One of the best ways to instill a love of writing in students is to take it out of the academic context and towards something more personal and meaningful. While we encourage students to enter for fun, we also love to see them win — take a look at a few recent winners from Principia here.

Check out these upcoming Writing Contests and reach out to us if you'd like to work with one of our contest experts!

JASNA (Jane Austen Society of North America) Essay Contest

JASNA conducts an annual student Essay Contest to foster the study and appreciation of Jane Austen's work. Every year there is a different contest topic. This contest is open to students world-wide and it separates the contestants into three divisions (high school, college/university, and graduate school). They award scholarships to winners in each of the three divisions. The first-place winner is awarded $1,000 scholarship and free registration and two nights’ lodging for JASNA’s upcoming Annual General Meeting (transportation to the conference is not provided). The second-place winner is awarded a $500 scholarship and the third-place winner is awarded a $250 scholarship. Finally, all winners receive a one-year JASNA membership, a set of Norton Critical Editions of Jane Austen's novels, and the winning essays are published on JASNA’s website.

Eligibility: High School, Undergraduate, or Graduate student
Deadline: June 1st, 2024

Stone Soup Submissions

Stone Soup is a literary magazine and website written and illustrated by kids ages 13 and younger. They welcome submissions from all around the world. Although this is not a contest, this is an opportunity for your work to be published! Entrants whose work is accepted will receive a free copy of Stone Soup Annual for the year their work appears.

Eligibility: Ages 13 and younger
Deadline: No deadline, happens all year long

Bennington Young Writers Awards

Bennington College invites high schoolers from 10th to 12th grade to enter their annual Young Writers Awards contest. Bennington College faculty and students will judge submissions in the categories of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. First-place winners in each category win $500, second-place winners win $250, and third-place winners win $125.

Eligibility: 9-12th graders
Deadline: The competition runs annually from September 1st to November 1st.

Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers is a non-profit organization that holds this annual contest to recognize students with remarkable artistic and literary talent. Students in all states may submit their work in several different categories for a chance to win scholarships.

Eligibility: Grades 7 - 12
Deadline: Submissions open for the 2023 Scholastic Awards on September 1st, 2022. Deadlines differ depending on region.

Holocaust Art and Writing Contest

For this contest, participating schools may submit a total of three entries from three individual students in the following categories: art, film, poetry, and/or prose. First-prize winners in each category will be awarded $400. Educators and schools will also be eligible to win a first prize of $200 each. First-place student winners in the United States, their parent/guardian, and teacher will be invited to participate in an expense-paid study trip June 19–23, 2023, to visit the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, the Museum of Tolerance, the Japanese American National Museum, and other sites in Los Angeles, well as to meet with members of The 1939 Society, a community of Holocaust survivors, descendants, and friends. In addition, first-place student entries will be posted on Chapman University’s contest website. Students awarded second prize in each category will receive $200 and their sponsoring educator and school will receive $100 each. Second-place student entries will also be posted on Chapman University’s contest website.

Eligibility:  Any student going to a registered school
Deadline (Postmarked entries): February 2, 2024 Deadline (Digital submissions): February 5, 2024

Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the 11th grade in the U.S. or abroad. Contest judges are poets on the Princeton University Creative Writing faculty.

Prizes: First – $1,500 | Second – $750 | Third – $500

Eligibility: 11th grade
Deadline: 2024 Dates TBA

JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is dedicated to America's 35th president, and welcomes students and scholars to conduct research using their collection of historical materials. The Museum also holds many programs, including the annual JFK Profile in Courage Essay Contest. Based on JFK's Profiles in Courage, the contest challenges students to write about an act of political courage by a U.S. elected official who served during or after 1917, the year JFK was born. First-place winners receive $10,000, second-place winners receive $3,000, the five finalists win $1,000 each and eight semi-finalists win $100 each.

Prizes:

• First Place: $10,000

• Second Place: $3,000

• Finalists: $1,000 (5 winners)

• Semi-Finalists: $100 (8 winners)

Eligibility: 9th through 12th graders
2024-2025 Dates TBA

Bill of Rights Institute - MyImpact Challenge: Civic Engagement Contest   

The Bill of Rights Institute is a non-profit organization that creates many educational resources and programs. Applicants are required to submit an essay (up to 1,200 words) that expresses how the project furthers at least one civic virtue and one founding principle, a report (up to 2,000 words) that describes the completed or in-progress civic engagement project, and visual documentation. Judges will review the entries, and select finalists and winners of generous scholarship prizes. Student service projects can win up to $10,000, with $40,000 in total prizes available to students and teachers. Every project that meets the entry guidelines will be rewarded with a digital Civic Achievement badge.

Eligibility: Grades 8 - 12, Ages 14-19
Deadline: May 21st, 2023

Ayn Rand Essay Contests

Ayn Rand’s Institute offers an array of educational programs to enable students at all levels of knowledge to learn about Ayn Rand’s philosophy and novels. There are three contests based on each one of Ayn Rand’s thought-provoking novels.

The U.S. Institute of Peace - National Essay Contest

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) partner every year to hold their National Essay Contest. High schoolers must submit an essay related to peace and conflict. The first place winner will receive $2,500; an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the winner and his/her parents to meet U.S. Department of State and USIP leadership; and an all-expense paid voyage with Semester at Sea. The runner-up will receive $1,250 and full tuition to a summer session at National Student Leadership Conference's International Diplomacy Program.

Eligibility: 9th through 12th graders
Deadline: April 3rd, 2023

Polyphony Lit - Claudia Ann Seaman Awards

   Polyphony Lit is an international magazine run by high school writers and editors. Each year they hold the Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for high schoolers anywhere in the world to submit poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction.

Eligibility: High school student
Annual Deadline: April 30th

The New York Times Learning Network Contests

Summer Reading Contest

The NYT asks, “What interested you most in The Times this week?” each Friday for 10 weeks. In a short comment of no more than 300 words, you can provide your answer for anything published in the print paper or on their official website.

• Eligibility: Middle School and High School students

• June 9th, 2023 - August 18th, 2023

The Young Authors Writing Competition

The Young Authors Writing Competition is a national competition for high school writers of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Started as a local writing contest in Chicago in 1995, the Young Authors Writing Competition has grown into a yearly international contest of high school writers. This competition is sponsored by the English and Creative Writing Department at Columbia College Chicago.

Eligibility: 9th-12th Grade
Submissions will open on November 28th, 2022
Deadline: January 27th, 2023

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association want to increase high school students’ knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media to our lives. National winners of this essay contest receive scholarship awards. First place winners will be awarded a $1,000 scholarship, second place winners will be awarded a $500 scholarship, and third place winners will be awarded a $300 scholarship.

Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Deadline: February 19th, 2023

NCTE Student Writing Awards

World Historian Student Essay Competition

The World Historian Student Essay Competition is an international competition open to students enrolled in grades K–12 in public, private, and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs. Membership in the World History Association is not a requirement for submission. The World History Association established this $500 prize to recognize young scholars. A one-year membership in the WHA will also be included with each prize. 

Eligibility: Grades K–12
Deadline: Annual deadline of May 1st

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers

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 country’s most widely read literary magazines.

Eligibility: High school juniors or sophomores
Annual Deadline: Submissions are accepted electronically November 1st through November 30th.

The Adroit Prizes for Poetry and Prose

The Adroit Prizes are awarded annually to two students of secondary or undergraduate status. Winners will be awarded $200, and their work—along with the work of runners-up—will be featured in the Adroit Journal. Runners-up and finalists will receive a copy of their judges’ latest book.

Eligibility: Secondary and undergraduate students
Deadline: 2023 Dates TBA

Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards

The Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Awards is an annual series of awards to encourage poets to explore and illuminate positive visions of peace and the human spirit. Adult winners receive $1,000 and youth winners in each category receive $200. Honorable Mentions in each category may be awarded. All entries must be postmarked or emailed by the due date. There is a $5 fee for the Youth (13 to 18) category and no fee for the Youth (12 and under) category.

Eligibility: Adult, Youth 13-18, and Youth 12 & Under
Deadline: July 1st, 2023

Ocean Awareness Contest

The 2023 Ocean Awareness Contest is a call for young artists, conservationists, makers, thinkers, and activists who are concerned about the future of our blue planet. Join thousands of youth around the world in our annual program that raises awareness about the climate crisis and potential solutions, uplifts youth voices for ocean conservation, and inspires hope and action through art, creative media, and storytelling. Submissions are accepted in the form of Visual Art, Film, Music, Poetry, Prose and Interactive & Multimedia. Winners may receive prizes of up to a $1,500 scholarship, depending on which division they fall into and what prize they win.

2023 Theme: CLIMATE HEROES IN ACTION—encourages students to learn about both climate change and solutions to the climate crisis. We want to celebrate the work of countless everyday heroes fighting to make the world more habitable and just in the face of human-induced climate change. These heroes are leading with determination, resolve, and even joy to create a better world for us all.

Eligibility: Students ages 11-18
Deadline: June 13th, 2023

EngineerGirl Writing Contest

Every year, the EngineerGirl website sponsors a contest dealing with engineering and its impact on our world. Winners are announced in the spring. First place winners will be awarded $500. Second place entries will be awarded $250. Third place entries will be awarded $100.

2023 Topic: Write a piece that shows how female and/or non-white engineers have contributed to or can enhance engineering’s great achievements.

Eligibility: Elementary - high school students
Deadline: February 1st, 2023, by 11:59 PM EST

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest

The Annual Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest provides scholarships, prizes, and recognition for the best poems submitted by high-school aged women. First place winners receive $350 cash prize, a renewable scholarship up to $5,000 and recognition for their work. Second place winners receive a renewable scholarship up to $1,000, a $500 scholarship to apply toward the university’s Hollinsummer creative writing program (for rising 9-12th grade students) and recognition for their work.

Eligibility: High school-aged women
Deadline: October 31st, 2023

Gaithersburg Book Festival Poetry Contest

High school students from across the Washington Metropolitan Area are invited to submit poems to the Gaithersburg Book Festival Poetry Contest. Poems must be on one of three topics: freedom, escape, or community. Each entry must be no longer than one page, single-spaced 12 point Times New Roman. Up to 12 poems will be selected as finalists. The finalists will have their poems posted on the Gaithersburg Book Festival website prior to the Book Festival. They also will be asked to record a video of themselves reading their poem for publication on the website (which also requires a signed waiver). The top three poems will be announced at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on Saturday, May 16, 2020. First, 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive $250, $100 and $50 gift certificates, respectively, provided by the Johns Hopkins Montgomery County Campus. A fan favorite poem, selected by voting on the website, will receive a $25 gift certificate.

Eligibility: Grades 9-12, students living in Maryland, Virginia or Washington, D.C. (Employees of the City of Gaithersburg, City Council Members, and all volunteers associated with the Gaithersburg Book Festival are not eligible to participate)
Deadline: February 23rd, 2023, by midnight ET

Annual DNA Day Essay Contest

The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) supports National DNA Day through the Annual DNA Day Essay Contest. DNA Day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003 and the discovery of the double helix of DNA in 1953. This contest asks students to examine, question, and reflect on important concepts in genetics. Essays are expected to be well-reasoned arguments that indicate a deep understanding of scientific concepts related to the essay question. The first place winners receives $1,000, second places wins $600, and third places receives $400. The 10 students who will receive an honorable mention will also get $100 each.

2023 Question: The American Society of Human Genetics celebrates its 75th anniversary! The theme for the celebrations is “One Humanity, Many Genomes.” In your essay, explain what “one humanity, many genomes” means to you. Please be sure to include:

• Two examples of what makes our genomes unique

• How advances in understanding our genomes impact our lives, such as current and future research into medical treatments.

Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Submissions will open in early January 2023.
Deadline: early March 2023

John Locke Institute Essay Competition

The John Locke Institute encourages young people to cultivate the characteristics that turn good students into great writers: independent thought, depth of knowledge, clear reasoning, critical analysis and persuasive style. The Essay Competition invites students to explore a wide range of challenging and interesting questions beyond the confines of the school curriculum. The judges will choose their favourite essay from each subject category and an overall 'best essay' across seven subjects: Philosophy, Politics, Economics, History, Psychology, Theology, and Law. Each subject prize is worth £100, and the essays will be published (with the authors' permission) on the Institute website. The prize-giving ceremony will take place in Oxford, at which winners and runners-up will be able to meet the judges and other faculty members of the John Locke Institute. The candidate who submits the best essay overall will be awarded an honorary John Locke Institute Junior Fellowship, worth £500.

Eligibility: Entry is open to students from any country and any school. Candidates must be eighteen years old, or younger, on the date of the submission deadline. (Candidates for the Junior Prize must be fourteen years old, or younger, on the date of the submission deadline.)
Deadline: June 30th, 2023

The Nicholas A. Virgilio Memorial Haiku and Senryu Competition for Grades 7-12

Each student may submit up to three haiku. All haiku or senryu must be previously unpublished, original work, and not entered in any other contest or submitted elsewhere for publication. Six poems will be selected and each awarded a scholarship prize of $100.

Eligibility: Grades 7-12
Deadline: 2023 Dates TBA

Get to Know Contest

Contestants must get outdoors and create an original work of art, writing, photography, videography and/or music inspired by nature. Prizes vary depending on the category.

Eligibility: Anyone 19 and under
Deadline: June 1st, 2023

A Voice for Animals Contest

Fourteen and Fifteen Year Old Essay Submissions

Entrants in the 14-15 year old section are invited to either write an essay that addresses one of the following: the mistreatment of one animal species or one cause of animal suffering and present ideas to raise awareness of this species and what can be done to protect it. Or write an essay that addresses the history of the animal welfare movement over the last 30 years.

Prizes:

• $400 First Prize (Essay by 14-15 year old)

• $300 Second Prize (Essay by 14-15 year old)

• $200 Third Prize (Essay by 14-15 year old)

• $500 First Prize (30 Years, 14-15 year old)

• $300 Second Prize (30 Years, 14-15 year old)

• $200 Third Prize (30 Years, 14-15 year old)

Deadline: May 21st, 2023

Sixteen through Eighteen Year Old Video

Entrants in the 16-18 year Video section must become involved in a project (new or pre-existing) that addresses either the mistreatment of one animal species or one cause of animal suffering; or the preservation of one endangered species, occurring anywhere in the world; or that addresses the history of the animal welfare movement over the last 30 years.

Projects should be worked on for at least three to four months and the project should have a direct impact on animals by means of either direct or indirect intervention. Your submission will document your project and your contribution to that project and, where possible, show how your project/involvement could alleviate animal suffering.

Prizes:

• $500 First Prize (Video by 16-18 year old)

• $300 Second Prize (Video by 16-18 year old)

• $200 Third Prize (Video by 16-18 year old)

• $250 Active Involvement Prize (Video by 16-18 year old)

Deadline: May 21st, 2023

New Voices One-Act Competition for Young Playwrights

YouthPLAYS New Voices OneAct Competition for Young Playwrights is designed to encourage young writers to create new works for the stage. Plays must be unpublished, non-musical one-acts between 10-40 minutes in length (10-page minimum, not counting the Title Page or Cast of Characters page). While there are no limitations as to genre or subject matter, plays should be suitable for school production and feature one or more youth characters in prominent, age appropriate roles. Plays must have two or more characters, and large and/or flexible casts (with relatively more female roles) are encouraged. Plays must be the original work of a single author and each author may submit one play only. The winner receives $250 and publication by YouthPLAYS, while the runner-up will receive $100.

Eligibility: 19 years old or younger

Submissions will open in January 2023
Deadline: May 1st, 2023

Geek Partnership Writing Contest

This contest provides a forum for new talent of any age and gives them a chance to learn about the publication process and its requirements. Entries must be science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural, and alternate history in short fiction, poetry, or comics. Divisions:

• Open: Short fiction only. Open to writers of any age. There will be TWO (2) winners chosen from this category. The Open Division winner will be chosen from all entries. The general winner of the Open Division will receive a $75 Amazon gift certificate.

• Poetry: Poems only. Open to writers of any age. The Poetry Division winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift certificate.

• Youth 1: Short fiction only. Open to writers 13 years of age or younger as of May 1, 2020.

• Youth 2: Short fiction only. Open to writers 14-16 years of age as of May 1, 2020. The winner of each Youth Division will receive a $50 Amazon gift certificate, with a second $50 gift certificate being awarded to the winner’s school.

• Graphic Novel (Comics): Short comics only. Open to writers of any age. The Graphic Novel (Comics) Division winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift certificate.

Deadline: 2023 Dates TBA

International Essay Contest for Young People

The Goi Peace Foundation’s annual essay contest is organized in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. It also aims to inspire society to learn from the young minds and to think about how each of us can make a difference in the world. Essays must be 700 words or less in English, French, Spanish or German, or 1600 characters or less in Japanese, excluding essay title and cover page.

Eligibility: Children Category (ages up to 14) and Youth Category (ages 15 - 25)
Deadline: 2023 Dates TBA

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2023

The competition is free to enter and poems can be of any length and on any theme. Entrants may submit more than one poems. Poems must be written in English, but you can include phrases in your mother tongue or another language.

Eligibility: anyone aged 11-17
Deadline: July 31st, 2023

Veterans of Foreign Wars Youth Scholarships

Voice of Democracy

The Voice of Democracy audio-essay program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to express themselves in regards to a democratic and patriotic-themed recorded essay. The national first place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship paid directly to the recipient’s American university, college or vocational/technical school. A complete list of other national scholarships range from $1,000-$16,000, and the first place winner from each VFW Department (state) wins a minimum scholarship of $1,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. The 2022-23 theme is: Why is the Veteran Important?

Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Deadline: October 31st, 2022

River of Words

This is a free, annual, international youth poetry and art contest. River of Words (ROW) is a program of The Center for Environmental Literacy and a part of the Kalmanovitz School of Education, at Saint Mary’s College of California. The contest is open to K through 12th grade students, ages 5-20. Students must be enrolled in school to be eligible. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older. Students may enter the contest as many times as they like. All entrants will be acknowledged with a Watershed Explorer Certificate. One winner is selected in each of the four age/grade categories in Poetry and one winner is selected in each of the four age/grade categories in Art.

Entries will be judged in the following categories:

Category I -- K-Grade 2 (Primary) or ages 5-7

Category II -- Grades 3-5 (Elementary) or ages 8-11

Category III -- Grades 6-8 (Intermediary) or ages 11-14

Category IV -- Grades 9-12 (Secondary) or ages 14-19

Eligibility: Ages 5-19
Deadline: January 31st, 2023

FoFG 2023 Poetry Contest

The Friends of Falun Gong (FoFG) Poetry Contest is an excellent opportunity for those who have never encountered Falun Gong before to research and learn about it, and through poetry, raise awareness among others who have not heard about the persecution of this practice in China. Submit one or two poems of no more than 50 lines each. Poems must encompass at least one of the following themes:

1. Advocate for Falun Gong practitioner’s fundamental human rights.

2. Expose the crimes against Falun Gong perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party.

3. Express why citizens of the free world should support Falun Gong’s rights

All winners will be published on FoFG’s website. 1st Place winners (adult, college, and youth) will appear in print in the Society of Classical Poets Journal. First place high-school students will be awarded $100 and second place winners will be awarded $50.

Eligibility: High School Students
Deadline: April 30th, 2023

2023 Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder/Sense of the Wild Contest

Your team must choose one of these two themes: 1) “Sense of Wonder” or 2) “Sense of Wonder/Sense of The Wild.” The contestants can choose to write either a poem or an essay of no more than 500 words for either theme, and they may also choose to include a photograph. Here are the themes’ descriptions:

1) The Sense of Wonder Theme: This theme appears in Rachel Carson’s book, The Sense of Wonder (1965). It describes having an appreciation for a positive, outdoor, nature-centered experience. The book focuses on an intergenerational sharing of these experiences. Those interested in this contest are strongly encouraged to read The Sense of Wonder. It is available in paperback. The Contest encourages teams to share “Sense of Wonder” experiences and to describe them in words (either through poetry or an essay), with the option of an accompanying photograph.

2)The Sense of Wonder/Sense of the Wild Theme: This theme combines a Sense of Wonder experience with awareness of the benefits provided to us by wild plants and animals living in their natural habitats.

Eligibility: Entries must be submitted by a team, consisting of at least two people, representing different generations (for example, a teacher and a student). They can be relatives or not.
Deadline: November 16th, 2023, 5pm EST

One Teen Story Teen Writing Contest

Writers ages 13-19 should enter the contest and submit their original, unpublished fiction. We are interested in great short stories of any genre about the teen experience — literary, fantasy, sci-fi, love stories, horror, etc. What’s in a great short story? Interesting teen characters, strong writing, and a beginning, middle, and end. The winning stories will be published in forthcoming issues of One Teen Story, which will reach over ten thousand readers. The contest winners will receive $500 upon publication and 25 copies of the magazine featuring their work. The contest winners will also have the opportunity to work with a One Teen Story editor prior to publication. Honorable mentions will be chosen in three age categories: 13-15, 16-17, and 18-19, and each will be announced on our website, by email announcement, and on social media.

Eligibility: 13-19 years old
Deadline: 2023 Deadline TBA

“If I Were Mayor” Essay Contest

The annual “If I were Mayor Contest” invites seventh graders from throughout Virginia to submit essays describing what they would do if they were mayor of their hometown. Entries are due around December 1 each year. The essay contest is a key component of VML’s civic education programming, which seeks to teach schoolchildren and adults how local government works and how they can become involved in making their communities better places to live, work and play.

In addition to a framed certificate, each regional winner will receive a check for $150. The statewide winner will receive a certificate and a check for $250. All winning essays will be featured in the VTC magazine.

Eligibility: 7th graders
Deadline: March 3rd, 2023

National PTA’s Reflections

National PTA's Reflections program provides opportunities for recognition and access to the arts which boost student confidence and success in the arts and in life. Each year, over 300,000 students in Pre-K through Grade 12 create original works of art in response to a student-selected theme. This year’s theme is “I Will Change the World By…”

Eligibility: Pre-K through Grade 12
Various awards

Deadline: Vary by state; visit state PTA website for more info

Americanism Essay Contest For Grades 7–12

FRA sponsors an annual essay contest to promote the spirit of Americanism and patriotism among our country’s youth. FRA's Americanism Essay Contest is open to all students, grades 7 through 12, including those who are home schooled.  Students are invited to submit a 350-word essay through an FRA member or local FRA branch before the December 1st deadline.  Local winners are forwarded for competition at the regional level and regional winners compete for national prizes.

The grand national winner will receive $5,000, with additional prizes for the top three essays in each grade category ($2,500 for first place, $1,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place). Each national winner will receive an attractive plaque citing his/her achievement, and every entrant judged at the national level receives a certificate of recognition. Additional prizes may be awarded to students winning at local and regional levels of competition.

Eligibility: 7-12 grade
Deadline: December 1st

Earth Science Week Essay Contest

American Geosciences Institute is sponsoring an essay contest to celebrate Earth Science Week 2023. The essay theme for this year is: “Geoscience Innovating for Earth and People.” Geoscience — which addresses interactions of the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere — can play a critical role. How can the Earth sciences help achieve SDGs in areas such as poverty, nutrition, education, equality, ecosystems, climate change, and/or industrial innovation?

The essay must be no more than 300 words. Longer essays will be rejected unread. The selected entry will win $300 and a copy of an AGI publication. The winner's and finalists' names and entries will be posted on the Earth Science Week website.

Eligibility: 6-9th grade, residents of the United States
Deadline: October 14th, 2023

American Foreign Service National High School Essay Contest

2023 Essay Contest Topic

The United States Foreign Service will celebrate its 100th birthday in 2024. Foreign Service diplomats have been involved in significant events in history, such as decisions on war and peace, reacting to natural disasters and pandemics, facilitating major treaties, and more. In your essay, explore a topic that touches upon this important history and sheds light on how vital it is for America to have a robust professional corps focused on diplomacy, development, and peace in the national interest.

Successful essays will identify a country or region in which the United States Foreign Service has been involved at any point since 1924 and describe, in no more than 1,500 words, how the Foreign Service was successful or unsuccessful in advancing American foreign policy goals – including promoting peace – in this country/region and propose ways in which it might continue to improve those goals in the coming years.

Prizes: $2,500 to the writer of the winning essay, in addition to an all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital from anywhere in the U.S. for the winner and his or her parents, and an all-expense paid educational voyage courtesy of Semester at Sea. Runner-up receives $1,250 and a full tuition to attend a summer session of National Student Leadership Conference’s International Diplomacy program. Due to COVID-19 some prizes may not be claimable immediately.

Eligibility: Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate if they are in grades nine through twelve in any of the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, or if they are U.S. citizens/lawful permanent residents attending high school overseas. Students may be attending a public, private, or parochial school. Entries from home-schooled students are also accepted. Previous first-place winners and immediate relatives of directors or staff of the AFSA, the U.S. Institute of Peace, Semester at Sea and National Student Leadership Conference are not eligible to participate. Previous honorable mention designees are eligible to enter.

Deadline: April 3rd, 2023

International Bipolar Foundation High School Essay Contest

Each year International Bipolar Foundation hosts an essay contest for teenagers where they ask them to do research on a particular topic and then perform a specific activity to foster mental health awareness in their communities.

Three winners will receive cash prizes and their letters used as a template for future advocacy that will be featured on our website!

• 1st Place- $1000

• 2nd Place- $500

• 3rd Place- $250

Eligibility: 9-12th grade
Deadline: January 21st, 2023

I Matter Poetry Contest

The poem submitted must be on the topic of Black Lives Matter and an original student creation. The contest is open to residents of the United States and only one entry per person is allowed. Check out 2020 winners here.

Eligibility: Grades K to 12
Deadline: July 23rd, 2023

Princeton Lewis Center for the Arts Ten-Minute Play Contest

Eligibility for this annual playwriting contest is limited to students in the eleventh grade in the U.S. (or international equivalent of the eleventh grade). Each year the jury consists of members of the Princeton University Program in Theater faculty. Applicants may submit only one play – 10 pages maximum/1 page equals 1 minute. Due to the volume of entries, only the winners will be notified.

There will be three winners and two honorable mentions:

• 1st Place- $500

• 2nd Place- $250

• 3rd Place- $100

Eligibility: 11th graders
Deadline: March 31st, 2023

fingers comma toes National Flash Fiction Day Youth Competition

This is an open competition with no theme or prompt. Only previously unpublished work will be considered and the short stories/prose submissions should be up to 300 words excluding the title. There is a maximum 3 stories per entrant and the competition is open to international entrants. Long lists will be announced in mid-May, shortlists in late May, and winners on National Flash Fiction Day, June 22nd. Winners and short-listed work will be published in a special edition of fingers comma toes.

Eligibility: up to 18 years old
Deadline: February 5th, 2023

Writopia Lab Worldwide Plays Festival Competition

Writopia Lab’s playwriting competition invites young playwrights to explore various cultural, social, and philosophical themes each year. Guidelines and themes vary annually. The competition is open to 1st to 12th grade students around the world. Students may submit more than one play. Winning plays will be produced and performed by New York theater professionals during Writopia’s annual off-Broadway Worldwide Plays Festival in spring.

Eligibility: Grades 1-12, US & International
Deadline: February 15th, 2023

Storytellers of Tomorrow High School Creative Writing Contest

The Creative Writing Program at the Ringling College of Art and Design invites high school students to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in three categories: literary stories, genre stories, and nonfiction stories. Each student may submit one work per category. In addition to the traditional short story format, graphic narratives, scripts, picture book manuscripts, comics, and other literary forms are also accepted, as long as it is 2,000 words. Students can choose their own themes. Three winners will be chosen per category. The top winner in each category will be offered the opportunity to publish their work in the Creative Writing Program’s literary arts journal, Shift.

Prizes:

• 1st prize - $150, Ringling College of Art + Design t-shirt, 2 iPads, one for student and one for student’s high school writing teacher’s classroom. 

• 2nd prize - $100 and Ringling College of Art + Design t-shirt 

• 3rd prize: $50 and Ringling College of Art + Design t-shirt 

• Honorable Mentions: Ringling College of Art + Design t-shirt

Eligibility: Grades 9-12, US & International
Deadline: January 15th, 2023

Norm Strung Youth Writing Contest

The Outdoor Writers Association of America’s (OWAA) annual Norm Strung Youth Writing Contest invites high school and undergraduate students to submit a 500 - 1,000 piece of writing that explores an outdoors theme. Any prose form is accepted. By entering the competition, each entrant grants the OWAA the use of their name, headshot, and limited biographical information for advertising, publicity, and promotional purposes. For entrants under 18 years old, the parents or guardians must grant this permission. Winners will receive a yearlong OWAA student membership ($25 value) and be displayed on the OWAA website, in the Outdoors Unlimited Magazine, and in other publications and social media.

Prizes:

• 1st Place: $200

• 2nd Place: $100

• 3rd Place: $50

Eligibility: Grades 11-12, US & International
Deadline: January 31st, 2023

Cancer Unwrapped Teen Writing Contest

A cancer diagnosis, whether of your own or a loved one, can stir up intense emotions. This contest invites 9th-12th graders in the US to share their experiences with cancer in a 500-1,000 word essay. Each winner will be awarded $1,000.

Eligibility: Grades 9-12
Deadline: March 3th, 2023, by midnight PST

Sarah Mook Memorial Poetry Contest

Sarah Mook was a gifted young poet who died unexpectedly of an aortic aneurysm in third grade. To honor her memory, this contest invites young poets in kindergarten through 12th grade to submit poems on any subject. Poems can be any length and style, and each student may submit two poems. Winners will be awarded cash prizes in each of four categories: kindergarten through 2nd grade, 3rd grade through 5th grade, 6th grade to 8th grade, and 9th grade through 12th grade.

Mail entries to: Sarah Mook Poetry Prize, 896 Ferncliff Road, Poultney, VT 05764

Prizes:

• 1st Prize: $100

• 2nd Prize: $50

• 3rd Prize: $25

Eligibility: Grades K-12
Deadline (Postmarked by): March 31, 2023

2021 Naval Horizons Essay Contest

Naval Horizons introduces high school students to STEM topics that directly impact the US Navy and Marine Corps. Students learn about Naval STEM Challenges and the people working on them through Naval Horizon’s video series. After viewing the video series, students are invited to write an essay explaining how Naval Horizon’s research and people inspires them. The Naval Horizons essay contest challenges students to imagine themselves as a scientist or engineer and design the US Navy and Marine Corps of the future.

Students may choose to write about any video from the video series. Judges will select up to 5,000 winners, and winning essays may be published on the Naval Horizons website.

Word Count: 500-1,500 words

Eligibility: Grades 9-12; US students only
Deadline: 2023 Dates TBA

Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry

Inspired by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, the Amanda Gorman Award for Poetry invites high school seniors in the U.S to submit an original poem in English. The winner will receive a $10,000 college scholarship.

Eligibility: Current high school senior attending a public U.S. high school, graduating in Spring 2022
Deadline: February 1st, 2022, by 3 PM CT, or when 1,000 applications have been received

Sejong Writing Competition

The Sejong Writing Competition is a chance to learn more about Korean culture and history. The competition is separated into junior and senior divisions. For the junior division, writers are to submit an interpretation of their chosen Korean folktale. For the senior division, writers are to submit a response to the short story “The Girl in the Cylinder.” Winners will be awarded between $100 to $500.

Eligibility: junior-level grades 8 and younger; senior-level grades 9 to 12
Deadline: March 31, 2023