globe in a discussion about big questions in biology and medicine and the role of biomedical research in our society today. The Contest aims […]

Vigyan Sarvatra Pujyate – Essay Writing Competition by the Ministry of Culture, Govt of India

As the nation commemorates Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, marking the 75 glorious years of India’s Independence, Vigyan Prasar, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) and 18 other Ministries of the Government […]

PCRA Saksham’ Online National Competition 2021-22 | Essay, Painting & Quiz

PCRA Saksham’ Online National Competition 2021-22. The Essay writing, Painting, and Quiz competitions aim to raise awareness among young bright minds about the conservation of Petroleum products in industrial, transport, agriculture and domestic sector, reduction of oil imports, energy conservation, […]

AWBP Trust – PAW2021 : Free Open Competition For Students and Others

AWBP Trust, Hyderabad, has launched an event, ‘PAW 2021’.  It is an open competition under three categories: ARTWORK/ ESSAY WRITING/ POETRY (in 3 languages Telugu, Hindi, English) for all the eight and above age groups across India. Topic– Chose any […]

The 2023 SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC) for primary and secondary school students.

Application Deadline: April 14, 2023

The 2023 SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC) is here again and promises to be great! This competition is not your usual essay contest – it is a chance for all primary and secondary school students in Nigeria between ages 9-16 to showcase their innovative ideas for solving national problems using technology.

This year’s topic is  “Making Nigerian Children Better Citizens Through the Use of Technology”.  Participants are to explore this theme to come up with mind-blowing ideas.

Requirements

• Primary and secondary children schooling in Nigeria ages 9 years and not older than 16 years by March 15, 2023.
• The Junior category (ages 9 to 12) submits a maximum of 1,000 words, while the Senior category (ages 13 to 16) submits a maximum of 1,500 words.
• Your essay must be in English.You are only allowed to submit one entry per participant.
• Your submission must be your original thoughts; plagiarism will not be tolerated!
• An accredited school official or parent or legal guardian must endorse your entry.

Selection Criteria

• Winners will be announced on  May 29, 2023 , and the award ceremony will take place on  June 9, 2023.  

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2023 SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC)

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NNPC/SNEPCo National University Scholarship Programme 2023 for young Nigerian Students

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Best 2024 Competitions for Students in Grades K-12

Competitions in STEM, ELA and the arts, and more!

We tell students that learning is its own reward, and that’s certainly true. But it’s also nice to win money and other prizes! Knowing they could gain recognition or even a prize for winning can be incredibly motivating. This roundup includes the best contests and competitions for high school students, as well as middle school and elementary too.

Contests and Competitions for High School Students

Contests and competitions for middle school students, contests and competitions for elementary school students, contests and competitions for students of all ages, adcap challenge.

Come up with a big idea to help create meaningful change and healthier school communities. Then use the AdCap project designer to submit your idea, and compete for funding to bring your project to life.

AFSA National High School Essay Contest

If you’re looking to help students take a deep dive into international relations, history, and writing, look no further than this essay contest. Winners receive full tuition to the Semester at Sea program as well as a trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with a leader at the Department of State.

All American High School Film Festival

Student films have the opportunity to become an Official Selection, screened at the AMC Empire 25 Theaters in Times Square, the busiest movie theater in America! Each October, thousands of student filmmakers gather in New York City for an action-packed weekend of resources and entertainment, including the Teen Indie Awards Show, where over $500,000 in prizes and scholarships are handed out.

ArtEffect Project

The ArtEffect Project teaches middle and high school students about their power to effect positive change through creative storytelling that celebrates unsung heroes from history. Students submit high-quality creative art projects in the visual arts, narrative film, theater, and creative nonfiction genres. Winners can receive thousands of dollars in prizes.

Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge

The Youth Design Challenge (YDC) is a free hands-on project-based learning experience that provides classroom and informal educators with a new framework to introduce biomimicry and an interdisciplinary lens on science and environmental literacy. It’s open to middle school and high school students.

Breakthrough Junior Challenge

Students submit a big scientific idea in fundamental physics, life sciences, or mathematics in video form. Winners receive college scholarships, plus money for their teacher and school.

BUILD’s Design Challenge

Students in grades 7–12 use design thinking to create solutions to real-world challenges. In this 10-hour experience, students develop entrepreneurial skills and empathy while learning about prototyping and testing.

Congressional Art Competition

Each spring, the Congressional Institute sponsors a nationwide high school visual art competition. Winners are recognized both in their district and at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The winning works are displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol.

Conrad Challenge

Design an innovation, solve an important problem, and establish yourself as an entrepreneur. You might just change the world in the process! Students work in teams of two to five to compete for prizes such as scholarships, pro-bono legal and consulting services, and a Dell Chromebook.

C-SPAN’s StudentCam Competition

This national contest invites all middle and high school students to create a five-to-seven-minute documentary based on an annual theme.

DECA Competitive Events

DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. DECA’s competitive events can be grouped into three broad categories: role-plays and case studies, prepared events, and online simulations. Events take place around the country and throughout the year.

International Compost Awareness Week Poster Contest

Students create a poster for International Compost Awareness Week, which takes place in May. The winner gets $500 and the chance to see their poster produced professionally.

Jane Austen Essay Contest

High school students can win up to $1,000 in scholarship money by writing an essay on a new Austen theme each year, sponsored by the Jane Austen Society of North America.

NAQT Quiz Bowl

Quiz Bowl is a fast-paced buzzer competition in which teams of four players compete to answer questions that cover academic subjects like literature and science as well as the broader world of popular culture and current events. Local middle school and high school tournaments send their winners on to regional and national championships.

National Academic League

As middle and high school student teams compete to answer questions aligned to national standards, they must also cooperate and use teamwork to tackle each quarter’s new challenge. Each school can field a team of 15 to 40, giving lots of kids a chance to participate.

National History Day (NHD)

National History Day (NHD) is an annual event for teachers and students in grades 6–12 that promotes critical thinking skills through project-based learning. Students begin their journey by presenting their projects in classrooms, schools, and districts around the world. Top entries are invited to the state/affiliate-level contests. The top two entries in every category at the state/affiliate level are then invited to the National Contest.

National Young Composers Challenge

The challenge is simple: First, students write their own composition for a small ensemble (two to six instruments) or full orchestra. Then, a panel of judges chooses the top three orchestral and top three ensemble compositions to be performed and recorded by the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra at the NYCC Composium held in Orlando, Florida.

New York Times Student Writing Contests

Each month, the New York Times announces a new writing contest for middle and high school students ages 13 to 19. The topics and requirements are different each month, with something to appeal to all sorts of young authors and journalists.

PicoCTF Cybersecurity Competition

PicoCTF is a computer security game for middle and high school students. The game consists of a series of challenges centered around a unique storyline where participants must reverse-engineer, break, hack, decrypt, or do whatever it takes to solve the challenge. The challenges are all set up with the intent of being hacked, making it an excellent, legal way to get hands-on experience.

Princeton 10-Minute Play Contest

Looking for student writing contests for budding playwrights? In this competition, judged by the theater faculty of Princeton University, students submit short plays in an effort to win recognition and cash prizes of up to $500. (Note: Only open to 11th graders.)

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens (ages 13+, grades 7–12) awards scholarships and gives kids a chance to showcase their skills for some of the foremost leaders in the arts.

Slingshot Challenge

Produce a 1-minute video with a solution to a current environmental problem (think: uniting creative waste reducers on social media or rehabilitating forests affected by fire) for the chance to receive up to $10,000 in funding.

Solve for Tomorrow

The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition invites middle and high school teachers to lead a group of students in creating a STEM-centered solution that addresses a need in their communities. Teachers and students compete to win a share of $2 million for their schools. The National Winner prize is $100,000 in technology and classroom materials.

Space Settlement Design Competitions

These events emulate, as closely as possible for high school students, the experiences of working as members of aerospace design and proposal teams. Students learn cooperation, management, and communication skills. Finalists win the chance to travel to Kennedy Space Center!

Stossel in the Classroom

Stossel in the Classroom wants to know what high school and middle school students think about entrepreneurship and innovation. With $20,000 in cash prizes up for grabs, kids can enter the essay contest or the video contest . There are bonus prizes for teachers too!

United States Academic Decathlon

The United States Academic Decathlon is a 10-event scholastic competition for teams of high school students. Each high school enters a team of nine students: three honors students (3.80–4.00 GPA), three scholastic students (3.20–3.799 GPA), and three varsity students (0.00–3.199 GPA). They’ll need a wide variety of academic knowledge and skills to come out on top!

U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad

This tiered competition for high school students consists of a series of chemistry exams. Local winners move on to the national exam, whose winners participate in a study camp and international exam contest over the summer.

World of 8 Billion Video Contest

Middle and high school students create a short video—up to 60 seconds long—about human population growth that highlights one of the following global challenges: climate change, gender equality, or waste. Kids can win up to $1,200!

Future City

Future City is a project-based learning program in which students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future.

The Hardest Math Problem

This contest challenges students in grades 6–8 to practice critical thinking supported by accurate computation. Both kids and their teachers are eligible for prizes.

New Moon Girls

New Moon Girls publishes contributions from girls ages 8–14. The magazine publishes four times each year, and submissions are more likely to be published if they fit an upcoming editorial theme.

Ocean Awareness Contest

Students ages 11 to 18 can learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. Submit a piece recognizing climate change heroes, using visual arts, poetry and creative writing, film, performing arts, or multimedia. Prizes include cash awards and eligibility for special opportunities.

Promising Young Writers Program

Teachers and schools can nominate 8th grade students to compete in this contest. Nominees submit a piece of writing based on the year’s prompt. Winners receive certificates in various levels of distinction.

Ranger Rick Photo Contest

Kids 13 and under can enter any nature-themed photo they’ve taken on their own using a camera or phone camera app. Every month, winners will be selected by the judges and posted on the contest homepage in the Recent Contest Winners slideshow. Online winners will be in the running for Ranger Rick’s “Your Best Shots” Magazine Award. Magazine Award winners will be selected three times each year for publication in Ranger Rick magazine’s December–January, April, and August issues.

Rubber Band Contest

This contest challenges students in grades 5–8 to design and create a working invention/artwork that incorporates at least one rubber band. Students can compete in one of two separate divisions: Arts & Leisure or Science & Engineering. Winners receive up to $300.

Young Scientist Challenge

Students in grades 5–8 create a one-to-two-minute video describing a new, innovative solution that could solve an everyday problem. Ten finalists will be chosen for their passion for science, spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and effective communication skills.

YouthPLAYS Prospective Authors

Authors 19 and under can submit a one-act play to the New Voices competition. They’re particularly interested in plays that speak to BIPOC teens and youth.

Doodle for Google

Did you know that each year, one student in grades K–5 has a chance to see their own doodle featured on the Google search page? This annual contest gives kids the opportunity to reach millions of viewers with their design.

New Moon Girls publishes contributions from girls ages 8 to 14. The magazine publishes four times each year, and submissions are more likely to be published if they fit an upcoming editorial theme.

Kids 13 and under can enter any nature-themed photo they’ve taken on their own, using a camera or phone camera app. Every month, winners will be selected by the judges and posted on the contest homepage in the Recent Contest Winners slideshow. Online winners will be in the running for Ranger Rick’s “Your Best Shots” Magazine Award. Magazine Award winners will be selected three times each year for publication in Ranger Rick magazine’s December–January, April, and August issues.

90-Second Newbery Film Festival

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which young filmmakers create movies that tell the entire story of a Newbery award–winning book in about 90 seconds. Winning entries are screened at events nationwide including in New York, Chicago, and Boston.

Celebrating Art

This contest is open to K–12 students attending public schools, homeschool, and art studios. Kids and teachers can win prizes, classroom supplies, and more!

Discovery Award

The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes Discovery Award provides students in grades 4–12 a unique opportunity to research primary sources and develop outstanding projects that feature unsung heroes who can serve as role models and inspire others to create change.

EngineerGirl Writing Contest

Each year, EngineerGirl sponsors an essay contest with topics centered on the impact of engineering on the world. Students can win up to $500 in prize money. This contest is a nice bridge between ELA and STEM and great for teachers interested in incorporating an interdisciplinary project into their curriculum. It’s open to students in grades 3 and up.

Invention Convention

The Invention Convention program is a K–12 project-based learning curriculum to help students learn to think critically by identifying problems in their world. Inventors and entrepreneurs are invited to compete at prestigious annual events.

NAfME Music Competitions

The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) holds multiple music competitions each year for composers and songwriters in several categories. Students of all ages are eligible to win cash prizes.

NASA CineSpace Short Film Competition

Competitors submit a short film inspired by, and using, actual footage from NASA’s digital archives for a chance to earn cash prizes and have their film screened at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival, held each November. Although entrants must be at least 18 to enter, parents and guardians can enter submissions on behalf of their children.

NASA Langley Student Art Contest

The contest is open to all K–12 students attending public, private, parochial, and homeschool who are residents of the United States, and grades K–12 of U.S. military members stationed overseas.

National History Bowl

The National History Bowl is a buzzer-based history quiz competition for teams of up to six students ages 19 or younger. Local competitions send their winners on to compete in the national championships.

National PTA Reflections Awards

Students of all ages create and submit original works of art in the areas of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and visual arts. Local winners move on to the regional, state, and national levels. National-level awards include an $800 prize and a trip to the National PTA Convention.

National Spelling Bee

Is the country’s next spelling champion in your own classroom? Find out by holding your own spelling bee, then sending the winner on to compete in regional competitions leading to the ultimate national competition. Students up to age 16 are eligible to participate.

PepsiCo Recycle Rally Contests

Encourage friendly competition throughout your K–12 schools or express creativity through writing and designing with a PepsiCo Recycle Rally contest.

Scope Writing Contests

Scope magazine (published by Scholastic) features a wide variety of contests to excite students in grades 4–12 about writing. Plus they can win awesome prizes!

SIBA Invention Competition

The Student Ideas for a Better America contest welcomes applications from pre-K through 12th grade. Enter any idea for a new way to demonstrate an educational concept, an idea for a new product, or an improvement for an existing product or procedure.

Students With Solutions

This project is designed for educators to engage their students in bullying prevention. Students watch a video followed by a handout review. Then they respond to the content in their own creative way through art, writing, graphics, or videos for the chance to win prizes for their school.

Telling Room Founders Prize

Students ages 6–18 can submit fiction, nonfiction, and poetry to The Telling Room . Each year, the Founders Prize is awarded to the best piece of writing to come out of a Telling Room program.

Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest

The Toyota Dream Car USA Art Contest inspires creativity in youths ages 4 to 15 and helps them imagine the future of mobility. Kids can win hundreds of dollars in prize money.

Did we miss one of your favorite contests or competitions for high school, middle school, or elementary school students? Come share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group !

Plus, check out  the ultimate guide to college scholarships ..

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SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC), 2024

The SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC) is an annual event aimed at fostering innovative thinking among primary and secondary school students in Nigeria. It provides a platform for young minds to propose technological solutions to national challenges.

Purpose: Inaugurated in 2020, the CDEC is part of SystemSpecs' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment to promoting capacity development in the Nigerian ICT industry. By encouraging young Nigerians to tackle everyday issues, the competition contributes to intellectual growth and societal progress.

Topic: The theme for the 2024 competition is "Protecting the Nigerian Child from the Dangers of Online Technology." Participants are tasked with exploring strategies to safeguard children in an increasingly digital world.

Eligibility: - Open to primary and secondary school students in Nigeria aged 9 to 16.

- Junior category (ages 9 to 12) essays must not exceed 1,000 words.

- Senior category (ages 13 to 16) essays must not exceed 1,500 words.

- Winners will receive generous rewards, including a high-capacity laptop, premium headphones, a portable laptop stand, a smart wristwatch, and one year of internet data, among other items.

- Consolation prizes will be awarded to other participants.

Application Process:

- Interested candidates should access the application page  

- Essays must be written in English and reflect original thought.

- Each participant is limited to one entry.

- Entries must be endorsed by an accredited school official, parent, or legal guardian.

- Deadline for submissions is April 12, 2024.

Submission Guidelines:

- All submissions must be in PDF format and include the student's name, home and school addresses, email address, and contact phone number.

- Double entries will result in automatic disqualification.

- Submissions must be received by March 15, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

Notification of Winners:

- Successful students and schools will be contacted in the second quarter of the year.

- Updates on winners will be announced on @nercng social media platforms.

The SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition offers a unique opportunity for Nigerian students to demonstrate their creativity and problem-solving skills. By addressing the theme of online child protection, participants contribute to building a safer and more secure digital environment for all. We encourage eligible students to seize this opportunity and showcase their talent and ingenuity.

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500 Words Competition

From 500 Words

Resource type: Competition

Price band: Free

Key stage: KS1, KS2

Region(s): All of UK

The 500 Words Competition is the UK’s largest story-writing competition for primary-aged children. The aim of the competition is to get children of all abilities and backgrounds to use their creativity and imagination to write a story that they would love to read. Entries are invited for an original piece of prose fiction, written in English, that is no more than 500 words long. Details of the 500 Words Competition 2024 to be announced.

• The 2024 competition returns in September. Further details to be announced.

About 500 Words: The 500 Words Competition was launched in 2011 by Chris Evans when he was the presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. Since its launch, it has received over one million stories from children around the UK. After a brief pause, the 500 Words Competition is returning to the BBC where it will be hosted by BBC Breakfast, supported by BBC Teach and a group of partners that include leading UK publishers and literacy organisations.

Further resources

• Authors share some Tips and Tricks on how to write your best story.
• Find ideas to support and inspire young writers aged 5-7 and  7-11 in the classroom from the BBC and partner organisations.
• Catch up on the 500 Words Live Lesson featuring some of this year’s author judges for more inspiration.
• Find more literacy-related competitions to engage and inspire your pupils here .

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Announcing TGC’s 2024 Essay Contest for Young Adults

Writers aged 16–22 can get published and win $500.

More By Staff

The Gospel Coalition announces its 2024 essay contest, inviting young adults (ages 16–22) to explore and write about God’s faithfulness, their relationship with technology, and their heart for full-time ministry in our secular age.

Winning authors will receive a prize, and their essays will be published on TGC’s website. In addition, every writer who submits an essay will receive a coupon code for $50 off the Gen-Z registration for our TGC25 conference .

Essay Requirements

Each 800–1,000 word essay must be original, previously unpublished, and must respond to one of the following three prompts. With each of these prompts, contestants should draw from their own experiences and convictions, and use Scripture to support their conclusions. (Want examples? Read the winning essays from 2022 and 2023 .) Contestants must give permission to TGC to publish their work, and each essay will be judged by TGC’s editorial team.

Submissions will be accepted from June 1 to July 1 and winners will be announced on September 2, 2024.

1. When did the Lord love you by not giving you what you wanted?

Many of us have unfulfilled desires. When was a time you saw the Lord’s love and kindness when he withheld something from you? What was it that you wanted and how did you see the Lord’s faithfulness through not giving it to you? Tell us what you learned from your experience, especially considering that our culture tells us we deserve to have all our desires fulfilled.

2. How has the gospel changed your relationship with your phone?

Today, phones are considered a necessity rather than a luxury. How does the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ change how you view your phone and how you use it? How has your phone been a hindrance and how has it been an asset to your relationship with the Lord? Tell us what you’ve learned in navigating how to use your phone for the glory of God.

3. Why are you considering full-time ministry?

There’s a greater need than ever for young people to pursue full-time ministry. Why are you considering making ministry your vocation? Tell us your heart behind it, why you think it’s important, and what influences in your life have led you to move forward in this direction.

The contest winner will receive $500; second place will receive a $100 gift card to the TGC bookstore; third place will receive an assortment of books. The winning essays will be published on TGC’s website, as will any other essays the judges select.

Read the full contest rules and upload your essay. Questions? Contact [email protected] .

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1 understanding the metamodern mood, 2 hope for struggling christians during pride month, 3 how the legal system enabled—and will curtail—the transgender movement, 4 announcing tgc’s 2024 essay contest for young adults, 5 the 11 beliefs you should know about jehovah’s witnesses when they knock at the door.

Preaching Christ in a Postmodern World

The desegregation of dallas theological seminary.

An Unequally Yoked Small Group

The Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence of God

What Should We Think About Paedocommunion? 

12 Easy Ways to Improve Your Listening

My Friend, Randy Newman (1956–2024)

Latest Episodes

Trevin wax on reconstructing faith.

Examining the Current and Future State of the Global Church

David Brooks Explores the Amazing Power of Truly Seeing Others

Welcome and Witness: How to Reach Out in a Secular Age

How to Build Gospel Culture: A Q&A Conversation

Gaming Alone: Helping the Generation of Young Men Captivated and Isolated by Video Games

How to Hope in Hard Times

Faith & Work: How Do I Glorify God Even When My Work Seems Meaningless?

Let’s Talk Reunion: The Blessings of Bible Study with Friends

Getting Rid of Your Fear of the Book of Revelation

Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places: A Sermon from Julius Kim

Introducing The Acts 29 Podcast

Latah County Human Rights Task Force

Strengthening the bonds of community to embrace diversity and reject bigotry..

2024 Art and Essay Contest Winners

2023-2024 Martin Luther King Jr. Art & Essay Contest –

Latah County Human Rights Task Force Theme: FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND OUR LIBRARIES        

ART WINNERS

Grades 1-3 Art Topic: Draw a picture about a book that has taught you something important.

Cordelia Haley – Megan Cueller’s 2 nd grade class- Lena Whitmore.     

            After listening to her teacher read books about Martin Luther King, Jr., Cordelia drew a picture of two people, one holding up a sign that says “Justice,” the other holding up a sign that says, “We Want Jobs.”                                                                                         

Cece Rose Ristene – Peggy Quesnell’s [K’nell] 2 nd grade class – St. Mary’s.                                          Cece read a book about a dog who helps other animals. It taught her that being a friend is fun and that being nice is important.

Eduarda Gurge – Jessica Jones’ 3 rd grade art class – Moscow Charter.                          Eduarda drew “The Great Kapak Tree” with animals in its branches and a rainbow on top. Eduarda learned about the rain forest.

Grades 4-5 Art Topic: Create a drawing or poster celebrating an aspect of the library that you value most.

Quinten Rowley – Jessica Jones’ 4 th grade art class – Moscow Charter.                        Quinten drew a boy enjoying the Latah County Library because it offers “So Many Choices!”

Haylee Cohee – Jessica Jones’ 5 th grade art class – Moscow Charter.                                        Hayley drew “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” and shelves of books. She included quotes like “When in doubt, go to the library” by J.K. Rowling and “The library is a wilderness of books” by Henry David Thoreau.

EXCERPTS FROM WINNING ESSAYS

Grades 1-3: Essay Topic: Write a paragraph about a book from your school or public library that taught you something important .

Cordelia Haley – Megan Cuellar’s 2 nd grade class – Lena Whitmore “What I learned from books about Martin Luther King. Stand up for what you believe no matter what. Don’t fight with fists, fight with words. No matter what time it is, there’s always work to do!”

Leo Johnson – Sophia Curet’s 3 rd grade class -St. Mary’s Elementary “In the story “Being Frank” by Donna Earnhardt I learned that you should always tell the truth but say it nicely. In this story Frank says the truth but he says it in an unkind way. His grandpa shows him how to tell the truth in a nice way. I really enjoyed this book because it’s a really fun story and it teaches you a good lesson.”

Grades 4-5 Essay Topic: Write a three paragraph thank-you letter to your school or public library discussing an aspect of the library that you value most .

Fern Newlan – Shannon Nierman’s 4 th grade class – St Mary’s

“People who have libraries sometimes overlook the information they provide…. Here are a few things that libraries provide: books, computers and most importantly knowledge. I’m going to thank the people who write the books.” Among others, she thanks author Barbra O’Conner who “relates to the real world. She shows us that not everything is perfect, but you might find you were supposed to be here all along.”

Catherine Apt – Wes Bascom’s 4 th grade class – McDonald Elementary

“At a young age, Storytime encouraged my interest in reading and helped develop my creativity. It allowed me to be more open minded about different ideas and pushed me to be a creative thinker.” “I have discovered new books by browsing, which has allowed me to find some of my new favorite books. Thank you for having such a fun variety of materials and activities for me to experience throughout my childhood.”

Amy Zhou – Kathryn Bonzo’s 4 th grade class – Moscow Charter School

“Libraries want humans and our civilization to have openness for all to be educated and also give us freedom to read, write, and listen which is essential to our democracy.” “The thing I value most about the library is the huge selection of books. I love reading and the library has books for me to read. Thank you for being a generous provider.

Naya Lee – Jordyn Rauer’s 5 th grade class – Lena Whitmore

“My favorite subject is reading, so our school library is very important to me. I love that all students have a wide selection of books to choose from, so that they can all find something that they love.” “I am so glad to have our librarian, Mrs. Marone and her library so that all the kids in our school can have free and easy access to wonderful books.”

Emily Scout Heward – Kate Roll’s 5 th grade class– Lena Whitmore

“I’m little but I’m old enough to know that our library is AWESOME, BEAUTFUL, WONDERFUL, CREATIVE, CALMING and so much more. If we don’t have libraries, we might not have books! When I’m 80 I want to be able to visit our library and show many more generations this wonderful creation.”

FACT TIME! Did you know that the library of congress is the largest library in the world! They have 167 million items on 838 miles of bookshelves!!”

Grades 6-8 Essay Topic: Write a five-paragraph essay explaining why freedom of expression is important to your library and to our democracy.

Nora Algarni – Tiffany Scripter’s 7 th grade English class – Moscow Middle School

“If a student reads a book, they might get an opinion on something that could change the future. A book could change a whole generation, and it could change the whole world. So, limiting students from the access of information is not the best option. Let teenagers explore the libraries and have their opinion and thoughts… This is why freedom of expression should be important everywhere because everyone should express themselves and share their opinions with the world.”

Lillian Camin – Tiffany Scripter’s 7 th grade English class – Moscow Middle School –

“Freedom of expression can be very important to both school and public libraries as well. According to the American Library Association Library Bill of Rights, all library resources have to be provided and given to establish interests, and to give enlightenment and information to everyone.” “ I believe that freedom of expression is important for democracies. I think this because of the sharing of ideas and open opinions that help democracies run. One of these reasons is that we have to gain opinions to make decisions and we have to make decisions if we want to govern ourselves.”

Grades 9-12 Essay Topic: Research the current debate over the freedom of expression in school and public libraries. Write a report on this debate, then draw your own conclusions.

Morgan Apt – Rachel Lyons’ Junior Advanced Placement class – Moscow High School –” I believe that the removal of books and censorship in public libraries is drastic and unnecessary. Allowing children to have access to information that is not age appropriate is not ideal. However, violating people’s rights to access material containing any type of perspective or idea is too extreme a measure to prevent children from exposure to harmful information. Additionally, the government could use the removal of inappropriate books to their advantage, disposing not only of books that could be damaging to children, but books that don’t align with certain personal or political beliefs. …. Freedom of expression is heavily valued in a democracy, and literature is a prime example of where differing perspectives and viewpoints are shared…. as allowed under the First Amendment. “