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23 Writing Competitions for High School Students
Whatâs covered:, why should you enter a writing competition, writing competitions for high school students, how do writing competitions affect my admissions chances.
Do you dream of writing the next great American novel? Are you passionate about poetry? Do you aspire to become a screenwriter? No matter what genre of writing youâre interested inâwhether itâs fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or something else entirelyâthereâs a writing competition focused on it.
Writing competitions provide great motivation to put pen to paper (or finger to key). Moreover, theyâre an excellent step toward getting published, and can ultimately start you on the path to becoming a professional writer.
One of the best ways to improve your writing is simply to writeâand competitions provide an excellent impetus to do so. Writing competitions also serve as an introduction to what life is like for many writers; participants entering writing competitions will receive a prompt or must think of an original idea, compose a piece of work, and submit it for review.
Another benefit of entering a writing competition for high schoolers is that many offer cash awards and scholarships, which can be used to help with the costs of college.
Additionally, many writing competitions are run by colleges and universities, so submitting them is a great way to introduce faculty to yourself and your work. If you win an awardâespecially a prestigious awardâit can significantly improve your odds of college acceptance.
1. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose
Type: Poetry and Prose
Submission Fee: $15
Prize: $200
Deadline: May 1, 2023
Eligibility:
- All secondary and undergraduate students
Guidelines:
- Each student may send up to five total submissions across the genres of poetry and prose
- Each poetry submission may include up to six poems (maximum of ten pages single-spaced). Each prose submission may include up to three works of fiction or creative nonfiction (combined word limit of 3,500 words; excerpts are acceptable).
Adroit Prizes are awarded to emerging high school and college writers in two categories: poetry and prose. Winning pieces are considered for publication in the Adroit Journal and winners receive an award of $200. The 2023 judges are Natalie Diaz and Ocean Vuong.
2. Ten-Minute Play Contest
Type: Plays
Submission Fee: N/A
Deadline: Passed, but the contest will reopen in 2024
Eligibility: Students in the eleventh grade in the U.S. (or international equivalent of the eleventh grade)
Guidelines: Applicants may submit only one play (10 pages maximum)
The Ten-Minute Play Contest is put on by Princeton Universityâs Lewis Center of the Arts. Applicants are allowed to submit one play that is no longer than 10 pages. Their submissions are judged by members of Princeton Universityâs Theater Program faculty.
3. Ayn Rand Anthem and The Fountainhead Essay Contests
Type: Essays
- Anthem: $2,000
- The Fountainhead : $5,000
- Anthem: Grades 8-12
- The Fountainhead : Grades 11-12
- Anthem: Essays must be written in English only and between 600 and 1,200 words in length, double-spaced
- The Fountainhead: Essays must be written in English only and between 800 and 1,600 words in length, double-spaced
In this essay competition, students pick one of three prompts about a topic related to Ayn Randâs books and write an essay that goes through three stages of grading. Students are graded on their clarity, organization, understanding, and ability to stay âon topic.â
4. Leonard L. Milberg â53 High School Poetry Prize
Type: Poetry
Prize: $500-$1,500
Eligibility: Students must be in the 11th grade in the U.S. or abroad
Guidelines: Applicants may submit up to 3 poems
The Leonard L. Milberg â53 High School Poetry Prize is another contest run by Princeton Universityâs Lewis Center of the Arts. Winners are chosen by judges who are both poets and members of Princeton Universityâs creative writing faculty. Three monetary awards are available.
5. World Historian Student Essay Competition
Prize: $500
Eligibility: Students enrolled in grades Kâ12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs
Guidelines: Essays should be approximately 1,000 words
Winners of this competition receive a $500 prize along with a free yearlong membership to the World History Association . To apply, you must submit an approximately 1,000-word essay responding to the following prompt:
- Submit an essay that addresses the following topic and discusses how it relates to you personally and to World History: Your view of a family story related to a historical event or your personal family cultural background, or an issue of personal relevance or specific regional history/knowledge.
6. Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest
Prize: $250-$1,000
Deadline: June 1, 2023
Eligibility: Open to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students
- Must be submitted by the student through the official Essay Contest Submission website
- Entries may include a statement about the studentâs mentor; however, a mentor statement is not required
- The essay must be 6-8 pages in length, not including the Works Cited page
- The essay must use MLA documentation, including a Works Cited page and parenthetical citations in the body of the text. Use endnotes only for substantive notes. Source material that is directly quoted, paraphrased, or summarized must be cited. Quotations from the Jane Austen work under discussion should be cited as well.
The Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) Essay Contest is an annual writing competition aimed at fostering an appreciation for its namesakeâs work. The contest is broken down into three divisionsâhigh school, college/university, and graduate school.
First-place winners are awarded a $1,000 prize along with free registration and lodging for two nights at JASNAâs Annual General Meetingâsmaller monetary awards are also given to second- and third-place essayists.
This yearâs essay topic:
- In Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austenâs other novels, we see proposals and marriages that are motivated by love, as well as those that are better described as arranged marriages or marriages of convenience. Many cultures today also expect arranged marriages (not the same as forced). In your essay, compare and discuss the different types of marriages or courtships found in the novels, whether those relationships are new or longstanding.
7. Bennington College Young Writers Awards
Type: Poetry, Fiction, and Nonfiction
Deadline: November 1, 2023
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-12
- Poetry: A group of three poems
- Fiction: A short story (1,500 words or fewer) or one-act play (run no more than 30 minutes of playing time)
- Nonfiction: A personal or academic essay (1,500 words or fewer)
Bennington College has a strong history of developing writersâitâs produced twelve Pulitzer Prize winners, three U.S. poet laureates, and countless New York Times bestsellersâand the Bennington College Young Writers Awards celebrate this legacy.
In addition to offering cash awards to winners and finalists in all three categories, winners and finalists who apply and are accepted to Bennington College are also eligible for substantial scholarships.
8. Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder/Sense of the Wild Contest
Type: Poetry and Essays
Deadline: November 16, 2023
- You are required to have a team of 2 or more people
- The team must be intergenerational
Guidelines: Maximum length of 500 words (approximately 2 pages)
This unique writing competition requires that entries must be submitted by a team of two people from different generationsâfor example, a high school student and a teacher. Contestants can compete in a number of categories and themes, each with unique submission requirements.
9. NSHSS Creative Writing Scholarship
Type: Fiction and Poetry
Prize: $2,000
Deadline: October 2, 2023
Eligibility: Rising high school students graduating in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, and recently graduated 2023 seniors
- Poetry: Students may submit their original poetry in any style, from formal verse to free verse to experimental. The poem should be formatted as you wish it to appear in the publication.
- Fiction: Students may submit a piece of short fiction, which must be no more than 5,000 words and should not be single-spaced. The entry may be any genre of the studentâs choice, including graphic novel or story.
- Must submit educator recommendation, academic resume, and current transcript with application
Winning works for this competition are chosen based on their creativity, technique, expression, and originality. Three winners are chosen in each category and each winner receives a $2,000 prize.
10. John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Contest
Prize: $100-$10,000
Eligibility: The contest is open to United States high school students in grades 9-12, U.S. students under the age of twenty enrolled in a high school correspondence/GED program, and U.S. citizens attending schools overseas.
- Essays can be no more than 1,000 words but must be a minimum of 700 words. Citations and bibliography are not included in the word count.
- Essays must have a minimum of five sources.
The prestigious John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Contest is one of the most recognizable and prestigious writing competitions for high schoolers in the nation. Essays for the contest are required to describe an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917. The first-place winner of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Contest takes home a $10,000 award and second place receives a $3,000 prize.
11. YoungArts National Writing Competition
Deadline: Opens June 2023
Eligibility: 15- to 18-year-old visual, literary, or performing artist based in the United States
Guidelines: To be released
YoungArts supports talented young artists between the ages of 15 and 18 (or grades 10-12) in 10 disciplines, including writing. Applicants can submit entries in six genresâcreative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, and spoken word.
12. SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest
Submission Fee: $5
Prize: $300-$1,000
Eligibility: All students enrolled in grades 9-12 in U.S. public, private and home schools within the United States
- The essay should be 300-500 words
- Entries may be typed or handwritten but must be double-spaced
This high school writing contest is presented by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the Journalism Education Association (JEA) to increase awareness of the importance of independent media.
Last yearâs prompt was:
- While consumers are drawn toward tweets and sound bites, how can journalists tell more of the story without losing readersâ interest?
13. VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competitions
Eligibility: High school students with disabilities
- 10-minute script
- Entries may be the work of an individual student or a collaboration between two students that includes at least one student with a disability
This writing competition, presented by the Kennedy Center, is open to students ages 15-18 (or enrolled in high school) with disabilities. Writers may submit a âten-minuteâ script in any genre, including plays, musicals, multimedia, video, film, TV, and podcasts.
Entries can be the work of an individual or the product of collaborationâprovided that at least one of the collaborators has a disability. Multiple winners are chosen and given the chance to work with industry professionals, attend Kennedy Center professional development activities, and participate in networking opportunities.
14. Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest
Prize: $350
Eligibility: Women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school
Guidelines: No more than two poems by any one student may be submitted
For almost six decades, the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest has provided recognition, scholarships, and awards to the best female high school sophomore and junior poets. Submissions are reviewed by faculty members of Hollins Universityâs creative writing program and students enrolled in its M.F.A. in creative writing.
The first-place winner receives a $350 cash prize, a renewable $5,000 scholarship to Hollins University if they choose to enroll there, as well as free tuition and housing at the universityâs Hollinsummer creative writing program. Their winning work is also published in Cargoes , the universityâs student literary magazine.
15. Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Type: Various
Submission Fee: $10 for individual entry, $30 for portfolio (can use Fee Waiver Form)
Prize: Varies
Deadline: Opens in September
Eligibility: Teens in grades 7â12 (ages 13 and up)
Guidelines: Varies by category
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is the nationâs longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens. They offer 28 submission categories, including writing, critical essay, dramatic scripts, flash fiction, journalism, humor, novel writing, personal essay and memoir, poetry, science fiction and fantasy, and short story.
Works are judged by famous jurors who look for works that show originality, skill, and the emergence of a personal voice or vision. Students can earn a variety of scholarships through success in these competitions.
Works that celebrate individual differences or personal grief, loss, and bereavement are eligible for $1,000 scholarships. High school seniors submitting winning portfolios of six works are eligible for up to $12,500 in scholarships.
16. Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
Type: Creative Writing and Poetry
Prize: $100-$1,500
Deadline: June 13, 2023
- Students ages 11-18 from around the world
- Students can participate as an individual or as a club, class, or group of any size
- All students must provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor (teacher, parent, mentor, etc.)
- Creative Writing: no more than 5 pages (approximately 1,250 words)
- Poetry: no more than 2 pages
- A written reflection is required to accompany your submission, regardless of category. It is like the introduction to a book or an artistâs statement in a museum.
The 12th annual Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. Students can participate in six different categories, including poetry and spoken word, and creative writing.
This yearâs prompt centers around climate issues:
- Research and choose an inspirational scientist, activist, artist, educator, or other hero who is working to solve climate change issues. Create a piece of art, writing, or media that highlights their efforts, organizations, and/or positive impacts. We are familiar with the amazing work of environmental giants like Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough. We challenge you to introduce the Bow Seat community to a Climate Hero whose work we may not know about yet â but should.
17. John Locke Global Essay Competition
Submission Fee: N/A (unless late entry)
Prize: $2,000-$10,000 toward attending any John Locke Institute program
Deadline: June 30, 2023 (must register by May 31, 2023)
Eligibility: Candidates must be no older than 18 years old on June 30, 2023 (Candidates for the Junior Prize must be no older than 14 on the same date)
Guidelines: Each essay must address only one of the questions in your chosen subject category, and must not exceed 2,000 words (not counting diagrams, tables of data, footnotes, bibliography, or authorship declaration)
Students competing in this competition have the opportunity to write an essay in one of seven categoriesâphilosophy, politics, economics, history, psychology, theology, and law. Each category has three prompts, from which students choose and respond to one.
Essays are judged on knowledge and understanding of the relevant material, the competent use of evidence, quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style, and persuasive force.
If you miss the deadline, you can submit a late entry up until July 10. Late entries will be charged a $20 late fee.
18. AFSA National High School Essay Contest
Prize: $2,500
- Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate.
- Students must be in grades 9-12 in any of the 50 states, Washington, D.C, the U.S. territories, orâif they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents âattending high school overseas.
Guidelines: Your essay should be at least 1,000 words but should not exceed 1,500 words (word count does not apply to the list of sources)
The AFSA Essay Contest focuses on knowledge of foreign policy and the American Foreign Service. Last yearâs prompt was:
- In your essay, you will select a country or region in which the United States Foreign Service has been involved at any point since 1924 and describe, in 1,500 words or less, how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals â including promoting peace â in this country/region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years.
The first-place winner receives $2,500, a paid trip to the nationâs capital with their parents from anywhere in the U.S., and an all-expenses-paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea. The runner-up wins $1,250 and full tuition to attend a summer session of the National Student Leadership Conferenceâs International Diplomacy program.
19. EngineerGirl Writing Contest
Prize: $100-$500
- The contest is open to individual students in the following three competition categoriesâElementary School Students (grades 3-5), Middle School Students (grades 6-8), or High School Students (grades 9-12).
- You can also qualify with corresponding homeschool or international grade levels.
- High school student essays must be no more than 750 words
- You must also include a reference list of 3-10 resources
In this competition, students choose one of four prompts related to the 20 Greatest Engineering Achievements of the 20th Century and explore the technologies that have been developed in the last century and technologies that are being developed today. Students are judged based on their presentation and examples of engineering (~35%), their celebration of diversity (~50%), and their quality of writing (~15%).
20. The Blank Theatre Young Playwrightâs Festival
Prize: Play is produced
Eligibility: Playwrights must be 19 years old or younger as of March 15, 2023; co-authored plays are welcome, provided all authors are 19 or younger
- Original plays or musicals of any length or genre and on any subject
- Up to three plays per playwright or team
While winners of this theater competition do not receive a cash prize, they have the unique opportunity to be mentored by leaders in the field, then will have their play directed and performed by professional artists during the following summer. The 12 best submissions are produced and professionally performed.
21. Saint Maryâs College of California River of Words Contest
Type: Poetry and Arts
- The contest is open to K-12 students, ages 5-19
- Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible
- Participants may submit up to 5 entries for poetry and 5 entries for art (total of up to 10 entries)
- Poems should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed)
- Collaborative poems and artwork are accepted, but only one student (chosen as the group representative) will be eligible for any prizes awarded
The River of Words contest aims to promote environmental literacy through the exchange of arts and culture. River of Words has been inspiring educators and students through this competition for over 25 years.
The goal of River of Words is to connect youth with their watershedsâthe environments they live inâthrough engagement with art and poetry related to the idea of âplace.â They look for art and poetry that shows the connection between students and the worlds around them.
22. Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged Essay Contest
Prize: $10,000
Deadline: November 6, 2023
Eligibility: Open to all 12th grade, college, and graduate students worldwide
Guidelines: Essays must be between 800 and 1,600 words in length
In this essay competition, high school seniors pick one of three prompts about a topic related to Ayn Randâs Atlas Shrugged and write an essay that goes through three stages of grading. Students are graded on their clarity, organization, understanding, and ability to stay âon topic.â
23. Writopia Labâs Worldwide Plays Festival
Prize: Play produced
Eligibility: Playwrights ages 6 to 18
- 8 minutes maximum
- Any genre or style
- Plays should have no more than three characters
- There can be no narrator of the play who is not emotionally invested in the story
- Students must incorporate at least one of the following props or costumes âblue plates, a yellow blouse, a Valentineâs heart with the word âLove,â a flower crown, a plush hotdog, a Mardi Gras bead with jester heads, a pack of clothespins, Russian nesting dolls, a set of miniature cymbals, a lavender blouse, a lei, or a roll of aluminum foil
Since 2010, Writopia Lab has been producing, designing, and directing one-act plays submitted by young playwrights. These winning plays are then performed by New York City theater professionals. The contest looks for playwrights who embody fearlessness and imagination. Writopia Lab says, âWrite deeply! Write fiercely! Write politically and personally! And donât be afraid to write with a sense of play â they are called plays, after all.â
While we canât know exactly how activities outside of the classroom will affect your college admissions odds, the 4 Tiers of Extracurricular Activities provide a helpful framework for understanding how colleges view your extracurriculars.
Extracurricular activities in Tiers 1 and 2 are reserved for the most exclusive and acclaimed awards, and can significantly improve your odds of college admission. By contrast, Tiers 3 and 4 are reserved for more common extracurriculars, and have less of an impact on your chances of college admission.
For example, if you place in a nationally renowned writing competitionâa Tier 2 activityâthis will positively affect your admissions chances. On the other hand, if you receive an honorable mention in your high schoolâs poetry contestâa Tier 4 activityâyour admissions chances will not be significantly affected.
That said, if you are applying to an English Literature or Creative Writing program with a well-developed essay and recommendations that emphasize your commitment to language, participation in Tier 3 and 4 writing competitions could help admissions officers conceptualize your passion for your future career.
Curious how the writing competition you participated in will affect your college admission chances? CollegeVine can help! Our free chancing calculator uses a variety of factorsâincluding grades, test scores, and extracurricularsâto estimate your odds of getting into hundreds of colleges and universities, while also providing insight into how to improve your profile.
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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 17 best writing contests for high school students.
Other High School
If you're a writerâfiction, non-fiction, or fanfictionâyou can put those skills to work for you. There are tons of writing contests for high school students, which can award everything from medals to cash prizes to scholarships if you win .
Not only will a little extra money, whether cash or scholarships, help you when it comes time to pay for college, but the prestige of a respected reward is also a great thing to include on your college application.
Read on to learn more about what writing contests for high school students there are, how to apply, and what you could win !
Writing Contests With Multiple Categories
Some high school contests accept entries in a variety of formats, including the standard fiction and non-fiction, but also things like screenwriting or visual art. Check out these contests with multiple categories:
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
- Award Amount: $1,000 to $12,500 scholarships
- Deadline: Varies between December and January, depending on your region
- Fee: $10 for single entry, $30 for portfolio
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards celebrate art by students in grades seven through twelve (age 13 or older) on a regional and national scale. These awards have a huge number of categories and styles, including cash prizes or scholarships for some distinguished award winners . Categories include science-fiction and fantasy writing, humor, critical essays, and dramatic scripts, among others.
Deadlines vary by region (but are mostly in December and January), so use Scholastic's Affiliate Partner search to find out when projects are due for your area.
Scholastic partners with other organizations to provide prizes to winners, so what you can win depends on what you enter and what competition level you reach. Gold medal portfolio winners can earn a $12,500 scholarship, and silver medal winners with distinction can earn a $2,000 scholarship , as well as many other options in different categories.
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards are open to private, public, or home-schooled students attending school in the US, Canada, or American schools in other countries. Students must be in grades seven through twelve to participate. Eligibility varies between regions, so consult Scholastic's Affiliate Partner search tool to figure out what applies to you .
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards have a $10 entry fee for individual submissions and $30 for portfolio submissions, which may be waived for students in need . These fees may vary depending on location, so be sure to check your local guidelines .
Ocean Awareness Contest
- Award Amount: Scholarships up to $1,500
- Deadline: June 13, 2023 (submissions open in September)
The Ocean Awareness Contest asks students to consider the future of a coastal or marine species that is under threat from climate change. Submissions are accepted in a variety of art forms, but all must consider the way that climate change impacts ocean life .
Submissions for all categories, including art, creative writing, film, interactive and multimedia, music and dance, and poetry and spoken word are due in June, although the exact date varies slightly each year.
Winners may receive prizes of up to a $1,500 scholarship , depending on which division they fall into and what prize they win.
The contest is open to all international and US students between the ages of 11 and 18.
River of Words
- Award: Publication in the River of Words anthology
- Deadline: January 31, 2023
The River of Words contest asks students to consider watershedsâan area that drains into the same body of waterâand how they connect with their local community. Students can explore this concept in art or poetry, with winners being published in the annual River of Words anthology .
Entries in all categories must be submitted by January 31, 2023.
The River of Words contest is primarily for recognition and publication, as the website doesn't list any prize money . The contest includes specific awards for certain forms, such as poetry, some of which may have additional prizes .
The contest is open to International and US students from kindergarten to grade 12 (ages 5 through 19). Students who have graduated from high school but are not yet in college are also eligible.
Adroit Prizes
- Award Amount: $200 cash award
- Deadline: Typically April of each year
Sponsored by the Adroit Journal, the Adroit Prizes reward high school students and undergraduate students for producing exemplary fiction and poetry. Students may submit up to six poems or three works of prose (totaling 3,500 words) for consideration. Submissions typically open in spring .
Winners receive $200 and (along with runners-up) have their works published in the Adroit Journal . Finalists and runners-up receive a copy of their judge's latest published work.
The contest is open to secondary and undergraduate students, including international students and those who have graduated early . The Adroit Prizes has a non-refundable fee of $15, which can be waived.
YoungArts Competition
- Award Amount: Up to $10,000 cash awards
- Deadline: October 15, 2022; application for 2024 opens June 2023
Open to students in a variety of disciplines, including visual arts, writing, and music, the YoungArts competition asks students to submit a portfolio of work. Additional requirements may apply depending on what artistic discipline you're in .
Winners can receive up to $10,000 in cash as well as professional development help, mentorship, and other educational rewards.
Applicants must be 15- to 18-year-old US citizens or permanent residents (including green card holders) or in grades 10 through 12 at the time of submission . There is a $35 submission fee, which can be waived.
Fiction Writing Contests for High School Students
Many contests with multiple categories accept fiction submissions, so also check out the above contests if you're looking for places to submit original prose.
EngineerGirl Writing Contest
- Award Amount: $100 - $500 cash prize
- Deadline: February 1, 2023
This year's EngineerGirl Writing Contest asks students (though the name of the organization is "EngineerGirl," students of any gender may participate) to submit a piece of writing that shows how female and/or non-white engineers have contributed to or can enhance engineeringâs great achievements. Word counts vary depending on grade level.
At every grade level, first-place winners will receive $500, second-place winners will receive $250, and third-place winners will receive $100 . Winning entries and honorable mentions will also be published on the EngineerGirl website.
Students of any gender from third to 12th grade may submit to this contest. Home-schooled and international students are also eligible.
Nonfiction Contests for High School Students
Like fiction, non-fiction is often also accepted in contests with multiple categories. However, there are quite a few contests accepting only non-fiction essays as well.
The American Foreign Services Association Essay Contest
- Award Amount: $1,250 to $2,500
- Deadline: April 3, 2023
The American Foreign Services Association sponsors a high school essay contest tasking students with selecting a country or region in which the United States Foreign Service has been involved at any point since 1924 and describe, in 1,500 words or less, how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals in this country/region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years .
One winner will receive $2,500 as well as a Washington D.C. trip and a scholarship to attend Semester at Sea . One runner-up receives $1,250 and a scholarship to attend the International Diplomacy Program of the National Student Leadership Conference.
Entries must be from US students in grade nine through 12, including students in the District of Columbia, US territories, or US citizens attending school abroad, including home-schooled students.
John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Contest
- Award Amount: $100 - $10,000
- Deadline: January 13, 2023
The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage contest tasks students with writing an essay between 700 and 1,000 words on an act of political courage by a US elected official serving during or after 1917 , inspired by John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage . Each essay should cover the act itself as well as any obstacles or risks the subject faced in achieving their act of courage. Essays must not cover figures previously covered in the contest, and should also not cover John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, or Edward M. Kennedy.
One first-place winner will receive $10,000, one second-place winner will receive $3,000, five finalists will receive $1,000 each, and eight semi-finalists will win $100 each.
The contest is open to students in grades nine through 12 who are residents of the United States attending public, private, parochial, or home schools . Students under the age of 20 in correspondence high school programs or GED programs, as well as students in US territories, Washington D.C., and students studying abroad, are also eligible.
SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest
- Award Amount: $300 - $1,000 scholarships
- Deadline: February 19, 2023 (submissions open in November)
The SPJ/JEA high school essay contest , organized by the Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association, asks students to analyze the importance of independent media to our lives (as of now, the official essay topic for spring 2023 is TBD) . Essays should be from 300 to 500 words.
A $1,000 scholarship is given to a first-place winner, $500 to second-place, and $300 to third-place.
The contest is open to public, private, and home-schooled students of the United States in grades 9-12 .
Playwriting Contests for High School Students
For those who love the stage, playwriting contests are a great option. An original play can earn you great rewards thanks to any of these contests!
VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition
- Award: Participation in professional development activities at the Kennedy Center
- Deadline: January 4, 2023 (Application opens in October)
The VSA Playwright Discovery Program Competition asks students with disabilities to submit a ten-minute script exploring their personal experiences, including the disability experience . Scripts may be realistic, fictional, or abstract, and may include plays, screenplays, or musical theater.
All entries are due in January. Scripts may be collaborative or written by individuals, but must include at least one person with a disability as part of the group .
One winner or group of winners will be selected as participants in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Winners will have access to professional assistance in developing their script as well as workshops and networking opportunities.
This contest is open to US and international students in ages 14 to 18 . Groups of up to five members may collaborate on an essay, but at least one of those students must have a disability.
Worldwide Plays Festival Competition
- Award: Professional production in New York
- Deadline: March (official 2023 deadline TBD)
In the Worldwide Plays Festival Competition , students from around the world can submit an eight-minute script for a play set in a part of a neighborhood âspecifically, at a convenience store, outside a character's front door, or at a place where people convene. Each play must have roles for three actors, should not have a narrator who isn't also a character, and should not contain set changes.
Entries are due in February. Winners will have their play produced by professionals at an off-Broadway New York theater . Scholarships are also available for winners.
Any student, including US and international, in first through 12th grade may submit work for consideration.
- Award Amount: $50 - $200 cash prize
- Deadline: 2023 deadline TBD (application opens January 2023)
Students may submit a one-act, non-musical play of at least ten pages to YouthPLAYS for consideration . Plays should be appropriate for high school audiences and contain at least two characters, with one or more of those characters being youths in age-appropriate roles. Large casts with multiple female roles are encouraged.
One winner will receive $250, have their play published by YouthPLAYS, and receive a copy of Great Dialog , a program for writing dialog. One runner up will receive $100 and a copy of Great Dialog.
Students must be under the age of 19, and plays must be the work of a single author.
The Lewis Center Ten-Minute Play Contest
- Deadline: Spring of each year
Students in grade 11 may submit a ten-minute play for consideration for the Lewis Center Ten-Minute Play Contest . Plays should be 10 pages long, equivalent to 10 minutes.
One first-prize winner will receive $500, one second-prize winner will receive $250, and one third-prize will receive $100.
All entries must be from students in the 11th grade .
Poetry Writing Contests for High School Students
For those who prefer a little free verse or the constraints of a haiku, there are plenty of poetry-specific contests, too.
Creative Communications Poetry Contest
- Award Amount: $25
- Deadline: December
Students in ninth grade or below may submit any poem of 21 lines or less (not counting spaces between stanzas) for consideration in the Creative Communications Poetry Contest .
Students may win $25, a free book, and school supplies for their teacher .
Public, private, or home-schooled US students (including those in detention centers) in kindergarten through ninth grade may enter.
Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize
- Award Amount: $500-$1500
- Deadline: November
Students in 11th grade may submit up to three poems for consideration in the Leonard L. Milberg '53 High School Poetry Prize . Submissions are due in November .
One first-prize winner will receive $1500, one second-prize winner will receive $750, and a third-prize winner will receive $500. Poems may be published on arts.princeton.edu. All entrants must be in the 11th grade.
Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest
- Award Amount: $500 - $5,000 renewable scholarship, $350 cash prize
- Deadline: October 31, 2022
Women poets who are sophomores or juniors in high school may submit two poems for consideration for the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest .
One first-place winner will receive a $350 cash prize, publication in and ten copies of Cargoes , Hollins' student magazine, as well as a renewable scholarship of up to $5,000 for Hollins and free tuition and housing for the Hollinsummer creative writing program. One second-place winner will receive publication in and two copies of Cargoes, a renewable scholarship to Hollins of up to $1,000, and a $500 scholarship to attend Hollinsummer.
Applicants must be female students in their sophomore or junior year of high school .
What's Next?
If you're looking for more money opportunities for college , there are plenty of scholarships out thereâ including some pretty weird ones .
For those who've been buffing up their test scores , there are tons of scholarships , some in the thousands of dollars.
If you're tired of writing essays and applying for scholarships, consider some of these colleges that offer complete financial aid packages .
Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.
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Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!â
As college admissions criteria evolve, applicants must showcase more than just academics. Engaging in diverse extracurriculars develops transferable skills and highlights passions. Writing competitions, in particular, distinguish applicants by demonstrating intelligence and creativity and help boost your student profile. Additionally, participating in these competitions refines essay writing skills, crucial for crafting compelling personal statements in college applications.
2024 Writing Competitions for Middle and High School Students
Gain insights on the John Locke Essay Competition. Learn expert tips for crafting standout essays in philosophy, politics, and history.
Portrait of Emilio Terry by Salvador DalĂ (detail, 1935).
NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID:Â 1564999
Are you an aspiring writer, creative artist, scientist or a future scholar? The following list of twenty-five publishing platforms provides teens with opportunities for recognition in those fields. Submitting your work for review and publication can channel your creative energy into a meaningful and rewarding project. Additionally, working on your writing will improve your research and organizational skills. Participating in a contest, or having your work published, is also a factor in college admissions decisions.
In estimating the amount of work each submission requires, be mindful of all provided deadlines. Notice that most essay submissions require a bibliography. If you are tackling an essay with an assigned topic, take advantage of the Library's Research resources. This guide to Remote Research Resources will provide you with guidance on how to use the Library's electronic resources from home. If you are working on composing an oratory, or any other piece of polemical writing, take a look at How to Research for a Debate Using Library Resources . Aspiring poets can consult Columbia Granger's World of Poetr y, a premier poetry online resource. Young artists can draw inspiration from the wealth of imagery in our Digital Collections . The Library encourages everyone to get creative with our public domain collection of digital images. If you are inserting a quotation into your text, learn How to Research a Quotation . Don't forget to attend the Library's events , as they frequently include writing workshops and book discussions . If you have any additional reference questions ,or want to see the full extent of remote research opportunities, take a look at our guide to Remote Collections and Services.
For additional guidance and inspiration, please see the short list of books provided below.
The Writer's Practice: Building Confidence in Your Nonfiction Writing by John Warner
Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron
Singing School: Learning to Write (and Read) Poetry with the Masters by Robert Pisnky
Writers's Idea Book by Jack Heffron
Barron's Painless Writing by Jeffrey Strausser
How to Write Better Essays by Bryan Greetham
You Can Write a Play! by Milton E. Polsky
The Artist's Way: a Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron
Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss
Apprentice Writer
Susquehanna University and the Writers Institute initiative invite high school students to submit fiction, memoir, personal essay , poetry and photography for the thirty-ninth volume of Apprentice Writer , which will be published in the fall of 2021Â
Deadline:Â submissions are accepted from September 15 , 2020 to March 15 2021
Nancy Thorp Poetry ContestÂ
The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest provides scholarship, prizes, and recognition for the best poems submitted by young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. No more than two poems per student. For details and prizes please see the contest webpage .Â
Deadline: October 31, 2020Â
Leonard l. Milberg â53 High School Poetry Prize
The Leonard L. Milberg â53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the eigth grade in the U.S. or abroad. Contest judges are poets on the Princeton University Creative Writing faculty, which includes Michael Dickman, Paul Muldoon, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, James Richardson, Tracy K. Smith, Susan Wheeler, Jenny Xie, and Monica Youn.
Deadline: to be announced. For the latest information and updates, you can subscribe to a newsletter .Â
Rattle Young Poets Anthology
Young Poets Anthology is looking for poem submissions from authors that are 15, and younger. Poets can use their whole name, first name or a pseudonym. Poems could be submitted by students that are younger than 18, teachers, parents and guardians.Â
Deadline:Â Submission for 2020 accepted until November 16, 2020.
Society of Classical Poets High School Poetry Competition
Invites classic poetry lovers ages 13 to 19 to submit up to 3 metered poems, limited to 108 lines. Poems must contain meter. Counting the number of syllables and ensuring there are a similar number in each line is sufficient. Society offers a very useful tutorial on writing poetry with a meter. To learn how to write poetry with a meter, see a brief beginnerâs guide on common iambic meter here or a more elaborate beginnerâs guide to many kinds of meter here .
Deadline: December 31, 2020
The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers  Â
The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers recognizes outstanding young poets and is open to high school sophomores and juniors throughout the world. The contest winner receives a full scholarship to the Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop. In addition, the winning poem and the poems of the two runners-up will be published in the Kenyon Review, one of the countryâs most widely read literary magazines.
Deadline : Submissions accepted between November 1 and November 30
Bennington College Young Writers AwardsÂ
Students in 9th-12th grades, residing anywhere in the world, are invited to submit original works in three categories. Poetry requires a submission of three poems. Category of Fiction accepts short stories or a one-act play. There is a separate nonfiction essay category. Please notice that only original writing is accepted, and all work has to be sponsored by a high school teacher. For further details, carefully read the submission rules. Â
Deadline: Submissions for 2020 are accepted from September 3 to November 1Â
Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for Young WritersÂ
High School students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit original work written in English. Creative writing that was not previously published, can be submitted in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. For further detail and submissions guidelines read the rules of the context. In addition to creative writing, you can submit cover art for Polyphony magazine.Â
Deadline: Check the website for the latest writing deadlines. Deadline for cover art submission is April 30th. Â
SPJ/JEA High School Essay ContestÂ
In order to increase high school students' knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media in our lives, Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalist and the Journalism Education Association invites students enrolled in grades 9-12 in US public, private and home schools , to submit an essay on a given topic. National winners of this essay contest will receive a scholarship award. Topic for 2020 will be released in November.Â
Deadline : February 22Â
Achievement Award in WritingÂ
National Council of Teachers of English is offering an Achievement Award in Writing to High School Juniors in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands, and accredited American Schools abroad. Students must be nominated by their school's English department and should submit one themed essay and a sample of their best writing.Â
Deadline:Â Submissions for 2021 are open from November 15 to February 15. Theme for the essay is available at the time of publication ( October 2020)Â
Teen Ink MagazineÂ
A national teen magazine devoted to teenage writing, art, photos and forums, offers an opportunity to publish creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives of teens. Hundreds of thousands of students aged 13-19, have submitted their work. Teen Ink magazine has published the creative output of over 55,000 teens. Teens can submit an article, poetry, book, novel, photo or a video though this link.
Deadline: none
Princeton University Ten Minute Play ContestÂ
Eligibility for the annual playwriting contest is limited to students in the 11th grade in the U.S , or an international equivalent of the 11th grade. Jury consists of members of the Princeton University Program in Theater faculty.Â
Deadline: Information regarding submission will be provided in late Fall of 2020.
Youth PlaysÂ
Unpublished one-act plays from authors younger than 19 years of age are accepted for submission. Plays should feature youth characters and be suitable for school production. For detailed submission guidelines and helpful advice visit Youth Plays website.Â
Deadline: Next opportunity for submission will open up in early 2021.
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Scholastic Art and Writing Awards has the largest selection of opportunities for creative self-expression. With twenty eight categories, ranging from poetry to the entire writing portfolio, young artists and writers can choose from a plethora of opportunities. For the latest updates, rules , and information on how to enter, register with Scholastic. Don't forget to view the Gallery of Winning Entries . To participate in the Awards, you must be a student in grades 7â12, age 13 years or older, residing in the United States, U.S. territories or military bases, or Canada.
Deadlines vary by category, with submissions windows between September to December.Â
National Young Arts Foundation Competition
Young Arts' signature program is an application-based award for emerging artists ages 15-18, or in grades 10-12. Open to students in a variety of different disciplines, including visual arts, writing, and music, National Young Arts Foundation Competition  asks students to submit a portfolio of work.
Deadline: October 16 , 2020
World Historian Student Essay Competition Â
World History Association invites international students enrolled in grades K-12 in public, private and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs to participate in a writing competition that celebrates the study of history. Each competitor will submit an essay that addresses the issue: In what way has the study of world history affected my understanding of the world in which we live ? For further details on submission guidelines, visit World History Association. Â
Deadline: May 1
The Concord Review
This unique publication is the only quarterly journal in the world to publish academic history papers of secondary students. The Concord Review accepts history research papers (about 8,500 words with endnotes and bibliography ) of high school students from anywhere in the world. There is no theme, and papers on every period of history anywhere in the world are accepted. For specific rules and regulators, see the submission guidelines.Â
Deadline: essay are accepted on a rolling admissions basis.
George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest
The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all high school students (9th through 12th grades) interested in the American Revolution to participate in the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest. To participate, students must submit an original 800Â to 1,200-word essay based on an event, person, philosophy or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution.Â
Deadline: December 31Â
JFK Profiles in Courage Essay ContestÂ
The contest is open to United States high school students in grades 9-12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools. In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.
Deadline: January 15Â
Write the World Competition
Write the World is a global community of young writers, ages 13-18. Write the World offers a rotating list of themed competitions. Current competition ( October 2020) is for a Speech Writing Oration. The list of past competitions includes Historical Fiction ( short story), Food Writing, Album Review, Environmental Journalism, Songwriting and Book Review.Â
Deadline: a new competition every month
Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize
Established in 2006, the Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize is an essay competition open in year 12 or the equivalent. Students can submit essays on three given topics in Philosophy. The judges will look for originality of thought, a clear grasp of the issues, clarity in presentation and a critical approach to what has been read. They will also look for a clear structure to the essay. Please read the submission guidelines carefully .
Deadline: June 22 , 2021
The American Foreign Service Associationâs National High School Essay Contest
Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate in the contest, if they reside in the U.S., U.S territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas. In addition to the winner, there is the one runner-up and eight honorable mentions. For further details, please read Rules and GuidelinesÂ
Deadline: The new prompt and deadlines for 2021 will be announced in the fall of 2020
International Essay Contest for Young People
This annual themed essay contest is organized by the Goi Peace Foundation in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. Essays can be submitted in two age categories, by anyone younger than 25. In addition to English, essays can be submitted in French, Spanish, German and Japanese. Please note that essays must be mailed, as no email submissions are accepted.
Deadline: Consult the Goi Peace Foundation website for the 2021 theme .
Engineer Girl Essay Writing Competition
This competition is open to individual girls and boys in the following three age categories: elementary, middle, and high school students. This year's theme relates to the COVID-19 virus.
Deadline: The contest will close at 11:59 PM, February 1, 2021, U.S. Eastern Standard Tim e
Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Scholarship Program
Established in 1947Â by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Voice of Democracy Youth Scholarship program requires a submission of a themed recorded essay. Students attending any type of school in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate. Essays are judged on content and on delivery technique.
Deadline: October 31
Top 20 Best Writing Contests for High School Students
By Jin Chow
Co-founder of Polygence, Forbes 30 Under 30 for Education
13 minute read
Writing contests are a great way to focus on a topic that excites you, organize your thoughts, showcase your research and/or creativity, join a community, gain recognition, and even win cash, scholarships, and all-expenses-paid travel. The other nice thing about writing is that you can do it on your own time, and it doesnât cost a dime. You can fit it around other summer activities or on weekends. You donât need to win first place in these competitions to reap the benefits either. Many competitions offer all sorts of prizes at various levels, and you may get invaluable feedback from expert judges that will help you in your future writing projectsâand, yes, winning looks great on college applications too!
Weâve organized this list of teenage writing contests alphabetically, by the hosting institution. It covers a broad swath of subjects, including: scientific research; persuasive essays; poetry; comics; and philosophical arguments.
Pro tip : Most of these competitions publish past winners on their websites. Read these winning entries to get inspired and to get a sense of the format, length, tone, and subject matter thatâs considered winning material. Itâs also just fascinating to read this great writing.
Want to work on a writing project but want feedback? Check out our Polygence mentors . Most of these competitions donât mind if you polish your work with a mentor if the work and ideas behind your entry are your own.
Writing Contests for High School Students
As entry requirements, writing prompt availability (if applicable), application and submission deadlines, and judging criteria may change year to year, be sure to refer to the specific contest websites for those that catch your attention.
1. The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose
Hosting institution: The Adroit Journal
Awards: $200
Writing prompt availability: n/a
Submission deadline: Mid-May
The submission guidelines for this writing contest are very nuanced; in short, you can send up to 5 âpacketsâ of writing. Each âpacketâ can consist of either 6 poems or 3 prose pieces (fiction or creative nonfiction, and a total of 3,500 words combined). Winners and runners-up will be published in The Adroit Journal .
This contest is open to students internationally and winners are announced in mid-October. Each year, the contest features a different set of esteemed judges. Judges in 2023 were Natalie Diaz (poetry) and Ocean Vuong (prose).Â
Note: this writing contest has a non-refundable $15 submission fee; students can apply for financial assistance if needed
2. National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
Hosting institution: Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Awards: Scholarships of up to $12,500
Submission deadline: December or January, depending on your region
The prestigious Scholastic Art & Writing Awards has been around since 1923 and has an impressive list of past winners including Joyce Carol Oates, Stephen King, John Updike, and Sylvia Plath. There are 11 writing categories including humor, flash fiction, poetry, short stories, journalism, and more.
You may win at the regional level and then be automatically entered into the national contest. Winners at the national level are invited to attend a star-studded ceremony in New York City and your writing will be published in the annual anthology Best Teen Writing.
As timelines will vary based on your specific region and which writing contest you enter, the calendar on the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers site is a great resource for students to refer to for information about important dates and deadlines.
Learn more about Why You Should Apply for the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards !
3. National High School Essay Contest
Hosting institutions: American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and the United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
1st: $2,500 and a paid trip to the nationâs capital from anywhere in the U.S. for the winner and his or her parents, plus an all-expense paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea
2nd: $1,250 and full tuition to National Student Leadership Conferenceâs International Diplomacy summer program
Writing prompt availability: Fall
Submission deadline: April 1, 2024
Every year, this essay contest invites high school students to explore a topic that touches upon issues of peace building and the protection of national security. Your response to this prompt should be an essay of 1,000-1,500 words. Winning essays are also published on the website so you can see past topics and research.
You must be a U.S. high school student to participate and meet all eligibility requirements (e.g., your parents cannot be in the Foreign Service). Itâs best to refer to AFSAâs site for the most up-to-date information about very specific writing contest rules and guidelines. The judging criteria include the quality of analysis, quality of research, form, style, and mechanics.
4. Young Writers Awards
Hosting institution: Bennington College
Awards: $500 (1st in each category), $250 (2nd in each category)
YWA winners who enroll at Bennington receive a $15,000 scholarship each year -Â for a total of $60,000Â
Submission deadline: Early November
Bennington College has quite a literary pedigree, with alumni that have garnered twelve Pulitzer Prize winners, three U.S. poet laureates, four MacArthur Geniuses, countless New York Times bestsellers, and two of Time magazineâs 100 most influential people. In honor of its legacy, Bennington College started this contest to celebrate great writing by high school students.
Youâre invited to submit writing in one of the following categories: poetry (3 poems), fiction (up to 1500 words), or nonfiction (up to 1500 words). All work must be reviewed, approved, and sponsored by a teacher. Homeschool students may use a mentor.
Express Your Creative Side
Interested in visual arts, music, or literature? We can match you with an expert mentor who will help you explore your creative streak!
5. My Impact Challenge
Hosting institution: Bill of Rights Institute
Awards: Up to $10,000, with $40,000 in total prizesÂ
Writing prompt availability:Â n/a
Submission deadline: May 19, 2024
In this contest, a 1,200-word essay is part of a larger project that also includes a service project that youâve completed along with a 2,000-word report detailing your inspiration, project plan, details of how you executed the plan, and how your understanding of civic virtue and your community grew as a result. Visual documentation of your project is also required. Youâll be judged on the impact your project had on the community, knowledge gained, originality, mechanics, and your understanding of civic virtue.
Get more information about the submission guidelines and judging rubric for My Impact Challenge on the Bill of Rights Institute website.
6. Ocean Awareness Contest
Hosting institution: Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
Awards: Up to $1,000
Writing prompt availability: Early September
Submission deadline: June 10, 2024
This international writing contest was created to raise awareness about environmental issues through creative communication. Students aged 11 through 18 are eligible to participate.
The prompt for 2023 involved thinking about climate change and posing possible solutions for the climate crisis. The idea is to move beyond the bad news and celebrate the work that is being done by countless âclimate heroesââthe scientists, activists, artists, and educators striving to make our world more habitable.
The writing prompt for the 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest is Tell Your Climate Story . Your submission can take the form of creative writing, film, interactive and multimedia, poetry, and spoken word.
The Ocean Awareness Contest FAQs on the Bow Seat site are an excellent resource to find out more specific information about how to participate in this writing competition.
7. Essay Contest
Hosting institution: Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA)
Awards: $1,000 scholarship + free trip to conference (1st), $500 scholarship (2nd), $250 scholarship (3rd)
Writing prompt availability:Â Currently Available
Submission deadline: June 1, 2024
If you love Jane Austen novels, you must enter this contest! Each year, JASNA asks students from all around the world to think about a topic inspired by a work by Jane Austen and how this topic reflects on our culture today. The 2023 JASNA Essay Contest topic was about marriages and proposals , as inspired by the theme in Austenâs Pride and Prejudice. The 2024 JASNA Essay Contest topic will be announced in November 2023. Your original insights and clear, correct writing should then take the form of a 6-8 page essay written in English. Past essay winners are published on the website.
8. Profile in Courage Essay Contest by JFK Presidential Library
Hosting institution: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
Awards: $10,000 (1st), $3,000 (2nd), $1,000 (five other finalists), $100 (eight semifinalists)
Writing prompt availability: Available Now
Submission deadline: January 12, 2024
Inspired by JFK's book, Profiles in Courage, this writing contest invites you to describe and analyze an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official serving after JFK was born (1917). Essays must be between 700 and 1,000 words and include a minimum of five sources. Judges are looking for originality, supporting evidence, source material, high-quality writing, and organization. They also want to see evidence that you understand the meaning of political courage.
Note: students must provide the name of a nominating teacher on their registration form, so make sure you coordinate with an educator who can serve in that capacity. Refer to the Profile in Courage Essay Contest eligibility requirements for more information.
9. John Locke Essay Competition
Hosting institution: John Locke Institute
Awards: Awards: $2,000 scholarship (for 1st in each of the 8 categories)
Application deadline: Late May
Submission deadline: Late June
Ready to think deep thoughts? This contest gives you the chance to refine your skills in argumentation (e.g,, independent insights, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis, and rhetoric) and have your work assessed by experts. You can choose from 1 of 3 challenging questions posed in 7 different categories (Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law) in the form of a 2,000-word (max) essay. Thereâs also a junior category for students who are under age 15 (i.e., 14 or younger).
Your entry will be judged by a panel of Oxford and Princeton faculty. Winning essays are posted on the John Locke Institute website , and you can check out the fascinating archive.
Read our blog post, Everything You Should Know about the John Locke Institute Essay Competition to learn more about this writing contest!
10. High School Poetry Prize and Ten-Minute Play Contest
Hosting institution: Lewis Center for the Arts - Princeton University
Poetry: $1,500 (1st), $750 (2nd), $500 (3rd)
Play: $500 (1st), $250 (2nd), $100 (3rd)
Writing prompt availability: Late October (Poetry)
Submission deadlines:
Poetry: Late November
Play: April 1, 2024
Princeton University has two writing contests that are open to 11th grade students and it is possible to enter both of them:
Leonard L. Milberg â53 High School Poetry Prize : students may submit up to three poems and it is okay if they have also been submitted to other writing contests
Ten-Minute Play Contest : submissions are limited to one play per student
Entries for both contests are judged by Princeton faculty.
11. EngineerGirl Writing Contest
Hosting institution: National Academy of Engineering
Awards: $500 (1st), $250 (2nd), $100 (3rd)
Writing prompt availability: September
Submission deadline: Early February
This essay contest features a new writing prompt every year dealing with engineeringâs impact on the world. The 2023 contest focused on diversity in engineering and how that might future design solutions . The prompt for the 2024 EngineerGirl Writing Contest is The Secret Life of Everyday Items . High school students are limited to 750 words and must cite anywhere from 3-10 resources. Winning and honorable mention entries are published on the website.
12. Achievement Awards in Writing
Hosting institution: National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
Awards: First-class awards will be published on the NCTE website
Writing prompt availability: August
Submission deadline: February 15, 2024
Each year, the National Council of Teachers of English posts a thought-provoking prompt and participants in 10th and 11th grades are welcome to respond in up to 10 pages.Â
The writing prompt for the 2023 contest was based on Malala Yousafzaiâs address to the United Nations; the prompt for 2024 comes from Michele Obamaâs book, Becoming:
âIf you donât get out there and define yourself, you'll be quickly and inaccurately defined by others.â
Writing contest entries are not limited to informative or persuasive essays. They can also take the form of a research report, a personal narrative, a fictional story, a series of poems, a photo essay, or a comic or graphic narrative.
Other NCTE Writing Contests for Students
Promising Young Writers
Open to 8th graders
Submission deadline is mid-February
National Writing Award: The Humanities and a Freer Tomorrow - in partnership with the National Humanities Alliance
Open to 11th and 12th graders
Submission deadline is late October
13. YoungArts Writing Competition
Hosting institution: The National Foundation for the Advancement of Artists
Awards: Prizes up to $10,000, Entry to National YoungArtsWeek, Presidential Scholar In the Arts designation, grants and funding, residency opportunities
Writing prompt availability: June 2024
Submission deadline: Mid-October
This multidisciplinary competition has entry categories across 10 disciplines. Writing is one of them, and you may submit your writing in the form of creative nonfiction, novel, play or script, poetry, short story, or spoken word. To be eligible to apply you must be a U.S. sophomore, junior, or senior. The website features a great section with tips and testimonials from past winners and guest artists. Awards are not simply cash-based. Entry into this organization connects you to a lifelong network and access to master artists.
14. Creative Writing Scholarship
Hosting institution: National Society of High School Scholars
Awards: $2,000 prize (3 given out for fiction and 3 given out for poetry)
Writing prompt availability: Early May
Submission deadline: Early October
You can enter this contest in the fiction or poetry category, or both. Fiction must be no more than 5,000 words. Your poem must appear as you would like for it to be published. Judging criteria include creativity, technique, expression, and originality. In addition to your writing, youâll need to submit a recommendation from a teacher, a school transcript, an academic resume, and a photo of yourself.
15. Young Lions Fiction Award
Hosting institution: New York Public Library
Three (3) $2,000 awards for the Fiction category
Three (3) $2,000 awards for the Poetry category
Submission deadline: Early September
The Young Lions Fiction Award was started by Ethan Hawke, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, Rick Moody, and Hannah McFarland as a safety net and support system for young writers. You must be 35 or younger to submit your work for consideration. The catch with this particular contest is that your submission must be in the form of a published novel or collection of short stories that was published within the year of the contestâ galley proof is an acceptable format.
As most high school students wonât have a published book to submit, this contest is a bit of a stretchâitâs generally geared toward young writers in their 20s and 30s. That said, if you have published a book, this is an amazing opportunity and it is a very prestigious distinction to be among the five finalists.
16. Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder / Sense of the Wild Contest
Hosting institution: Rachel Carson Landmark Alliance
Awards: Publication on the contest website
Submission deadline: Mid-November
Unlike the other writing contests listed here, this writing submission is meant to be co authored by you and at least one older adult. This could be your parent, grandparent, teacher, neighbor, mentor, etc. The idea is that you and your coauthor are from two different generations and that will inspire both of you to look at nature differently. You can choose to write about 1 of 2 themes and you can also choose to write it as an essay or as a poem. (Either can have up to 500 words). You may also include an original photograph with your entry.
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17. High School Essay Contest
Hosting institutions: The Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association
Awards: $1,000 scholarship (1st), $500 scholarship (2nd), $300 scholarship (3rd)
Submission deadline: Feb. 19, 2024
Raising awareness of the importance of independent media in our lives is the key goal of this contest. The topic for 2023 was âWhile consumers are drawn toward tweets and sound bites, how can journalists tell more of the story without losing readersâ interest?â U.S. high school students in grades 9 through 12 are invited to respond to this prompt with an essay of 300-500 words.
The judging criteria include: adherence to the topic and a logical interpretation of the subject (40 pts); vocabulary and style (30 pts); grammar (20 points); neatness (5 pts); and proper format (5 pts).
18. Voice of Democracy
Hosting institution: Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Awards: $35,000 college scholarship (grand prize); $1,000-$21,000 (other national scholarships); $1,000 (each state winner)
Submission deadline: Late October
This audio-essay contest was created in 1947 to promote patriotism for our U.S. democracy. High school students are invited to express their patriotism via a recorded speech. Each year students win $1.3 million in educational scholarships and incentives from this VFW contest. The 2023-24 prompt is: âWhat are the greatest attributes of our democracy?â
Students will write and record their essay response. (The audio file should be 3-5 minutes long.) The judging criteria include originality (30 pts), organization and flow (35 pts), and speech delivery (35 pts). You submit your audio file and written essay to your local VFW Post, which you can find on the VFW site we link to above.
Patriotâs Pen
VFW has a writing contest for students in sixth through eighth grade, called Patriotâs Pen . The 2023-24 prompt for this contest is: âHow are you inspired by America?â
19. World Historian Student Essay Competition
Hosting institution: World History Organization
Awards: $500
Writing prompt availability: n/aÂ
Submission deadline: May 1st, 2024
Open to all students internationally (grades K-12), this contest provides a prompt based on world history education and how it impacts you. The prompt for 2023 asks you to think about a family story related to a historical event or your familyâs cultural background. Your response must be an essay of approximately 1,000 words. Judging criteria include a clear thesis, concrete supporting examples, evidence of synthesis and evaluation, and organization. They are also looking at your overall ability to communicate how a better understanding of world history has changed you.
20. New Voices One-Act Competition
Hosting institution: YouthPLAYS
Awards: $250 and publication in YouthPLAYS (1st), $100 (runner-up)
Writing prompt availability: Early January
Submission deadline: May 1, 2024
This contest accepts any unpublished, non-musical one-act play from anyone under age 19. Your play must be between 10-14 minutes in length (a read-through before you submit is recommended) and at least 10 pages long. The play should be suitable for a school production and should ideally feature youth characters in age-appropriate roles. Your cast must also have two or more characters and more female roles are encouraged.
How Students Can Benefit From Participating in Writing Competitions
Writing competitions offer high school students a unique opportunity to showcase their skills, gain recognition, and enhance their college admissions prospects. Here are 10 ways writing contests can make a positive impact and be beneficial for student participants:
1. Demonstrating your commitment to writing
When you actively engage in writing competitions, you demonstrate your passion and commitment to the craft. Admissions officers appreciate applicants who have pursued their interests with dedication.
2. Showcasing your skills
Writing contests allow you to showcase your writing skills , whether it's in the form of essays, poetry, or other creative works. High-quality submissions can impress admissions committees.
3. Building a strong portfolio
Over time, your participation in various writing competitions can help you build a diverse and impressive writing portfolio. This portfolio can be submitted as part of your college application to highlight your talents .
4. Gaining recognition
Winning or even being recognized as a finalist in a prestigious writing contest can significantly boost your application. Admissions officers are more likely to take notice of applicants with such accomplishments.
5. Differentiating yourself
In a competitive admissions landscape, it's essential to stand out from the crowd. Participation in writing competitions sets you apart and adds a unique dimension to your application.
6. Highlighting your interests
Writing competitions can be a reflection of your academic and personal interests. They show that you are intellectually curious and proactive in pursuing your passions .
7. Earning scholarships and awards
Many writing contests offer cash prizes or scholarships as rewards. These can help offset the cost of your education, making you a more attractive candidate to colleges.
8. Receiving Expert Feedback
Writing competitions often involve evaluation by expert judges. Constructive feedback from these judges can help you improve your writing skills, which is valuable both academically and in your application essays .
9. Enhancing Your Writing Abilities
Regularly participating in writing contests hones your writing abilities, making you a more effective communicator. This skill is beneficial for college coursework and beyond.
10. Reflecting On Personal Growth
As you participate in writing competitions, you may explore new topics and perspectives. This growth as a writer and thinker is something you can discuss in your application essays.
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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 thatâs certainly true. But itâs 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 youâre 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. Itâs 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.
BUILDâs Design Challenge
Students in grades 7â12 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-SPANâs 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. DECAâs 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 quarterâs 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 6â12 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 nationâs longest-running, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens (ages 13+, grades 7â12) 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 (3.80â4.00 GPA), three scholastic students (3.20â3.799 GPA), and three varsity students (0.00â3.199 GPA). Theyâll 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 videoâup to 60 seconds longâabout 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 6â8 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 8â14. 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 yearâs prompt. Winners receive certificates in various levels of distinction.
Ranger Rick Photo Contest
Kids 13 and under can enter any nature-themed photo theyâve 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 Rickâs âYour Best Shotsâ Magazine Award. Magazine Award winners will be selected three times each year for publication in Ranger Rick magazineâs DecemberâJanuary, April, and August issues.
Rubber Band Contest
This contest challenges students in grades 5â8 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 5â8 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. Theyâre particularly interested in plays that speak to BIPOC teens and youth.
Doodle for Google
Did you know that each year, one student in grades Kâ5 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 theyâve 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 Rickâs âYour Best Shotsâ Magazine Award. Magazine Award winners will be selected three times each year for publication in Ranger Rick magazineâs DecemberâJanuary, 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 awardâwinning 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 Kâ12 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 4â12 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. Itâs open to students in grades 3 and up.
Invention Convention
The Invention Convention program is a Kâ12 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 NASAâs 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 Kâ12 students attending public, private, parochial, and homeschool who are residents of the United States, and grades Kâ12 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 countryâs 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 Kâ12 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 4â12 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 6â18 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 ..
You Might Also Like
The Best Student Writing Contests for 2023-2024
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March 20, 2024 | Shawn Kornegay - Neag School of Education
Connecticutâs 2024 Letters About Literature Contest Winners Named
UConn's Neag School of Education, Department of English, and Connecticut Writing Project, co-sponsors of the 31st annual Letters About Literature contest, are proud to announce Connecticutâs winners for the 2023-24 academic year.
Doug Kaufman, left, congratulates a winner from the Letters About Literature contest in 2023; Jason Courtmanche is pictured in the background. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)
UConn’s Neag School of Education , Department of English , and Connecticut Writing Project (CWP) , co-sponsors of the 31st annual Letters About Literature contest, are proud to announce Connecticutâs winners for the 2023-24 academic year.
Each year, students in grades four through 12 are invited to read a text, broadly defined, and write a letter to the author (living or dead) about how the text affected them personally. Submissions are grouped according to grade level (grades four to six; grades seven and eight; and grades nine to 12).
All submissions were read and scored by Neag School alumni teacher-volunteers. Of the 878 submissions from Connecticut students this year, there were 526 students who received honorable mentions. Each Letters About Literature semi-finalist and honorable mention recipient received a letter of recognition.
A second set of judges, all pre-service teachers, then read and scored the 91 semi-finalists â twice for each submission â and selected a total of nine winners, three per grade level. Then one student per grade level was named Top Prize. Each of the nine winners will receive a gift card: the three Top Prize winners get $200 each and the six others get $100 each. The winning recipients will be recognized at a ceremony later in the spring.
Neag School associate professor Doug Kaufman , CWP director Jason Courtmanche , and Department of English Ph.D. candidate Margaret McFarlane served as the contestâs representatives for the state of Connecticut.
Letters About Literature Finalists for the State of Connecticut
The following are the contest finalists, listed with their respective schoolâs and teacherâs names, as well as the work of literature that is the focus of their essay, with access to their winning submissions in PDF format.
Level I (Grades 4-6)
- Top Prize Winner: Erioluwa Shokunbi , John Ferrero, Macdonough Elementary (Middletown), Gone by Michael Grant
- Winner: Ema He , Lucinda Kulvinskas, King Phillip Middle School (West Hartford), The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown
- Winner: Ria Shenoy , Ximena Franco-Bao, West Woods Upper Elementary School (Farmington), Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Level II (Grades 7-8)
- Top Prize Winner: Emma Allen, Kristin Liu, The Country School (Madison), Instructions Before Dancing by Nicola Yoon
- Winner: Ella Yu, Jessica Kerelejza, King Phillip Middle School (West Hartford), Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
- Winner: Ava Hill, Sara Tamborello, Segwick Middle School (West Hartford), The Wish by Nicholas Spark
Level III (Grades 9-12)
- Top Prize Winner: Brian Park, Lennoz Debra, Hotchkiss School (Salisbury), Theme for English B by Langston Hughes
- Winner: Noah Tork, Lucy Abott, Notre Dame (West Haven), Night by Ellie Wiesel
- Winner: Emerson Smith , Katherine Gabbay, Ridgefield High School (Ridgefield), The Virgin Suicides by Jefrey Eugenides
Letters About Literature Contest Judges
Alumni, students, and friends of the Neag School of Education and the University of Connecticut judged the Letters About Literature contest submissions this past fall. The judges selected semi-finalists at each of the three competition levels. Thank you to the first-round contest judges:
- Sarah Abbey
- Lea Attanasio
- Leah Baranauskas
- Sian Charles-Harris
- Celina DaSilva
- Caitlin Davidson
- Mirelinda Dema
- Kristina Dukette
- Hayley Gomez
- Migdalia Gonsalves
- Denise Grant
- Katie Grant
- Jill Kneisl
- Lindsay Larsen
- Lindsey Le-Gervais
- Laura Milligan
- Melissa Oberlander
- Katie Owens
- Alex Andy Phuong
- Jamie Pisacane
- Christy Rybczyk
- Jaclyn Sanzari
- Allison Stroili
- Robert Zupperoli
Students in the Neag School and Department of English judged the Letters About Literature semifinalist essays this past month. Thank you to the contest judges, who are current students in the Neag School of Education Integrated Bachelorâs/Masterâs program with a second major or concentration in English or UConn students majoring in English:
- Grace Carpenter
- Mckenzie Dayton
- Amanda Faubel
- Emily Feest
- Chloe Goodi
- Vashonti Mac
- Brenna McNeec
- Evelyn Mcname
- Georgia Mills Rent
- Molly Morga
- Thomas Murray
- Sofia Oyola Morale
- Shannon Palme
- Lillian Sol
- Grian Wizne
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Creative Writing Competitions
2024 Contests
High school competition.
High school students in North Carolina are encouraged to submit their creative writing for a chance to win a cash prize and read at the 22nd annual Spring Literary Festival. To submit your work, email your submission to " [email protected] ," along with the following information: submission title, genre, and name of your high school . (Submissions in multiple genres allowed.)
Deadline March 3, 2024
Prize in Fiction
1st place - $250 2nd place - $100 3rd place - $50
Submit a short story of up to 2000 words.
Judged by WCU English Studies faculty.
Prize in Nonfiction
Submit a creative/literary essay of up to 2000 words.
Prize in Poetry
Submit up to three poems.
Judged by WCU English Studies faculty
Litfest Creative Writing Competition
Undergraduate students at WCU may submit fiction, poetry, and/or nonfiction to the Litfest Creative Writing competition (submissions in multiple genres allowed). Winners will receive a cash prize, publication in The Nomad, and a chance to read at the 22nd annual Spring Literary Festival. To submit your work, email the nomad @wcu.edu and include the title and genre in the body of the email.
Deadline February 19, 2024.
Kathryn Stripling Byer Prize in Poetry
Winner - $250 Runner-up - $100
Judged by Amy Alvarez, author of the poetry collection Makeshift Altar (2024) and the co-editor of Essential Voices: A COVID-19 Anthology (2023).
Submit a short story of up 2000 words.
Judged by Carter Sickels, author of the novel The Prettiest Star , winner of the 2021 Southern Book Prize and the Weatherford Award, and The Evening Hour , which was adapted into a feature film by the same name in 2020.
Prize in Literary Nonfiction
Submit up a literary/creative essay of up to 2000 words.
Judged by Sarah Viren , contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine and author of two books of narrative nonfiction: To Name the Bigger Lie (2023) and Mine (2018).
Grad Lit Competition
Graduate students at WCU may submit their fiction, poetry, and/or nonfiction to the Grad Lit Contest (submissions in multiple genres allowed). Winners will receive a cash prize, publication in Yonder , and a chance to read at the 22nd annual Spring Literary Festival. To submit your work, email [email protected] and include the title and genre in the body of the email.
Submit up to three short stories of no more than 3000 words each.
Judged by Maurice Carlos Ruffin, author of two novels-- American Daughters (2024) and We Cast a Shadow (2019)--and the New York Times Editorâs Choice short story collection The Ones Who Don't Say They Love You (2021).
Judged by Ariel Francisco, author of A ll the Places We Love Have Been Left in Ruins (2024), Under Capitalism If Your Head Aches They Just Yank Off Your Head (2022), A Sinking Ship is Still a Ship (2020), and All My Heroes Are Broke (2017).
Submit up to three essays of no more than 3000 words each.
Judged by Lyz Lenz, author of the nonfiction books This American Ex Wife (2024), Belabored (2020), and God Land (2021), as well as the newsletter Men Yell At Me , where she explores the intersection of politics and our bodies in red state America.
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Mark your Calendars!
As you are ending this school year and beginning to plan for the 2023-2024 school year, ACSI invites you to mark your calendar and make plans to attend the many ACSI events and experiences happening in the United States. Learn more about our upcoming events.
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Creative Writing Festival
Mission & Vision
Event Information
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Host an Event
Students submit creative writing pieces for evaluation. Two judges, provided by participating schools, evaluate each work submitted based on a rubric. Students are awarded based on their scores and receive evaluative comments from each judge.
Students in Grades 4â12 from ACSI member schools may participate. Each registered school may submit a maximum of 24 entries. We encourage you to spread those entries evenly between grade levels and categories.
All Creative Writing Festivals are digital in 2023-24. The Creative Writing Festival Submissions Deadline on the ACSI Student E-vents portal is February 23, 2024.
- Free Verse Poetry
- Rhymed Poetry
- Essay
- Short Story
- Song Lyrics
- Playwriting
Adjudication & Awards
Two judges will evaluate each entry. It is suggested that each school have a festival of its own and send only the best works to the ACSI Creative Writing Festival.
Entries are adjudicated based on a rubric rather than in direct comparison to other works. Superior, excellent, and good scores are awarded with ribbons.
Registration & Fees
- School Registration Fee: $85 by October 13, 2023 ($105 after deadline)
- Student Participation Fee: $15 per entry by February 23, 2024 ($5/student late fee after deadline)
For additional information, please contact a Student Leadership & Learning team member.
Interested in Hosting This Event?
Click below to view event-specific details. For general Host/Chair information and the opportunity to volunteer, please click here .
Hosting- Creative Writing
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Search Utah State University:
Arts & Humanities
USU Creative Writing and Art Contest Announces 2024 Winners
By Ashley Wells | March 20, 2024
"Bittersweet Nightshade" by Basil Payne took 1st Place in the art category of the 2024 USU Creative Writing and Art Contest.
USU’s Creative Writing Contest has named the winners in its 31st annual competition, recognizing the best creative work by USU students.
Open to all USU undergraduate students from all departments and disciplines, the contest awards top writers of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction, as well as visual artists in drawing, painting and photography. Each category received the blind review of expert judges drawn from the USU and Cache Valley arts community.
On her winning fiction piece, “Tashi’s Vows,” winner Amber McCuen says: “I wrote the short story ‘Tashi's Vows’ in a fiction writing class, which was specifically focused on writing fiction based in research. In studying Tibetan Buddhism before I wrote the story, I watched documentaries, checked out books from multiple libraries, and at one point had 80 tabs of web pages and articles open. My biggest desires in writing this story were to depict everything as accurately as possible, from the physical monastery to the culture of its residents, and to tell a human, heartfelt story.”
Gregory Dille’s essay, “Ventriloquist,” was chosen as the nonfiction winner.
“ Growing up rural meant relying on family and the natural environment for company,” Gregory says. “Being so immersed in the natural world meant constant, predictable change — seasonal weather, migrating birds, and so on. Certain change, I learned at a young age, was not predictable, however. ‘Ventriloquist’ was my attempt at capturing that sudden, unpredictable feeling.”
Noelani Hadfield was named poetry winner for selected poems “trial by fire,” “patience is a virtue that rips me apart,” and “metaphysics of being.”
“For me, my writing is always rooted in my own experiences,” Noelani says. “Poetry, however, is this great medium where you can fictionalize and transpose in order to get to the true ‘heart’ of the poem. All of these poems are me trying to explore something within myself — things that are in all of us.”
On their winning piece “Bittersweet Nightshade,” writer and artist Basil Payne says: “I made this art piece in conversation with a poem I did over the summer for a project I worked on. Most of this piece comes from nature — the plant in the middle is a bittersweet nightshade plant I preserved with a plant press, and the splotchy red, purple, and wine background was made from different berries I foraged. Through this piece, I wanted to share how I see the world. I saw myself in that plant, a tattered, hole-punched weed on the side of the road, and I thought it was beautiful.”
This is the eighth year the contest has partnered with USU’s international undergraduate literary journal, Sink Hollow . The winning entries will be published next month in a special contest issue, giving this work an international audience.
The winners will also get the chance to share their work locally when they will give a reading at Helicon West .
“The Helicon reading of the contest winners’ work is always one of the best nights of the year on campus,” said Contest Director Charles Waugh. “We get to celebrate not only the winning work, but also our whole, vibrant writing community here at USU and in Cache Valley.”
The Helicon West reading of the contest winning work will 7 p.m. April 25 at the new Logan Library in Community Room A. As always, Helicon is free, uncensored, open to the public, and will include an open-mic session.
2024 USU Creative Writing and Art Contest Winners
- First: Basil Payne, “Bittersweet Nightshade.”
- Second: Cassity Whitby, “Tour Guide Ruth.”
- Third: Abigail Smith, “Through the Looking Glass.”
- Honorable Mention : Lily Webb, “Facing the Storm; Summer Reign.”
- Honorable Mention : Cassity Whitby, “June With Adreann and the Kids; November Blue Light.”
- Honorable Mention: Basil Payne, “A dream which had heard me weep; Juniper.”
- Honorable Mention: K’Lee Perry, “Leaves and Eaves; Patchwork Sun.”
- Honorable Mention: Abigail Smith, “Taking Leave.”
- Honorable Mention: Madileine Malo, “Circles.”
- Honorable Mention: Amber McCuen, “Goliath.”
- Honorable Mention: Brianna Pickering, “Ode to Ophelia; Keeping Watch.”
- Honorable Mention: Bria Dean “Seven Circles; Inclusion Matters.”
- First: Amber McCuen, “Tashi’s Vows.”
- Second: Megan Boyce, “The Magic Lantern.”
- Third: Ashleigh Sabin, “The Great Unconformity.”
- First: Gregory Dille, “Ventriloquist.”
- Second: Nick Carlson, “A Recipe for Funeral Casserole.”
- Third: Clarissa Casper, “Flash Flood.”
- First: Noelani Hadfield, “trial by fire; patience is a virtue that rips me apart; metaphysics of being.”
- Second: Basil Payne, "Icarus as God; love-dewed meadows; Monstrous belief.”
- Third: James Ashby, “Faces; Sanctuary; I Still Have Die to Cast, just not anymore for you.”
Ashley Wells English Department Lecturer [email protected]
Comments and questions regarding this article may be directed to the contact person listed on this page.
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Creative Writing
The FACCS Creative Writing Regional Festivals and State Competition are writing events for students in grades 1-12. Entries are written at the school-level then submitted electronically to the Regional Event Coordinator for judging. Top entries from each region are then sent to the State Event Coordinator for judging.
View the 2023 State Results
Regional Competition
All Entries registered no later than Friday, January 26, 2024. Registered Entries must be submitted no later than Friday, February 2, 2024.
REGISTRATION
If you have enrolled to participate in the Creative Writing Festival , you can register in the FACCS Portal . Registration must be completed by Friday, January 15, 2021 .
- $15.00 per entry - Member school
- $22.00 per entry - Individual homeschooler
The following categories are available in the Creative Writing Competition:
Electronic Entry Submission
Entries must be registered in the FACCS Portal no later than January 26, 2024. Registered entries must be submitted in the FACCS Portal no later than February 2, 2024. Late entries will not be accepted after February 2. Check the FACCS Portal for instructions for how to submit entries. Contact your regional or event coordinator for specific instructions if needed.
Regional Coordinators
Contact your regional coordinator if you have any questions.
State Eligibility
Regional Festival entries in each grade and category that receive the highest evaluation per grade/category with at least an "Excellent" rating will be automatically forwarded to the FACCS Creative Writing State Competition. Entries that are not forwarded to State Competition will be returned to the school no later than February 23, 2024.
State Competition
The entry in each category/grade with the highest evaluation with at least an "Excellent" rating from the Regional Festival will be automatically forwarded on to the State Competition (no additional registration or fee is required). Winners from this event will be published on this website. Entries and awards from this event will be returned to the school after March 22, 2024.
The manuals and forms are in Adobe PDF format. Left-click to view; Right-click, Save Target As to save to your compute r.
Creative Writing Manual and Judges' Sheets
Documentation
All documentation related to Creative Writing is available in the FACCS Portal to schools and homeschool families that have enrolled to participate in Creative Writing.
Certificates
Creative Writing certificates are available in the FACCS Portal.
Department of English College of Liberal Arts
2024 Creative Writing Contest
Attention all indiana high school students.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
Now Submit Online!
GENRE CATEGORIES:
Personal Experience Narrative/Creative Nonfiction
Short Story
AWARDS IN EACH GENRE:
First Place - $100
Second Place - $75
Third Place - $50
Irwin Weiser Best of High School Award (chosen from the winning submissions) - $200 awarded at the Literary Awards ceremony
The years Literary Awards ceremony will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2024 and the guest speaker is novelist, poet, essayist, screenwriter and playwright Chris Abani . High school winners will have an opportunity to meet Mr. Abani and receive a signed copy of one of his books in a special gathering prior to the ceremony.
Submissions
Please fill out this survey form and attach your file/submission (pdf files only) in the space provided and submit. Your file must also include the following identifying information at the beginning of your document: Contestant’s name and email, High School name, and Teacher’s name and email .
Submissions are due by noon on Thursday, February 22, 2024.
Because we receive so many entries, only winners will be notified.
Those students receiving awards and their teachers will each be contacted by email by the end of March 2024. All winners will be expected to complete two separate Purdue forms and submit via Filelocker to receive their gift money via US Mail.
For more information contact Tara Star Johnson , Faculty Director or Julie Henderson , Awards Coordinator.
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Best Children's Writing Contests in 2024
Showing 12 contests that match your search.
"Write On!" Short Story Contest
Ann Arbor District Library
Genres: Children's and Short Story
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.
đ Deadline: February 05, 2024 (Expired)
Amazing Womenâs Edition Contest
National Youth Foundation
Genres: Children's
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 Womenâs Edition (AWE) competition. This writing contest is open to students in grades K to 8 residing in the United States.
đ Deadline: January 07, 2022 (Expired)
$1000 for 1000 Words Contest
The Layla Beban Young Authors
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 authorâs 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.
đ Deadline: February 01, 2024 (Expired)
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Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest
Jane Austen Society of North America
Genres: Children's and Essay
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.
Additional prizes:
Two nightsâ lodging for JASNAâs Annual General Meeting
đ Deadline: June 02, 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
đ° Entry fee: $15
đ Deadline: April 30, 2024
John Estey Student Writing Competition
American Writers Museum
âTradition was safety; change was danger.â â Mary Doria Russell, The Sparrow. This prompt is a quote from Russellâs The Sparrow and can be used as a first line, a last line, a jumping-off point, an inspiration for your studentsâ work.
đ Deadline: June 07, 2024
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
đ° Entry fee: $75
đ Deadline: May 01, 2024
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 ÂŁ100 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.
Celebrities reading out winning entries, publication on website.
đ Deadline: June 21, 2022 (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.
đ° Entry fee: $20
đ Deadline: May 04, 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 ÂŁ5,000 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.
ÂŁ1,800 course for one longlistee
đ° Entry fee: $38
đ Deadline: November 30, 2024
World Historian Student Essay Competition
World History Association
The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades Kâ12 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.
Promising Young Writers Contest
National Council of Teachers of English
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.
đ° Entry fee: $25
đ Deadline: February 15, 2024 (Expired)
Discover the finest writing contests of 2024 for fiction and non-fiction authors â 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 youâre 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, thereâs 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 â like a full-length book. Second, for many writers, the chance of rejection is enough to steer them clear of writing contests.Â
But weâre 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 thereâs a contest you have your eye on, and the deadline is in one month, sit down and realistically plan how many words youâll need to write per day in order to meet that due date â and donât forget to also factor in the time youâll 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 youâre an indie author, you will need to adopt the hardy determination required to slowly build up a readership.
The good news is that thereâs 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, itâs the exception and not the rule.
Still, you can use the writing contests you donât 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 isnât 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 storiesâ 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 judgesâ opinion in your favor â and might disqualify you from the contest altogether.Â
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
How to Write a Novel in 15 Steps
Literary Devices and Terms â 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
Itâs 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 â whether or not theyâve won. Other writing competitions will only contact the winners.Â
Here are a few things to keep in mind after you submit:
Many writing competitions donât 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 â but wait until after the selection period is over.
If youâve 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, donât 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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Creative Writing Competition 2023
The winners, about the competition.
The Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition is an annual event for schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for students aged six years to sixteen.
- Open to pupils in subscribing schools OR to members of Tower Hamlets Idea Stores
- Pupils in years 1 to 11 may enter
- Categories for short stories and poetry
It has been run by Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service since 2011 with the aims of promoting wider reading and literacy, and to encourage young people to express themselves through the written word. Research carried out during the 2020 competition showed that pupils participating in the competition and in the author workshops benefited by gaining confidence in their writing ability and developing greater insight into the issues raised by the competition themes
- Winners are listed by ctegory
- Prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and commended and best in school places
- The judges’ decision is final and correspondence will not be entered into
- We reserve the right to withdraw prizes in the case of any evidence of plagiarism.
Feedback form for teachers
- Let us know how we did
- Add your suggestions for next year’s theme!
Your school
The year group that you teach
The Competition
Why did your school take part in this event? (tick all that apply)
To win prizes Good experience with previous competitions Opportunity for free author workshops To encourage children to write Other (please specify below)
It was easy to submit work for the competition
1. Strongly Agree 2. 3. 4. 5. Strongly disagree If you disagreed, please let us know who we can improve this process.
The Competition theme and supporting resources
How did you find the suitability of the theme for differenct age ranges.
1. More suited to younger children 2. 3. About right for all ages 4. 5. More suited to older pupils
The competition (overall) and the theme helped inspire pupils
1. Strongly Agree 2. 3. 4. 5. Strongly disagree
The theme allowed for a range of writing styles/ genres
The prompts and ideas for writers (suggested on this website) were useful, what kind of resources would you like to see provided as part of future writing competitions, do you have any suggestions for future competition themes, the writing workshops, did your school host one or more of our funded writing workshops as part of the competition, the workshop was useful for the children who took part, the workshop was useful for the teachers who took part, teachers will be able to make use of what they learnt in future lesson planning, the free author visit has inspired us to have more author visits in the future, do you have any other feedback, comments or suggestions for the future of the tower hamlets creative writing competition, submit survey.
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Enter the required text (SURVEY) and press the submit button. Please wait for the confirmation message before exiting or refreshing the page
Theme for 2023 : A Brighter Future ?
The theme for this year’s competition is A Brighter Future ?
- Prompts and a booklist to support the theme and provide ideas for all year groups can be found at www.towerhamlets-sls.org.uk/cwc-ideas
- Promotional posters and flyers with writing prompts will be sent to all participating schools
In 2023 there will be 5 age groups in the competition:
- Group 1: Years 1 & 2
- Group 2: Years 3 & 4
- Group 3: Years 5 & 6
- Group 4: Years 7 to 9
- Group 5: Years 10 & 11
- may also be an illustrated story or comic book
- Write a poem or verse story up to 25 lines (primary) and 35 lines (secondary)
- Poems and stories may exceed this word count/line limit by up to 100 words/5 lines
- Poems and stories must follow the competition theme
Pupils may enter both the short story and poetry categories. The competition deadline is Friday 31st March 2023. Work must be submitted by this date.
Submitting work:
The competition is now closed!
Register for the competition (schools only).
Parents/ students entering via the Idea Stores do NOT need to register
In order to enter the competition, receive posters, entry forms and flyers, and take advantage of these free author workshops, schools need to:
- enter the competition by âbuyingâ it via SLAonline (Creative Writing Competition 2023. Just ÂŁ40 to subscribing primary schools to cover administration)
- email [email protected] letting us know who is to lead on running this event in your school.
- use the form below to book your free writing workshops!
The Arts Council grant also enables us to publish a book of the winning entries.
Fully-funded writing workshops for schools
We are thrilled to announce that Arts Council England  has again awarded Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service with a grant to enhance our annual Creative Writing Competition with author-led creative writing workshops for schools, Idea Stores and home-educated children.
All of the author workshops have now been booked.
Important information
The author workshops are intended to provide practical creative writing skills to your pupils (and teachers!) including structuring a story and character creation. The workshops will relate to the theme of the competition but the skills learnt can be applied to other projects and lessons.
How will a visit to your school work?
It is our intention to arrange in-person author visits rather than virtual visits.
- An author will be able to work with up to 2 groups of pupils during the time allocated to their visit. These 2 sessions will be up to 50 minutes each and run one after the other with a short break in between.
- An author or poet can also work with just 1 group for the visit duration as a more advanced workshop for older pupils – let us know in the additional details box in the booking form.
- The school should suggest a date or (preferably) a range of dates during which you can host your visit. We will match you with an author based on your requirements and their availability.
- Workshops should take place from January to March (world book day week is likely to be booked up very early on)
- Each group of pupils can be up to the size of one class
- Workshops can be for all ages from year 1 upwards
- Groups can be of mixed ages, although there shouldnât be too wide a gap between these ages in order to ensure age-appropriate content
Idea StoresÂ
We are working with the Tower Hamlets Idea Stores to provide five workshops in public libraries between January and March. Dates and times to be announced.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
Poetry Slam Link!
Schools can also combine this competition with a performance poetry event! Give your pupils a confidence boost with a two-day intensive poetry workshop in association with the Poetry Society. This will prepare them for a half-day Slam performance where they’ll compete with other schools for prizes!
For more information see our Junior Slam page. The Junior Slam requires a separate registration.
Opening Times
Opening times
Term time Monday – Thursday: 9am to 5pm
Fridays and holidays: 9am to 4:30pm
Christmas holiday
23rd December to 1st January : CLOSED
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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 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 ‘Â in four age group categories: 7-9; 10-11; 12-15 & 16+. Full details are on the competition website.
- Young Songwriter 2024 – “ The worldâs 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 14â19”. The closing date is 18th March.
- 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 Lowryâs 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.
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 theyâve 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 ÂŁ50 prize and work experience opportunity for each winning entry.
- Warwick University offers Year 11 and Year 12 students the opportunity to write a response to one of three questions on the theme of Global Sustainable Development . Students can enter essays, podcasts, photographic presentations or an artistic expression and commentary.
- 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 ÂŁ200 of books.
- UK-RAS is running ‘ Once Upon a Robot ‘ – an up to 800-word short story competition for 7-11-year-olds in the UK. Children are invited to write a story – in any genre – involving a robot.
- The Writing Bee organised by Boom Writer offers children an exciting opportunity for children attending schools or those who are learning at home. The competition runs from January to April as an in-school contest, and from April to May as an online competition.
- 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 ÂŁ1000 for the 16-21 age group, ÂŁ100 and ÂŁ150 in book tokens for the 12-15 age group, and ÂŁ100 and ÂŁ150 in book tokens for the 11 and under age group. The closing date is 29th April.
- The Day ‘ Young Journalist Awards ” are open to anyone under 19 (under 10 and 11-18)Â 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 poem.
- 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;Â 11-14;Â 14-16;Â & 16-18) and full details are on the competition website.
- The D.H. Lawrence Childrenâs Prize: Writing Competition 2023 is open to students aged 11 and under and 12-16, who can enter up to 500 words on the theme of “my neighbourhood”. Prizes include Kindles and book tokens.
- Primary children aged 5-7, 7-9 and 9-11 from Dorset can enter the Bournemouth Writing Festival Schools’ Competition . The competition is run in association with AFC Bournemouth.
- Inspired by the curiosity and imagination of Martha Mills, The Martha Mills Young Writersâ Prize invites young people in the UK aged 11-14 to enter under 500 words of “ writing that is lively, unusual or otherwise original “. This year’s theme is “ The Stranger ” and there are full entry details on the competition web page.
- 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 closing date is 10th May.
- 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. The closing date is 22nd May.
- First News Education School Newspaper of the Year Competition. (Not running in 2023 or 2024) Open to primary schools, secondary schools, and special schools. Will this become the long-term successor to the legendary Daily Telegraph competition from the 90s and 00s?
- SATIPS poetry writing competition. (Not running in 2023 or 2024)
Closing date in June
- Alzheimer’s Society poetry competition ‘ welcomes entries about dementia or people affected by the condition ‘ and offers those under 18 the opportunity to enter up to three poems of 40 lines or less. Winning entries will feature in the October/November edition of Dementia Together magazine.
- 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”. The closing date is 11th June.
- 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”.
- Cambridge University and SATIPS handwriting competition .
Closing date in July
- The Laurie Lee Prize for Writing offers a young personâs category for those who either live in Gloucestershire or were born in Gloucestershire. 16â20-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 Writer competition , run by Hen Harrier Action invites children aged 6-8, 9-12 and 13-16 to enter stories, poems, articles, prose or letters of up to 500 words on the theme of animal survival . 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 â home â. Full details are on the competition website.
- The Writing Tournament is a “free, not-for-profit writing competition for young writers which simulates the journey of a professional author”. Run by author W.J. Kite, 8-16-year-olds can submit 750-word stories written in English on the theme “Unsung Heroes”. There are two age categories – 8-11 and 12-16. ( Not running in 2023 ).
- Foyle Young Poets competition – for 11-17-year-olds, the competition welcomes “poems on any theme and any length”. Closing date 31st July.
- 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 ÂŁ1000. The closing date is 17th July.
- 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. Deadline 15th July.
- 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. The closing date is 1st September.
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 –Â 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. The closing date is 23rd November.
- 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 Childrenâs 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 and the closing date is 14th January.
- 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 ÂŁ150 worth of books. The closing date is 16th January.
- 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 peopleâs 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, and the closing date is 10th February.
- 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.
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: Childrenâs 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 .
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Craft or Commodity? The âParadoxâ of High School Creative Writing Competitions
One story of his â which went on to win a national award for flash fiction â begins as a dispassionate description of household events, but turns by the end into a heart-wrenching account of a child dealing with the aftermath of his parentsâ divorce. In writing it, Heiser-Cerrato says he was inspired by the struggles of friends who had experienced divorce.
He also wrote it to enter into national creative writing competitions.
In other disciplines, high schoolers compete in elite programs that can serve as pipelines to top colleges. Students interested in STEM fields often strive to qualify for the International Science and Engineering Fair, while those hoping to go into law and politics can apply for the U.S. Senate Youth Program or compete in the national championships for speech and debate.
For students like Heiser-Cerrato, a number of creative writing contests now serve as a similar path to elite college admissions.
Heiser-Cerrato, who won multiple national awards for his prose and poetry, submitted creative writing portfolios to Harvard, Princeton, and the University of Pennsylvania, and heâs sure his creative writing is what propelled him to Harvard.
âIt was my main hook,â he says.
Competitions like YoungArts and the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards have skyrocketed in selectivity and prestige over the past few decades, becoming a quantifiable way for colleges to identify rising literary stars. The winners of top competitions disproportionately go on to attend elite universities.
However, selecting the nationâs top storytellers is more complicated than selecting its top scientists. Competitions canât score poems in the same objective way they score students in a Math Olympiad. Instead, who wins these competitions often comes down to taste. Several former high school creative writers say that specific styles and topic areas disproportionately win national writing competitions. Top competitions, they say, incentivize writers to dredge up traumatic experiences or commodify their cultural backgrounds.
By propelling winners to elite colleges and empowering them to pursue writing, these competitions can change the course of studentsâ lives. But the pressure to win can also stunt young writersâ growth and complicate their relationship with their craft and themselves.
Creative writing contests aim to promote self expression and foster a new generation of artists. But does turning creative writing into a competition for admissions erode its artistic purpose?
âThe Most Important Experiences of My Lifeâ
H eiser-Cerrato went to a âsports high schoolâ where it was difficult for him to receive the mentorship he needed to improve his writing or find a creative community. With so few fellow writers at his high school, he had no way to judge his talent beyond the confines of his English classes.
Creative writing competitions were founded for students like Heiser-Cerrato. Even a century ago, Maurice Robinson â the founder of Scholastic â was surprised at the gap that existed in recognizing students interested in the arts. In 1923, he hosted the first national Scholastic Art and Writing Competition.
By the 2000s, Scholastic no longer had a monopoly on creative writing competitions. YoungArts was founded in 1981, and the Foyle Young Poets Competition held its inaugural competition in 1998. After the Adroit Journal and Bennington College launched their annual creative writing competitions in the 2010s, competing in multiple creative writing competitions became common practice for aspiring poets and novelists.
When students started finding out about competitions through the internet, competitions like Scholastic doubled in size. The Covid-19 pandemic drove submissions to competitions like Foyle Young Poets up even more. Last year, the Scholastic awards received more than 300,000 entries, up from the 200,000 some entries received in 2005.
Collectively, these contests now receive more than 315,000 creative writing entries a year in categories like poetry, prose, and even spoken word. Students submit individual works of writing, or in some cases portfolios, to be judged by selection panels often consisting of professors and past winners. They are assessed on criteria like âoriginality, technical skill, and personal voice or vision.â
The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards boasts an impressive list of alumni who have gone on to win the highest literary prizes in their fields. Past winners include lauded writers Stephen King, Sylvia Plath, Joyce Carol Oates, and Amanda S. Gorman â20.
Hoping to perhaps join this illustrious group, Heiser-Cerrato began applying to competitions his sophomore year. Spurred on by his high school English teacher â who incorporated contest submissions into assignments â Heiser-Cerrato felt the concrete nature of competition deadlines helped hold him accountable.
âWhen youâre trying to do something creative and you have no feedback loop or deadline, you can get very off track and not develop,â he says. âI never would have done that if there wasnât a contest to submit to, because then there was no opportunity to get feedback.â
While Heiser-Cerrato went on to win some of Scholasticâs top honors â a National Silver Medal and Silver Medal with Distinction for his senior portfolio â even some who fare less well appreciate the feedback competitions provide.
âI think a lot of people are very cautious to give negative feedback to younger writers,â says Colby A. Meeks â25, a former poetry editor of the Harvard Advocate. âI think getting rejections from certain contests and losing certain competitions did help me grow as a writer insofar as tempering an ego that I think young writers can very easily get from English teachers.â
Heiser-Cerrato views his experience with the Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program â a program that pairs high schoolers with established writers â as âpretty instrumental to my growth.â After applying during his senior year, Heiser-Cerrato met bi-weekly with his mentor, discussing works of other authors and workshopping two stories of his own.
Similarly, when Darius Atefat-Peckham â23, then a student at the Interlochen Center for the Arts, won a National Silver Medal in the Scholastic competition, he became eligible to apply to the National Students Poet Program. From a pool of finalists submitting more than 23,000 works, Atefat-Peckham was selected as one of five National Student Poets.
âIt led me to probably the most important experiences of my life. As a National Student Poet, I got to travel the Midwest and teach workshops to high schoolers and middle schoolers,â he says. âThat pretty much set me on my trajectory for wanting to be a teacher someday, wanting to apply myself in the ways that I would need in order to get to a prestigious institution.â
âIf Youâre Going to Apply to HarvardâŠâ
W hen Daniel T. Liu â27 opened his Harvard application portal, he knew exactly why heâd gotten in.
âMy application to college was almost solely based on writing,â Liu says.
In high school, along with serving on the editorial staff of multiple literary magazines and attending creative writing summer camps, Liu won dozens of contests â including becoming a YoungArts winner and a 2022 Foyle Young Poet of the Year.
âI actually read my admissions file, and they did mention camps that they know, summer camps like Iowa and Kenyon, which are big teen writing summer programs,â says Liu. âThey pointed that out.â
According to The Crimsonâs analysis of publicly available data and interviews with multiple students, there is a clear link between high school creative writing contest success and enrollment at highly selective colleges.
From 2019 to 2022, among students with publicly available educational history who won Scholasticâs Gold Medal Portfolio â the competitionâs highest award â just over 50 percent enrolled in Ivy League universities or Stanford. Fifteen percent more received writing scholarships or enrolled at creative writing focused colleges.
From 2015 to 2020, 55 percent of the students who won first, second, or third place in the Bennington Young Writers Awards for fiction or poetry enrolled in Ivy League universities or Stanford.
As Atefat-Peckham reflects back on his college application, he knows his creative writing successes were essential in complementing his standardized test scores. While he was proud of his ACT score, he did not believe it would have been enough to distinguish him from other qualified applicants.
Since 2018, three recipients of YoungArtsâ top-paying scholarship â the $50,000 Lin Arison Excellence in Writing Award â have matriculated to Harvard. Other winners attended Brown, Swarthmore, and Wesleyan. Recent recipients include Stella Lei â26, Rhodes Scholar-Elect Isabella B. Cho â24, and Liu.
Creative writing competitionsâ prominence in the college admissions process comes during the most competitive college application environment ever. Harvardâs Class of 2025 received a record-high number 57,435 applicants, leading to the lowest admissions rate in College history.
Eleanor V. Wikstrom â24, a YoungArts winner and Rhodes Scholar-elect, described YoungArts as âsuper coolâ in allowing her to meet other artists. She also recognized the importance of her participation for college applications.
âI canât lie: If you think that youâre going to apply to Harvard, itâs very helpful to have some kind of national accolade,â she says.
The âParadoxâ of Competitive Art
I n 2021, an anonymously written document accusing student poet Rona Wang of plagiarism made waves in the competitive creative writing community. Wang â who had won awards from MIT and the University of Chicago, was affiliated with Simon & Schuster, and had published a book of short stories â was accused of copying ten works written by other student poets.
According to Liu, this behavior isnât unprecedented. Several years ago, Liu explains, an âinfamousâ scandal erupted in the high school creative writing world when a student plagiarized Isabella Choâs poetry and entered it into competitions.
Liu says more students are beginning to apply to writing competitions out of a desire to have awards on their resume, rather than because of a genuine interest in creative writing.
While creative writing contests can provide valuable opportunities for feedback and mentorship, several students look back on their time in the competitive creative writing circuit with ambivalence. The pressure to write in service of a contest â writing to win, not just to create â can pressure writers to commodify their identities and cash in on their painful experiences, turning a creative outlet into a path to admissions or quest for outside validation.
Liu says he regrets that creative writing competitions are becoming a pipeline to elite college admissions. Heâs worried competitions like Scholastic and YoungArts are becoming too similar to programs like the International Science and Engineering Fair.
âMath, science, all these competitions, they all have some aspect of prestige to them,â says Liu. âWhat makes it so difficult in that regard is that writing isnât math. It requires a level of personal dedication to that craft.â
âIt kind of sucks because a lot of artistic practice should come out of personal will,â says Liu. âTo compete in art is paradoxical, right?â
Sara Saylor, who won a gold portfolio prize for her writing, told the New York Times in 2005 that âthe awards came to mean too much to me after a while.â
âWhenever Scholastic admissions time rolled around, we began to get very competitive and more concerned about winning the contest than we should have,â she says.
Indeed, students at elite creative high schools like the Interlochen Center for the Arts are pushed by teachers to enter competitions. Hannah W. Duane â25, who attended the Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts as part of the creative writing department, was required to submit to three creative writing competitions every six weeks.
(These competitions are dominated by schools like Duaneâs. In 2019, 23 Interlochen students received national Scholastic awards for their creative writing â a distinction typically awarded to less than 1 percent of entries.)
Though Liu wasnât required to submit to contests, he felt a different kind of obligation. Liu says writing competitions pushed him to write almost exclusively about his heritage, keeping him from exploring other narratives.
âFrom the start, I applied with a lot of cultural pieces, like pieces about my family history,â says Liu. âThose were the ones that won. And so it built me into a cycle where I was only writing about these areas â heritage.â
Liuâs experience wasnât uncommon. When looking at other winning pieces, he noticed a similar trend.
âThe competitions â Scholastic, YoungArts, those two big ones â definitely prioritize writing about your heritage,â says Liu. âPart of the reason behind that is for a lot of the students, thatâs a very unique aspect of them.â
âIn a hyper-competitive environment, what you can write better than anyone else is whatâs gonna make you stand out,â he adds.
In an emailed statement, YoungArts Vice President Lauren Slone wrote that YoungArts winners in writing âmust demonstrate a sense of inventiveness, show attention to the complexities and technical aspects of language, and have a clear, original, and distinct point of view.â
Chris Wisniewski â01, Executive Director of the nonprofit that oversees Scholastic, wrote in an email that the competition has been âwelcoming to works across many styles, subjects, and points of viewâ and does not give âimplicit or explicit guidanceâ to jurors or competitors about the content or style of winning pieces. He added that âon the national level, each piece of writing undergoes at least three separate readings from jurors to diversify the views on its adherence to the programâs original and sole criteria.â
Ryan H. Doan-Nguyen â25, who received a Scholastic Gold Key and won the New York Timesâs Found Poem Contest, notes another way young writers try to distinguish themselves.
âStudents feel compelled to embellish or to write about really painful things,â says Doan-Nguyen, a Crimson News Editor. âIt does tend to be really heavy hitting topics that make the page.â
According to him and multiple others, the creative writing circuit pushes students to expose deeply personal, sometimes traumatic experiences for academic points. (Students make similar claims about the college admissions process .)
Doan-Nguyen was hesitant to publicly open up about vulnerable experiences, so he shied away from writing about traumatic memories of his own. But he fears this reluctance held him back.
âMaybe thatâs why I did not win more contests,â he says. âI was always too afraid to be so vulnerable and raw.â
Duane recalls the competitions being dominated by sobering personal narratives: often stories about authorsâ experiences with racism, abuse, or sexual assault. However, her school worked to insulate its students from the pressure to sensationalize.
âThe constant refrain we would hear is, âWriting is not your therapy. Get that elsewhere,ââ she says.
Liu says writing contests not only changed his content â they also pushed him and other competitors to write in the specific style of past winners. He says many successful pieces were reminiscent of the poet and novelist Ocean Vuong.
Writers would cut their lines off at odd places âto give the illusion of mystery when thereâs no real thought behind it besides, âHey, it should look like this because it looks pretty like this,ââ says Liu. He also recalls writers, especially young poets, using âa lot of language of violence.â Liu worries this overreliance on stylistic imitation can stunt young writersâ growth.
He questions whether the existence of creative writing competitions is helping young writers at all.
âIf writing is supposed to be a practice of self-reflection, youâre not doing those things when you plagiarize. Youâre not doing those things when you submit just a draft of someone elseâs style,â says Liu. âIt doesnât align with what it should be as an artistic practice.â
âI Will Always Be Writingâ
S ince coming to Harvard, Heiser-Cerrato has begun writing for a very different purpose. He joined the Harvard Lampoon, a semi-secret Sorrento Square social organization that used to occasionally publish a so-called humor magazine.
With the structure and pressure of creative writing competitions behind them, he and other past winners are taking their writing in new directions.
âMy high school writing was very sentimental and very focused on trying to be profound,â Heiser-Cerrato says. âBut here, Iâve been more interested in the entertainment side of things.â
When writing for competitions, Heiser-Cerrato says it was difficult for him to define his goals. But for the Lampoon, he says he just wants to make others laugh. There, Heiser-Cerrato has finally found the sense of community he lacked in high school.
Meeks joined the Harvard Advocate, where he critiques poetry instead of writing it. In high school, Meeks appreciated competitions as an avenue through which to receive feedback on his writing. Now, he works to give those who submit work to the Advocate similar guidance.
âOften, submitting to a literary magazine feels like youâre sending something into a void,â Meeks says. âAnd I really wanted as much as possible, as much as it was manageable timewise, to make sure that people were getting some feedback.â
Like Meeks, Wikstrom and Doan-Nguyen are also members of campus publications. Wikstrom is the former editorial chair of The Crimson, and Doan-Nguyen is a Crimson News and Magazine Editor.
Wikstrom, who was the Vice Youth Poet Laureate of Oakland in high school for her spoken word poetry, says she loved spoken word poetry in high school because of its capacity to spark action. At Harvard, she saw The Crimsonâs Editorial Board as another way to speak out about important issues.
âItâs a really interesting middle ground for creative writing, because you do have the commitment to factual accuracy,â she says. âBut you also have more leeway than perhaps news to be injecting your personal voice. And also that urgency of, âI feel very strongly about this. And other people should feel strongly about this, too.ââ
Unlike Heiser-Cerrato, Atefat-Peckham wasnât drawn to any existing organization on campus. Though he attended Interlochen and succeeded in highly selective contests while in high school, Atefat-Peckham disagreed with the cutthroat, commodifying incentive structure and believed campus literary organizations like the Advocate and Lampoon were too selective.
When Atefat-Peckham returned to campus after the pandemic, he helped form the Harvard Creative Writing Collective, a non-competitive home for creative writing on campus.
Liu is a member of the Creative Writing Collective and the Advocate. But most of his writing at Harvard has been independent. Instead of writing for competitions, Liu says heâs transitioned to writing for himself.
And though Doan-Nguyen is not sure what he wants to do after college, he â along with Liu, Meeks, Heiser-Cerrato, Wikstrom, and Duane â is sure writing will play a role in it.
âItâs a big part of my life and always has been, and I think itâs made me see so much about the work that I wouldnât have seen otherwise if I didnât put my pen to paper,â says Doan-Nguyen.
âI know that no matter what I end up doing, whether thatâs going to law school or journalism or just doing nonprofit work, I will always be writing. Writing and writing and writing.â
Correction: February 13, 2024
A previous version of this article included a misleading quote attributed to Ryan Doan-Nguyen.
â Magazine writer Cam N. Srivastava can be reached at [email protected] .
â Associate Magazine Editor Adelaide E. Parker can be reached at [email protected] .
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The best international schools in Moscow
- 2 months ago
Embark on an educational journey in Moscow with a selection of elite schools catering to diverse needs. From the British-focused MCS, offering personalized bilingual education, to Riverside School’s immersive English environment in the picturesque Novogorsk, each institution stands out. Brookes School Moscow, part of a global network, promises quality education in a central location. Russian International School, combining Russian and British curricula, ensures holistic development. Whether it’s “Classika” emphasizing language proficiency or the innovative “Tomorrow’s School” with a unique biblical approach, Moscow’s educational landscape is rich and varied, ready to shape students for success on the global stage. Explore the options and discover the perfect fit for your child’s academic journey.
Let’s explore the top 11 schools in Moscow that meet the best criteria.
- 1.1 Â Â Â Â Advantages of the school:
- 2.1 Â Â Features:
- 2.2 Â Â Licenses and Certificates:
- 3.1 Â Â Key Features:
- 4.1 Â Â Advantages:
- 4.2 Â Â Location:
- 5.1 Â Â Advantages:
- 6.1 Â Â Special Features:
- 6.2 Â Â Licenses and Certificates:
- 7.1 Â Â Key Features:
- 8.1 Â Â Features:
- 8.2 Â Â Licenses and Certificates:
- 9.1 Â Â Special Features:
- 9.2 Â Â Licenses and Certificates:
- 10.1 Â Â Â Features:
- 10.2 Â Â Â Licenses and Certificates:
- 11.1 Â Â Â Features:
- 11.2 Â Â Â Licenses and Certificates:
    Advantages of the school:
– Students begin learning English from an early age, not only as a subject but as the primary means of instruction and communication.
– The program offers a comprehensive international-level education starting from kindergarten.
– Qualified teachers from English-speaking countries are involved in the teaching process.
– Small class sizes (up to 14 students) allow for individualized learning.
– The school provides additional activities such as drawing, dance, ballet, football, chess, jiu-jitsu, fencing, robotics, diving, vocal training, graphic design, and animation.
– Infrastructure: Modern campuses equipped for comfortable and engaging learning. Campuses are located in Skolkovo (western Moscow near the Skolkovo innovation center), Festivalnaya (northern Moscow near Rechnoy Vokzal metro station), and a campus in St. Petersburg near the Gulf of Finland.
British International School
BIS is one of the oldest international schools in Moscow, providing high-class education and a comprehensive approach for children aged 3 to 18. Over 2000 students have graduated from the school, gaining admission to leading universities in Russia and worldwide.
The school operates two departments:
– International Department: Education follows the best traditions of British schools based on the National Curriculum of England and the pre-university IB Diploma program.
– Russian Department: Education aligns with Federal State Educational Standards. English is intensively studied, and students can choose a second foreign language (French, Spanish, German, or Chinese).
BIS holds an “Excellent” rating in every category according to the British Schools Overseas inspection.
  Features:
– International accreditations (ECIS, CIS, COBIS).
– Six schools in different areas of Moscow.
– Class sizes up to 15 students.
– Large team of qualified teachers.
– Over 25 school clubs including 3D modeling, programming, chess, ballet, mental arithmetic, martial arts, fashion design, etc.
– Comprehensive approach including school bus services, extended day programs, and psychological and speech therapy services.
  Licenses and Certificates:
– Moscow Department of Education and Science License.
– Edexcel Approved Centre Accreditation.
– Cambridge International Examinations Accreditation.
– IBO Accreditation.
– ECIS Membership Accreditation and Certificate.
– CIS Membership Accreditation and Certificate.
British School MCS
British School MCS focuses on the individual development of each student, offering a diverse range of courses and a creative atmosphere â fulfilling expectations of what parents seek from British schools. MCS provides bilingual education, skillfully combining British educational programs and Russian Federal State Educational Standards (FGOS). Graduates receive two diplomas.
  Key Features:
– Modern and high-quality education comparable to private English schools.
– Emphasis on developing critical thinking, curiosity, and increasing academic motivation through solving non-standard tasks.
– Full-day school with teaching based on individual educational routes, along with pedagogical and psychological support for each student.
– Balanced workload, collaboration of psychologists, educators, healthcare professionals, and a tailored schedule contribute to effective learning of both programs without mental exhaustion.
– Certificates such as A-levels, GCSE, and/or Cambridge CAE are awarded, granting the right to university admission in any English-speaking country.
Riverside School
Riverside School is a bilingual primary school located in the Moscow suburbs, in Novogorsk. It simultaneously follows British national and Russian educational programs. The British program includes Key Stage 1 (ages 5â7, grades 1â2) and Key Stage 2 (ages 7â12, grades 3â6). Alongside the British program, children undergo Russian primary education based on FGOS.
  Advantages:
– Full immersion in an English-language environment.
– Experienced English-speaking educators in the English department.
– Wide range of extracurricular activities: sports (swimming, tennis, football, wrestling, skiing, golf), creative workshops (drawing, dance, music, theater), intellectual development clubs (chess, robotics).
– Professional security and daily bus transportation.
– Extended school hours until 20:00 with various activities and amenities for children.
  Location:
Riverside School is situated in a nature conservation zone in the Skhodnya River valley, surrounded by over 1 hectare of forest.
Brookes School Moscow
Brookes School Moscow is an international coeducational private school founded in 2018. All subjects are taught in English, and it is part of the Brookes Education Group with schools worldwide. The institution includes a preschool section for children aged 2 and a school for children aged 6 to 7.
– Highly qualified teachers, many with advanced degrees.
– Exchange programs with schools in the USA, Canada, UK, South Korea, India.
– Healthy three-meal daily catering.
– Convenient location in one of Moscow’s best districts.
– School representatives assist with organizing accommodation in Moscow.
Russian International School (RIS)
RIS is an elite educational center offering dual programs: Russian and British national. The school features experienced educators from Russia and the UK, adhering to high standards in both Russian and British education.
  Special Features:
– Class sizes limited to 10 students.
– Additional sections and workshops: ballet, karate, artistic gymnastics, football, Chinese martial arts, theatrical studio, chess, and English clubs.
– Collaboration with British educational institutions, aiding with admissions and document processing.
– Accreditation from the British Examination Commission (Edexcel Approved Centre) to prepare students for A-levels and GCSE.
– Accreditation from Cambridge International Examinations, along with an educational license from the Russian Ministry of Education and state accreditation.
Academic Gymnasium
Academic Gymnasium offers preschool, primary, basic general, and secondary education according to the Russian educational program. It is also an ESOL center for conducting Cambridge English tests. Graduates successfully pass these tests, facilitating admission to foreign universities.
– Extensive extracurricular activities, including excursions, clubs, conferences, roundtable discussions, Olympiads, research, sports sections, and competitions.
– Options for full-time, homeschooling, part-time (external), and their combinations.
– Educational program supplemented with individual subjects from Cambridge University.
– Learning a second foreign language.
– Accreditation and license for educational activities.
– Certified Cambridge ESOL center.
European Gymnasium
European Gymnasium is one of the few international private schools in Russia using the International Baccalaureate (IB) program from grades 1 to 11. Children also follow the state educational program. In the primary school, the state program integrates with the PYP IBO approaches. From an early age, students deeply study English and begin learning a second foreign language.
– Preparation for the IB and Russian exams on individual programs.
– In-depth study of two foreign languages.
– Students in middle and high school can choose the language of instruction: English or Russian.
– Preparation for KET, PET, and FCE exams.
– Authorization for all three IB programs: PYP, MYP, DP.
– State accreditation and license.
School of Tomorrow
“School of Tomorrow” is a bilingual school based on biblical principles, using the proprietary teaching methodology created by Dr. Donald Howard. The approach involves individualized learning, allowing students to progress at their own pace.
   Features:
– Mandatory SAT and TOEFL testing for graduates.
– Authorized to conduct Stanford testing since 2004.
– Graduates easily pass the Russian Unified State Exam (EGE) and gain admission to top global universities.
– Annual “School of Tomorrow” Olympiads with participants from various countries.
   Licenses and Certificates:
– NCPSA and Accreditation International certificates.
– Fire safety declaration.
– CITA accreditation.
Marina International Private School
Marina International Private School operates based on the federal program with a focus on mastering several foreign languages. Children start learning English from the 1st grade, and from the 4th grade, they choose French, Spanish, or German. In higher grades, a third foreign language is added to the curriculum.
– Collaboration with leading universities in the country, British, Canadian, and American universities.
– Educational exchanges and trips during holidays.
– Participation and victories in Olympiads and project work competitions (including in India and California).
– Marina, together with the California Theater, stages musicals in English.
– License and accreditation for educational activities.
– CIS (Council of International Schools) membership.
– Conclusion C (unknown context).
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The Labour party is in my blood. Hereâs why Iâve just cancelled my membership
My ancestors had their own complex relationships with the party, but they could point to policies that transformed peopleâs lives. In 2024, I cannot say the same
I tâs difficult to disentangle Labour from my sense of self. Grew up in Stockport, looks a bit like Macaulay Culkin, bad dress sense ⊠the Labour party always seemed to fit in there somewhere. My great-grandfather, a railwayman who had his wages docked in the General Strike nearly a century ago, was a Labour councillor. So was my grandmother; her proudest achievement was stopping a family being evicted by a private landlord over Christmas. My parents met at an open-air Labour meeting outside Tooting Bec in the 1960s (romantic). My mother bought me a Labour membership as a 15th birthday present. Under every Labour leader in my 21 years of adult life, Iâve plumped for the partyâs candidates at local, national and European level, and campaigned for them to boot.
And yet, after a uniquely calamitous 14-year stretch of Tory rule, just as Labour looks set to reconquer No 10 by a landslide, Iâve just emailed the party cancelling my membership. My committed critics will understandably seek to link the two: Labour has shed its aversion to electability, and off sulks Home Aloneâs patron saint of unelectable ideas.
But my decision isnât based on a desire to see Labour for ever in the wilderness. Reaching it has been a gradual, painful process of realising the party wonât even do the bare minimum to improve peopleâs lives, or to tackle the crises that have led Britain to catastrophe; and that it will, in fact, wage war on anyone who wants to do eitherâ making anyone with politics to the left of Peter Mandelson feel like a pariah on borrowed time. Yes, my relatives had conflicted relationships with the party, and were often frustrated by its insufficient radicalism. But they could always point to policies that transformed the lives of the people Labour was founded to represent, from the welfare state to the minimum wage and the NHS, where my grandmother worked for her whole life.
The premise of Keir Starmerâs leadership bid in 2020 was that popular policies such as taxing the rich to invest in public services, scrapping tuition fees and promoting public ownership were not to blame for the partyâs 2019 electoral rout. Jeremy Corbynâs 2017 election manifesto, Starmer declared, was the partyâs âfoundational documentâ â centred around such commitments and credited with the partyâs biggest surge in vote share since 1945, even if it wasnât enough to win two years after a shattering defeat. âJeremy Corbyn made our party the party of anti-austerity,â Starmer told shattered Labour members, âand he was right to do so.â Though I didnât vote for him, his pitch gave hope for the broad church my ancestors believed in. In response, I wrote a column titled : âStarmer can succeed, and he deserves our support.â
Yet five years on, Labour has become a hostile environment for anyone believing in the very policies Starmer relied upon to secure the leadership. Sure, Tony Blairâs leadership bid didnât include laying waste Iraq, but he didnât pretend to be a slicker version of Tony Benn either. âCircumstances changed,â plead Starmerâs defenders. Weird, then, that according to Margaret Hodge, she was led to believe by a Starmer ally during the leadership election that he was âlyingâ in order to get the job. Weird, too, that during that same campaign Starmer told Andrew Neil that nationalisation of utilities would feature in a Labour manifesto, but 18 months later said : âI never made a commitment to nationalisation.â
Ah, the luxury of a Guardian columnist, goes the predictable retort, demanding the most vulnerable pay the price for his lofty principles. Consider, though, that ending the two-child benefit cap would lift 250,000 children out of poverty, and lessen the effects of poverty on a further 850,000, but Starmer backed keeping it anyway. Why? To sound tough, presumably. On who? Impoverished children, like those I grew up with in Stockport? This is the same Labour party that has ruled out bringing back a cap on bankersâ bonuses or instituting a wealth tax. The same Labour party committed to Tory fiscal rules that lock the country into dismal austerity policies that have delivered collapsing public services and an unprecedented decline in living standards. The same Labour party that gutted its one distinctive flagship policy, a ÂŁ28bn-a-year green investment fund , not because it came under pressure, but because it feared it might.
Some argue that Labour is doing a Clark Kent, and will unveil its hidden progressive Superman upon assuming office. Yet those fiscal rules make that approach impossible, even if you disregard the propensity of Labour governments to become more rightwing in office.
The assault on Gaza, the great crime of our age, adds moral indecency to the pile of dishonesty and vacuity. When Starmer declared Israel had the right to cut off energy and water to Palestinian civilians, he did so as a human rights lawyer who understands the Geneva conventions. After letting shadow cabinet ministers defend him, he claimed it âhas never been my view that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicinesâ. We all have political red lines: mine is supporting what would amount to war crimes against innocent civilians, toddlers and newborn babies among them, then gaslighting the public over doing so.
Where is my gratitude for Starmer delivering a now inevitable landslide victory, you may ask? Well, he didnât force Boris Johnson and his cronies to violate their own pandemic rules, or to trash the NHS, or oversee the worst squeeze in living standards in history. Nor did he propel to power Liz Truss, whose unhinged economic experiment crashed the economy â the moment when the electorate turned on this Tory party for good.
The absolute power a landslide victory will give Labour should scare you. When Starmer allies deployed antisemitic tropes â with one joking about a ârun on silver shekelsâ when two Jewish businessmen missed out on peerages, and another calling a Jewish Tory donor a â puppet master â â an apology was deemed to be sufficient. When another racially abused a journalist and had a sexual harassment complaint upheld, they were reinstated after investigation.
Contrast this with Diane Abbott, Britainâs first Black female MP, who was suspended after immediately apologising for an Observer letter in which she argued that Irish, Jewish and Traveller people are not subject to racism âall their livesâ. She has been left in limbo for 10 months and counting while the party investigates â only for Labour to use the racist abuse directed at her by a Tory donor for political capital, while still refusing to reinstate her.
Another fellow leftwinger, Kate Osamor â again, a Black female MP â was suspended for describing the assault on Gaza as a genocide on the day the international court of justice placed Israel on trial for alleged genocide. Questions of racism, then, seem to be judged on whether they have a factional use â a sure sign of moral bankruptcy. This leadership style is crude in opposition; with an overwhelming majority, it will be chilling.
That is why I think those who believe in real change from the Toriesâ bankrupt model should vote for Green or independent candidates. A new initiative â We Deserve Better â is raising money to support such candidates, judged on whether they believe in, say, taxing the well-off to invest, or public ownership, or opposing war crimes, even if they differ on this or that. Those seeking transformative policies are now fragmented, but they donât have to be. The premise of this new initiative is simple: if the left doesnât band together, the only pressure on Labour will come from the migrant-bashing, rich-worshipping right.
The Toriesâ chance of winning is infinitesimally small. What matters now is whether anyone who wants to redistribute wealth and power is denied a voice in Starmerâs administration. That is certainly the ambition of his lieutenants. When inevitable disillusionment with a government rooted in deceit and lacking any solutions to Britainâs woes seeps in, it will be the radical right that stands to benefit.
So bid me farewell, even cry âgood riddanceâ, but before you do, ask yourself: what do you think will happen next?
Owen Jones is a Guardian columnist
Guardian Newsroom: What is Labourâs plan? On Tuesday 16 April, 8pmâ9.15pm BST, join Gaby Hinsliff, Tom Baldwin, Polly Toynbee and Kiran Stacey as they discuss the ideas and the events that might shape Labour in power. Book tickets here or at theguardian.live
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here .
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Kentucky high school crop scouting competition registration now open.
The July 25 competition offers Kentucky high school students the opportunity to gain valuable field experience, network with peers and potentially shape their future careers in agriculture.
By Jordan Strickler Published on Mar. 20, 2024
The University of Kentucky is excited to announce the 2024 Crop Scouting Competition, a creative and educational contest designed for high school students interested in agriculture. This half-day event occurs July 25 at the UK Research and Education Center at Princeton , part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment .Â
Teams of four to six high school students are invited to showcase their expertise in crop agronomics, pest identification and various aspects of crop production. This outdoor, hands-on event offers students the chance to tackle real-world challenges in crop scouting.Â
âThis competition provides students with a unique, hands-on learning experience focused on pest management and gives them an opportunity to answer real-world questions about agricultural production," said Kiersten Wise , extension professor and plant pathology extension specialist.Â
The Crop Scouting Competition is more than just a contest; it is an educational experience allowing students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings. Â
Teams will compete for the top three spots, with cash prizes of up to $500. The winner of each state's crop scouting competition will secure a spot in the regional competition, where they will compete against champions from other states.Â
Competition slots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Adult leaders interested in their teamsâ participation are asked to register early. After reaching the maximum number of team slots, any additional teams will be placed on a waiting list.Â
To register, visit https://bit.ly/43ggERe . Registration is open until April 5.Â
The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.âŻâŻÂ
Contact: Lori Rogers, [email protected]   Media Requests: C.E. Huffman, [email protected]⯠Â
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Around Town: Newport Harbor High School to host community event
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Newport Harbor High School will host a community event on March 27, where after school programs that span youth athlete programs and cheer teams from across Newport Beach and Costa Mesa will gather to show off their skills and talents.
Also present will be the Newport Harbor boysâ sports teams as special guests. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at around 6:30 p.m.
Corona del Mar Residentsâ Assn. to hold annual meeting
The Corona del Mar Residentsâ Assn. announced this week that its annual meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 2, at the Sherman Library & Gardens. The meeting will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and will begin with a community social and expo. Representatives from the city of Newport Beach and local community organizations will be present. The speakersâ program will begin with Councilwoman Lauren Kleiman at 6 p.m.
The featured speaker will be former Newport Beach Mayor Nancy Gardner, who will address housing issues. Doors open at 5 p.m. Attendees are asked to enter through the rear entrance at the back of the facility through the parking lot. More information is available at cdmra.org . RSVPs are encouraged.
Documentary on Laguna Beach to show at Rivian Theater
Village Laguna announced earlier this month a screening of âSawdust and Sand: Douglas Millerâs Laguna Beachâ at the Rivian South Coast Theater on South Coast Highway on Monday, March 25. The documentary spans almost 50 years of Laguna Beach as itâs transitioned over the years.
Miller and cinematographer, producer and director Jason Blalock will introduce the film. The screening will begin at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Seating is limited and reservations are required at events.rivian.com/sawdustandsand .
Golden West College students recognized for performances
Golden West College announced Thursday that two of its students have been recognized by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for their performances in âPsycho Beach Party,â which ran from March 8 to 17 at the campus theater. Students Tessa Sarvis and Ian Pedersen have been invited to the Region VIII festival in February 2025 to compete for scholarships and possible advancement to the finals in Washington, D.C.
âThis is a wonderful way to end another successful run of show in the Theater Arts Department at GWC,â acting dean of arts and letters Martie Ramm Engle said in a statement. âWe are all very proud of Tessa, Ian, Lydia and Rainbow for their exceptional work, as we are proud of the entire cast, crew, and design team that made âPsycho Beach Partyâ a great ride!â
OC Public Libraries announces reading program
OC Public Libraries announced the start of âOne County, One Bookâ program, which focuses on âWandering Starsâ by author Tommy Orange. Readers of all ages are invited to celebrate the book through film screenings, cultural presentations, storytimes and book club discussions.
The author will be present at a speaking engagement on April 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Norma Hertzog Community Center in Costa Mesa.
No registration is required and all ages are welcome. For more information, visit ocpl.org/one-county-one-book .
Unified Sports Golf Tournament raises $13K
Through its annual golf tournament, the Huntington Beach Union High School District raised $13,000 for its United Sports program, which provides opportunities for students with and without disabilities to play and compete in sports together. More than 100 golfers participated in the tournament this year.
âThank you to everyone who participated in this yearâs Unified Sports Golf Tournament as a golfer, donor, or volunteer,â HBUHSD Unified Sports Liaison Courtney Gillett, said in a statement. âBecause of your contributions, weâre able to provide life-changing experiences for our students and partners alike, and we look forward to the impact this program will continue to have for years to come.â
âArtâ showing at the Costa Mesa Playhouse
The Costa Mesa Playhouse is showing âArt,â by Yasmina Reza, until April 14, in the directorial debut of Jordana Oberman-Whitton. Performances will take place at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and on Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $28 for adults and $25 for students and seniors, with a âpay what you willâ show on April 4. An opening night reception will be held on March 23. For more information, visit the Costa Mesa Playhouse box office or call (949) 650-5269.
OCC âPirateâs Plankâ taking place on April 4
The Orange Coast College announced its âPirateâs Plankâ competition will showcase student entrepreneurship on April 4 starting at 6:45 p.m. at the Robert B. Moore Theatre. The competition mirrors that of ABCâs âShark Tankâ show. Students will present their ideas to a panel of judges that includes Simple Greenâs chief operating officer Jeff Hyder, Castel Innovations, LLC, and Gate Kingâs chief executive officer Steve Castelblanco and Ryan Yang, the owner of Tryangle Construction.
âPirateâs Plank is a platform for students to explore their innovative side and business acumen, along with honing their skills for real-world success,â business instructor Mark Grooms said in a statement.
After hearing seven presentations, two of those will be selected as âMost Likely to Succeedâ or âMost Innovative.â Each winner will receive $700. The event will be open to the public and admission is free. For more information, visit occpiratesplank.weebly.com .
OCC culinary team wins competition
Orange Coast College announced this week that culinary arts students on its Hot Food Team took first place at the 2024 American Culinary Federationâs Western Regional Student Team Competition in Overland Park, Kan., on March 12. The college said the team is the first to compete for OCC since 2018.
The team is made up of team captain Claire Arredondo, Blanca Granados, Morgan Downie, Genisis Mascareno and Monique Robinson, with three additional support team members, including Joseph Serrato, Khoa To and Frida Ramos-Nunez. They will head to Phoenix in July to compete in the National Student Team Championships. The last time the campus won the national title was in 2005.
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Gymnasium â1520 named after Kaptsov
Description of Gymnasium â1520 named after Kaptsov
- Location: Moscow, Russia
- Students age: 7 to 18 years old
- Forms of study: full-time, part-time
- Adapted programs
- Stages of education: primary, basic, secondary.
The gymnasium has two buildings, the first of which was opened in 1892. Since 2015, a school with in-depth study of a foreign language has been operating. Gymnasium 1520 ranks 1st in the Presnensky District, 10th in the Central Administrative District and 24th in Moscow in the ranking of successful USE.
Programs and prices, tuition fees in Gymnasium â1520 named after Kaptsov
Primary education (7-11 years old) consists of the study of basic subjects. An adapted program for children with mental retardation is also being implemented, where school specialists - a speech therapist, social teacher and psychologist - help students.
Basic education (11-15 years old): basic subjects and preparatory classes for passing the OGE. For students in grades 7-9, it is possible to complete the program under the "Mathematical Vertical" project, where the emphasis in the study makes on mathematics.
Secondary education (16-18 years old): a program consisting of basic subjects and in-depth study of the disciplines selected for passing the exam. Education in grades 10-11 is possible in universal and academic areas.
Accommodation, meals, prices
The school provides paid and discounted meals. Students of grades 1-4 and some social categories of children eat free of charge.
Students can pay for meals using the student's electronic card "Passage and Meals", by which parents can also track the child's attendance at school.
Academic groups are fed according to an individual schedule, at any break, each student can use the buffet service.
Activities Gymnasium â1520 named after Kaptsov
After school hours, gymnasium students can attend school circles and sections organized in several directions:
- Technical courses - study of computer and information technology, programming, robotics:
- Layout and modeling of objects
- Engineering graphics.
- Physical culture and sports activities:
- Table / tennis
- Gymnastics.
- Natural science education - in-depth study of basic scientific subjects (mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, etc.), zoology based on design and research activities
- Socio-pedagogical orientation - circles on the topics:
- Languages (Russian, English, German, French, Chinese)
- Fundamentals of Social Science
- Intellectual development
- Moscow studies.
- Artistic orientation - classes on:
- Fine arts (painting, graphics, etc.)
- The basics of theatrical, musical art
- Dance and vocal directions
- Playing musical instruments.
Also gymnasium students participate in:
- Writing practical research papers on topics of basic subjects
- Visiting museums, theaters, attractions, etc.
- Regular school and city events
- Sports competitions, creative contests
- Subject Olympiads
- Conferences, projects
- Volunteer school movement.
- Profile classes
- Active extracurricular activities, additional education
- Cooperation with universities.
Facilities and equipment at Gymnasium â1520 named after Kaptsov
In two buildings of the gymnasium for a comfortable and effective learning, equipped with:
- Study rooms
- Practical laboratories
- Classrooms of additional education (classrooms of music and fine arts, workshops, etc.)
- Dance and assembly halls
- Libraries with reading spaces
- Sports halls and grounds on the territory of the buildings.
The classrooms use interactive and chalk boards, projectors, video and audio systems. In the library, students can use printers, scanners and MFPs.
Admission dates and extra charges
The academic year is divided into trimesters for grades 1-9:.
- September 1-November 13
- November 23-February 19
- March 1 - May 21/31.
Pupils of grades 10-11 go through the program in half-years:
- September 1-December 30
- January 11 - May 21/31.
- October 5-11
- November 16-22
- December 31-January 10
- February 22-28
- April 5-11.
Schoolchildren attend classes five days a week, development classes are held on Saturday. Lessons begin at 8:30, each lasting 45 minutes (35 minutes in the first half of the year for first grades).
Cooperation with universities
Gymnasium No. 1520 cooperates with such universities as:
- Moscow State University (biological, law faculties)
- Higher School of Economics
- Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry. academicians M.M. Shemyakin and Yu.A. Ovchinnikov Russian Academy of Sciences
- Russian State Social University
- State Institute of the Russian Language. A.S. Pushkin
- Moscow City Pedagogical University
- Moscow State University of Psychology and Education
- Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry. N.S. Kurnakov of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Institutes and universities provide high school students with the opportunity to practice, to participate in lectures and conferences, to give an advantage when entering after graduation.
Entry requirements, how to apply, what is required to enrol
Admission to the school takes place only through registration on the Moscow Public Services Portal. On the site you need to submit an application and wait for an invitation to an educational organization for further admission.
Scholarships Gymnasium â1520 named after Kaptsov
Gymnasium students, their parents, teachers and friends of the school are annually awarded with commemorative tokens for academic success, Olympiad, sports, creative movements and assistance in the extracurricular development plan.
Institution on the map
Residence permits, citizenship and other services.
- Guardianship services during the studies
- Student supervision
Review about Gymnasium â1520 named after Kaptsov
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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!
Enter your response within a week for a chance at $250. Winners may also be included in a future issue of Reedsy's literary magazine, Prompted. Top Prize: $250. Additional prizes: $25 credit toward Reedsy editorial services. đ° Entry fee: $5. đ Deadline: December 31, 2024.
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UConn's Neag School of Education, Department of English, and Connecticut Writing Project (CWP), co-sponsors of the 31st annual Letters About Literature contest, are proud to announce Connecticut's winners for the 2023-24 academic year.. Each year, students in grades four through 12 are invited to read a text, broadly defined, and write a letter to the author (living or dead) about how the ...
2024 Contests High School Competition. High school students in North Carolina are encouraged to submit their creative writing for a chance to win a cash prize and read at the 22nd annual Spring Literary Festival. To submit your work, email your submission to "[email protected]," along with the following information: submission title, genre, and name of your high school.
Students in Grades 4-12 from ACSI member schools may participate. Each registered school may submit a maximum of 24 entries. We encourage you to spread those entries evenly between grade levels and categories. All Creative Writing Festivals are digital in 2023-24. The Creative Writing Festival Submissions Deadline on the ACSI Student E-vents ...
The Helicon West reading of the contest winning work will 7 p.m. April 25 at the new Logan Library in Community Room A. As always, Helicon is free, uncensored, open to the public, and will include an open-mic session. 2024 USU Creative Writing and Art Contest Winners ART. First: Basil Payne, "Bittersweet Nightshade."
The FACCS Creative Writing Regional Festivals and State Competition are writing events for students in grades 1-12. Entries are written at the school-level then submitted electronically to the Regional Event Coordinator for judging. Top entries from each region are then sent to the State Event Coordinator for judging. View the 2023 State Results.
Submissions are due by noon on Thursday, February 22, 2024. Because we receive so many entries, only winners will be notified. Those students receiving awards and their teachers will each be contacted by email by the end of March 2024. All winners will be expected to complete two separate Purdue forms and submit via Filelocker to receive their ...
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enter the competition by "buying" it via SLAonline (Creative Writing Competition 2023. Just ÂŁ40 to subscribing primary schools to cover administration) email [email protected] letting us know who is to lead on running this event in your school. use the form below to book your free writing workshops!
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 ".
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The University of Kentucky is excited to announce the 2024 Crop Scouting Competition, a creative and educational contest designed for high school students interested in agriculture. This half-day event occurs July 25 at the UK Research and Education Center at Princeton, part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
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The gymnasium has two buildings, the first of which was opened in 1892. Since 2015, a school with in-depth study of a foreign language has been operating. ... Writing practical research papers on topics of basic subjects; Visiting museums, theaters, attractions, etc. Regular school and city events; Sports competitions, creative contests ...