Writing contests for kids and teens ages 5-18

Writing contests for kids and teens

Please note: Writing contests can change, pause, or be discontinued from year to year. Funding, sponsorship, staffing, and organizational priorities can all affect whether an annual competition returns. We check listings regularly, but competition organizers may make changes outside our control.

Closing date in August

• The Science in School Student Writing Contest 2026 challenges students ages 14-19 to produce a 1,500-2,000-word science article exploring a specific research project, technology, intervention, or local solution connected with sustainable and resilient tourism. Entries can be submitted by individuals or teams, and three winning articles will be published in Science in School. The 2026 deadline was August 1.
• The Ink of Ages Fiction Prize includes a Youth Prize for writers ages 13-17 anywhere in the world. Young authors can submit an 800-1,000-word historical or mythology-inspired short story set before 1975. The competition is organized by World History Encyclopedia and sponsored by Oxford University Press, and entries close August 22, 2026.
• Write the World’s 2026 Flash Fiction Competition is a free international contest for teen writers ages 13-19. August’s challenge is to tell a complete and compelling story in fewer than 100 words. The competition runs from August 3 to August 24, 2026, making it a particularly accessible short-form writing challenge for middle and high school students.
• The Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest has junior and senior divisions for students in grades 7-12. Entrants write an 800-1,200-word analytical article, with separate themes for grades 7-8 and grades 9-12. Registration and payment are required before submission, places are limited, and the Summer 2026 article deadline is August 24.
• The Stone Soup Seventh Annual Novel and Long Form Fiction Contest encourages young authors to tackle a substantial piece of fiction. Manuscripts must be at least 8,000 words, with no maximum length, and winning work selected by the judges can be published in book form. Stone Soup publishes writing by young people through age 18, and the contest page lists August 30, 2026 as the deadline.
• The Polyphony Lit Summer Contest 2026 is open to high school students worldwide and has the theme “Home.” Students can submit poetry of up to 80 lines or fiction and creative nonfiction of up to 1,800 words. The first 200 submissions are free, after which a $4 submission fee applies. Entries close August 31, 2026.
• The Passport to Adventure Kids Writing Competition is a free US competition for writers ages 5-18, with separate prompts and word limits for ages 5-8, 9-11, 12-14, and 15-18. Topics range from an imagined dream vacation for younger entrants to a reflective journey narrative for older teens. Selected work will be published online, and the deadline is August 31, 2026.
• The William Faulkner Literary Competition Student Short Story Contest is a free regional opportunity for Mississippi high school students, including homeschool students. Entrants can submit original, unpublished short fiction of up to 10,000 words. First, second, and third prizes are $250, $150, and $100 respectively, and entries must be received by August 31, 2026.
• Hamilton East Public Library’s Teen Writing Challenge is open to students in grades 6-12 who live in or attend school in Fishers or Noblesville, Indiana, or the specified surrounding Hamilton County townships. The 2026 theme is “Schools and Universities,” and entrants can submit an original fictional story of up to 3,000 words. Winning stories will be published by the library, and the deadline is August 31, 2026.

Closing date in September

• The Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit Essay Competition invites high school students from the United States and around the world to write an original essay of up to 1,500 words examining an aspect of US-China relations. The regular entry fee is $15, and winning high school writers receive access to the 2027 Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit. The regular submission deadline is September 15, 2026, with late entries accepted until October 4 for an increased fee.
• Congresswoman Veronica Escobar’s Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest is open to students in grades 6-8 who live in Texas’s 16th Congressional District. For 2026, students write a 300-500-word essay exploring what Hispanic culture means to them and how living in El Paso has influenced their perspective. The deadline is September 20, 2026.
• The Next Draft Student Writing Contest, organized by the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Humanities Alliance, is open to students entering grades 9-12 at schools in the United States, US territories, and American schools abroad. Students can respond to a literary analysis prompt or create an original multimodal work accompanied by a reflective essay. Entrants must be nominated by an educator or guardian, and prizes include $1,000 for the top response to each prompt. Entries close September 30, 2026.
• The Women Writing the West High School Writing Contest is a free competition open to high school students worldwide. Entry options include poetry, haiku, songwriting, short prose of 1,500-2,000 words, and articles, biographies, or event reports of 500-700 words. Cash prizes are awarded in the contest categories, and submissions close September 30, 2026.
• The Live Poets Society of New Jersey National High School Poetry Contest is open to US high school students. Entrants can submit an original poem of no more than 20 lines, with scholarship prizes ranging from $100 to $500. The contest operates through quarterly submission periods, and the deadline for poems to be considered for the Fall issue is September 30, 2026.

Closing date in October

• The Americans United 2026 Student Contest is open to high school students living in the United States, Washington, DC, and US territories. The essay category asks entrants to write 750-1,000 words exploring religious freedom and the separation of church and state as the United States marks its 250th anniversary. High school essay prizes are $1,500, $1,000, and $500, and winning essays will be published by Americans United. The deadline is October 5, 2026.
• The 2027 YoungArts National Arts Competition includes writing categories covering fiction, nonfiction, plays and scripts, poetry, and spoken word. Eligible writers must be in grades 10-12 or ages 15-18 as of December 1, 2026, and meet the competition’s US eligibility requirements. YoungArts award winners receive cash prizes ranging from $250 to $10,000. Applications close at 8 p.m. ET on October 6, 2026.
• The Finding the Words – Worlds into Words Poetry Competition is open to writers worldwide, including young poets in the United States. Poems can be in any style, with a preferred maximum length of 40 lines, and should respond to a theme exploring journeys across countries, cultures, memory, and identity. Entry costs £1 for writers under 18 and is free for entrants with lived experience as a refugee. The deadline is October 9, 2026.
• The Waltham Forest Poetry Competition welcomes entries from around the world and includes a Young Poet category with free entry for children. The 2026 theme is “Music,” and entrants can submit up to six poems of no more than 40 lines each. Young Poet prizes are £50, £30, and £20. Entries close on October 19, 2026.
• The VFW Patriot’s Pen essay contest is open to US students in grades 6-8. Entrants write a 300-400-word essay on the 2026-27 theme, “What a Veteran Taught Me About America.” The national first-place winner receives $5,000, with additional awards available through VFW departments and local posts. Entries must be submitted to a participating local VFW Post by midnight on October 31, 2026.
• The VFW Voice of Democracy competition is an audio-essay program for US students in grades 9-12. Students prepare and record an essay on the 2026-27 theme, “What a Veteran Taught Me About America.” The national first-place award is a $35,000 college scholarship, with further national and state-level scholarships available. Entries must reach a participating local VFW Post by midnight on October 31, 2026.
• The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest, sponsored by Hollins University, is a long-running poetry competition for young women in their sophomore or junior year of high school. Entrants submit one or two original poems, with prizes including a cash award, recognition, and a renewable Hollins University creative writing scholarship of up to $5,000 per year. The 63rd annual competition closes on October 31, 2026.
• The Masonic Charity Foundation of Oklahoma High School Senior Essay Contest is open to seniors attending Oklahoma public schools. The 2026-27 topic asks “How Does Civic Involvement Benefit Individuals and Communities?” Essays must be original, follow MLA style, and be no longer than 1,250 words. State winners receive cash prizes, and the deadline is October 31, 2026.

Closing date in November

• The Pulitzer Center Local Letters for Global Change Writing Contest is open to K-12 students in the United States and worldwide. Entrants write a one-page letter to a local decision-maker connecting an underreported global issue with their own community and proposing a practical response. Letters can be written in English or Spanish, and students must draw on at least one Pulitzer Center news story. First-place writers in each issue category receive publication and $300 to support global community engagement in their classroom. The deadline is November 1, 2026.
• The Bennington Young Writers Awards are free to enter and open to students in grades 9-12 worldwide. Writers can submit fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry, with entries limited to 1,500 words. Each submission must be reviewed and approved by a sponsoring teacher or mentor, and homeschool students can use a mentor as their sponsor. First-place winners in each category receive $2,000, with additional cash awards and potential Bennington College scholarships available. The submission deadline is November 1, 2026.
• The Clarence T. C. Ching Foundation Inspired in Hawaii Contest includes an essay division for Hawaii residents in grades 6-12. Students respond to the 2026 theme, “What Makes Hawaii Special,” with cash prizes for first, second, and third place as well as awards for teachers. Entries must be received by 4 p.m. on November 6, 2026.
• The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers, organized by The Kenyon Review, is a free annual competition for high school sophomores and juniors. Entrants submit one original, unpublished poem. The winning poet receives a full scholarship to a Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop, and the winner and runners-up are published in The Kenyon Review. The competition accepts submissions each year from November 1 through November 30.
• The RIT/NTID Spirit Writing Competition is open to deaf and hard-of-hearing students in grades 10 and 11. The 2026 theme is “Rooted & Rising: Where I come from, where I’m going,” and students can submit fiction, autobiography, research-based writing, or another form of written work of up to 2,000 words. Winners can choose between a $500 cash prize or a fee waiver for an eligible RIT/NTID summer program. A teacher recommendation and parent or guardian permission are required. Entries close November 30, 2026.
• The Tadpole Press 100-Word Writing Contest is an international competition open to writers of all ages, including children and teens. Entries can be in any genre and must contain no more than 100 words. The first-place prize is $1,000, with additional prizes for runners-up. There is a $15 entry fee for each submission, and the deadline is November 30, 2026.

Closing date in December

• The Fleet Reserve Association Americanism Essay Contest is open to students in grades 7-12, including homeschool students. Entrants write an essay of no more than 350 words and submit it through an FRA branch, unit, or eligible member sponsor. Local winners advance to regional and national judging, with a $1,500 prize for the overall national winner and additional cash prizes in each grade. Entries are due December 1, 2026.
• The San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Reviewers of Tomorrow Writing Contest gives middle and high school students in San Diego County an opportunity to develop theater criticism. Students can submit up to three reviews of different amateur, school, professional, or streamed theatrical productions. Written reviews generally run 400-800 words and use AP style. Winners receive recognition and a monetary prize at the 2027 Craig Noel Awards. The deadline is December 1, 2026.
• The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are open to students in grades 7-12 who are age 13 or older and live in the United States, US territories or military bases, or Canada excluding Quebec. Students can enter original work in a wide range of writing categories, with regional and national recognition and scholarship opportunities available. The 2027 Awards open October 1, 2026, and regional deadlines begin December 1. Exact closing dates vary by location, with some regions remaining open into January, so students should use the organizer’s region locator to check their local writing deadline.
• The Elks Americanism Essay Contest is a national writing competition for students in grades 5-8. Entrants write an original essay of no more than 300 words and submit it to their nearest participating Elks Lodge. Students compete in separate grade divisions, with winning entries progressing through local, district, state, and national judging. Essays for the 2026-27 contest must be submitted on or before December 15, 2026.
• The George S. and Stella M. Knight Essay Contest, run by the Sons of the American Revolution, is open to students in grades 9-12. Entrants research and write an original 800-1,200-word essay about an event, person, philosophy, or ideal associated with the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the US Constitution. The competition begins at local SAR chapter level before progressing to state and national judging. The listed deadline is December 31, although individual chapters may set an earlier closing date, so students should check locally before preparing an entry.

Closing date in January 2027

• The Harvard International Review Academic Writing Contest is open to students in grades 7-12 in the United States and internationally. Entrants research a contemporary international affairs topic and write an analytical article, with separate Junior and Senior divisions. Registration and payment are required before an article can be submitted. The Fall 2026/Winter 2026 cycle closes on January 2, 2027.
• The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards offer numerous writing categories for students in grades 7-12 who are age 13 or older and meet the program’s US or Canadian residency requirements. Categories include critical essay, dramatic script, flash fiction, humor, journalism, novel writing, personal essay and memoir, poetry, science fiction and fantasy, and short story. Deadlines are set regionally, with the final 2027 regional deadlines falling as late as January 6. Students should use the organizer’s region locator to confirm the deadline for their school or home address.
• SIPA’s Best Writing Contest recognizes student journalism and writing produced for member school publications. Categories cover newspaper, news magazine, online, yearbook, literary magazine, and audio or audiovisual work, including news stories, features, reviews, personal essays, profiles, columns, and portfolios. Entries cost $5 each and must come from a current Southern Interscholastic Press Association member media staff. The deadline for the 2027 awards is January 15, 2027.
• The Washington Crossing Foundation National Scholarship Competition is open to US citizen high school seniors graduating in 2027 who plan to pursue careers in local, state, or federal government service. Applicants write a one-page essay of no more than 300 words explaining their career plans and any inspiration they draw from George Washington’s leadership during the crossing of the Delaware. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $10,000. Applications must be postmarked by January 15, 2027.
• The National WWII Museum Student Writing Contest is open to US students in grades 7-12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools, as well as eligible US students in correspondence or GED programs and US citizens studying overseas. Students submit a researched five-paragraph essay of 500-750 words responding to the 2026-27 World War II topic. Separate prizes are awarded for grades 7-9 and grades 10-12, with $750 for each division’s first-place winner. Entries close January 22, 2027.
• The Florida Elks Drug Awareness Essay Contest is open to students in grades 6-8 entering through participating Elks lodges. The 2026-27 theme is “A Healthy Me Is Drug Free,” and essays must be no longer than 250 words. Local lodges select winning entries before they progress through the Elks competition process. The deadline is January 31, 2027.

Closing date in February 2027

• The Roger Williams University School of Law Ruth Bader Ginsburg Essay Contest is open to students attending public, private, or home schools in Rhode Island. Students in grades 6-8 write an essay of about 250 words, while grades 9-12 can submit approximately 500 words, responding to the question “How has RBG inspired me?” Grade 5 students may also choose to enter the middle school essay category. Cash prizes are awarded in each division. Entries close at 5 p.m. EST on February 1, 2027.
• The NCTE Promising Young Writers Awards recognize outstanding eighth-grade writers. For 2027, the National Council of Teachers of English has set the theme “Becoming Good Ancestors,” and responses can be fiction or nonfiction. Students must be nominated by their school, with entries submitted by an educator rather than directly by the student. Eligible US-accredited schools include schools in the United States, US territories, Canada, and American Schools Abroad. The deadline is February 15, 2027.
• The NCTE Achievement Awards in Writing are designed for high school sophomores and juniors. The 2027 prompt is “The Meaning of Literacy Today,” and students can respond through fiction, nonfiction, poetry, personal narrative, screenwriting, or another suitable written form. Entrants must be nominated by their school’s English department and cannot nominate themselves. US-accredited schools in the United States, US territories, Canada, and American Schools Abroad can participate. Nominations close February 15, 2027.
• The Hershey Story History Contest for Young Writers is open to students in grades 5-8 attending public, private, or home schools in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, or York County, Pennsylvania. Students can enter historical nonfiction, fiction, poetry, or science and health writing, with separate grade 5-6 and grade 7-8 divisions. Essays must contain 400-1,000 words, while poetry entries run from 35-100 lines. First-place winners receive $100 and additional prizes. The deadline is February 15, 2027.
• The SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest, organized by the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation and Journalism Education Association, is open to students in grades 9-12 attending public, private, or home schools in the United States. Students submit an original 300-500-word essay responding to the annual journalism and media literacy topic. The 2027 topic will be released in December 2026. Entry costs $10, with scholarships of $1,000, $500, and $300 for the top three writers. Entries close February 21, 2027.
• The Barbara Ann Williford Memorial High School Writing Contest, run by Western Kentucky University’s English Department, is open to Kentucky high school students. The 2026-27 competition includes creative writing, personal essay, reader response, and Teacher’s Choice categories. Winners receive cash prizes of $200 for first place, $125 for second, and $75 for third, with a separate $100 Teacher’s Choice award. Applications and entries are due February 27, 2027.
• The Tulsa City-County Library Young People’s Creative Writing Contest is open to writers ages 10-18 who live or attend school in Tulsa County, Oklahoma, or hold an eligible Tulsa City-County Library nonresident card. Students compete in age groups 10-12, 13-15, and 16-18, with categories for poetry, short stories, informal essays, short plays, and comics. Cash prizes are awarded for first, second, and third place in each category. The 2027 contest runs throughout February and closes February 28.
• The Cancer Pathways Teen Writing Contest is open to US students in grades 9-12 whose lives have been affected by cancer. Entrants write about their own experience or the experience of a family member, friend, or other person affected by cancer. The organizer has confirmed that the 2027 competition will open in mid-November 2026 and close in late February 2027. The exact February closing date has not yet been published, so students and teachers should check the contest page before submitting.
• The Optimist International Essay Contest is open to students under age 19 who have not completed high school or its equivalent. The 2026-27 topic is “Finding My Voice in a World Full of Noise.” Students enter through a participating local Optimist Club, with club winners progressing to district competition for a $2,500 college scholarship. Local deadlines vary, but Optimist International states that all club-level contests are completed by early February, so entrants should contact their nearest club for its specific 2027 deadline.

Closing date in March 2027

• The League of Kansas Municipalities Local Leaders of Tomorrow 7th Grade Essay Contest is open to all Kansas students enrolled in seventh grade during the 2026-27 school year. Students are asked to produce an original essay connected with local government and civic life, with a recommended maximum length of 500 words. Entries close March 5, 2027.
• The Washington State PTA Essay Contest is open to K-12 students participating through a local Washington PTA or PTSA. Young writers produce an essay about a real person they have interacted with who has had an important influence on their life. Entries are divided by grade level, including a Special Author division, and essays can be no longer than 650 words. The deadline is March 11, 2027.
• The Federal Reserve High School Fed Challenge is a national research and writing competition for students in grades 9-12. School teams research an economics topic connected with the year’s designated theme and prepare an academically researched paper for consideration by Federal Reserve reviewers and possible publication in the Journal of Future Economists. Schools must register by February 15, with final papers due March 15, 2027.
• The Virginia High School League Creative Writing Contest gives students at participating Virginia high schools an opportunity to submit original creative writing for statewide recognition. Entries are organized through schools as part of VHSL’s academic activities program rather than submitted as an unrestricted national competition. Entries for the 2026-27 season must be received by March 15, 2027.
• The Foreign Service Youth Foundation Essay Contest is open to eligible middle and high school students from US Foreign Service families. The 2027 prompt, “The Person I’m Becoming,” asks students to consider how the Foreign Service lifestyle has shaped their dreams, values, or future goals. First, second, and third-place cash prizes are awarded separately to middle and high school writers. Entrants must meet FSYF membership and family eligibility requirements, and the deadline is March 19, 2027.
• The National Council for the Social Studies 1787 Prize is an essay competition for students in grades 11-12 examining the US Constitution’s past, present, and future. Essays must be 1,000-2,500 words and incorporate research using primary and secondary sources. The winning entry receives a $2,500 award. The 2026-27 competition opens September 17, 2026, and essays are due March 31, 2027.
• City Theatre’s Young Playwrights Contest is open to students in grades 7-12 living in Southwestern Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia. Entrants submit an original one-act play, with the organizers recommending a length of about 25-30 pages or fewer. Selected plays receive dramaturgical support and are professionally produced as part of City Theatre’s Young Playwrights Festival. The deadline is March 31, 2027.

Closing date in April 2027

• The American Ancestors Young Family Historians Essay Contest is open to public, private, and homeschool students in grades 4-12 throughout the United States and US territories. For 2027, students choose an object with personal or family significance and explain what it reveals about themselves, their family, or their family history, incorporating evidence from their own research. Approximate word counts are 500 words for grades 4-6, 750 for grades 7-8, and 1,000 for grades 9-12. Winners in each division receive $500, and the deadline is April 1, 2027.
• The Poems That Ate Our Ears contest is a long-running Southwest Michigan poetry competition with divisions for students in grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Poems can explore any topic or style and must be no longer than 20 lines. Students can submit up to three poems, including poems written in languages other than English when accompanied by an English version. Winning poems are published in a collection, and there is no entry fee. The 2027 deadline is April 1.
• The Bess Streeter Aldrich Short Story Contest includes divisions for students in grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Entrants write original fiction inspired by Nebraska’s family life, economy, history, cultural diversity, or geography, reflecting the themes and storytelling traditions associated with Nebraska author Bess Streeter Aldrich. Stories are generally 1,000-2,000 words, although there is no minimum length for the grades 3-5 division. Cash prizes are awarded in each student category, and entries close April 15, 2027.
• The Richard K. Meyers South River History Essay Contest is a regional opportunity for graduating high school seniors who live in South River, New Jersey, and plan to continue their education. Students submit an essay of at least 1,000 words describing an event that took place in South River during their lifetime and explaining its significance. First place receives $500, second place $350, and third place $150. The deadline is April 15, 2027.
• The Quarry Farm Fireplace Creative Writing Contest, run by the Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College, is open to students in grades 2-6 attending schools within 25 miles of Quarry Farm in Elmira, New York. Students explore the illustrated Aesop’s fable tiles surrounding the historic Quarry Farm fireplace and use one as the starting point for an original fable with its own characters, setting, conflict, and moral. The activity is designed to connect with classroom narrative-writing standards, and entries close April 30, 2027.
• The National Baseball Poetry Festival Youth Poetry Contest invites students in grades 4-12 to submit one original poem of up to 200 words inspired by baseball or softball. Subjects can range from Little League, ballparks, and opening day to players, uniforms, dugout life, and other aspects of the game. Selected elementary, middle, and high school poets receive recognition and an opportunity to read at the festival. The organizers have confirmed that the 2027 youth deadline will fall on a Friday in April, but the exact date has not yet been announced.

Closing date in May 2027

• The Paul Engle: Glory of the Senses High School Essay Contest, run by the Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature, is open to Iowa high school sophomores and juniors, including age-equivalent homeschool students. Entrants write about an “Iowa experience,” using a specific memory and sensory details to bring the experience to life. The writer of the winning essay receives one year of free tuition to the University of Iowa, and selected runners-up receive $500 scholarships. The deadline is May 1, 2027.
• The YouthPLAYS New Voices One-Act Competition for Young Playwrights is an international playwriting contest open to writers age 19 or younger, including K-12 students. Entrants submit one original non-musical one-act play that runs for 10-40 minutes and is at least 10 script pages long. Plays can explore any genre or subject but should be suitable for school production and feature at least one young character in a prominent role. The 2027 submission period runs from January 1 through May 1.
• The Sandra Bornstein Holocaust Education Center Art & Writing Contest is open to students in grades 6-12. The 2026-27 theme is “What We Carry,” encouraging students to consider the objects, memories, traditions, stories, and responsibilities carried by Holocaust survivors and later generations. Writing entries can take the form of a poem or essay and must be no longer than one page. Students can enter independently rather than through a class or school. The deadline is May 15, 2027.
• The Fifth Month Scholarship is a short-form writing opportunity for US students age 14 and older. Applicants have 250 words or fewer to write a letter to the number five explaining why the number is important to them. The scholarship award is $1,500, and applicants must be legal residents of one of the 50 states or Washington, DC. The deadline is May 30, 2027.
• The Constituting America We The Future Contest offers separate competition categories for school-age students exploring the US Constitution and America’s founding principles. The 2027 competition includes a high school division for students in grades 9-12, with an essay category alongside other creative formats, as well as separate opportunities for elementary and middle school students. Prizes vary by age group and category. Entries for the 2027 contest are due May 31.

Closing date in June 2027

• The Scribblebibble Writing Competition is a worldwide creative writing competition for children and teens ages 7-18, with separate categories for ages 7-10, 11-13, and 14-18. Entrants choose one of the site’s writing prompts and submit an original piece of 50-500 words in English. Entries must be sent by a responsible adult, such as a parent, teacher, or tutor, and each young writer can submit one entry. The winner in each age category receives a $20, £20, or €20 Amazon voucher. The 2027 competition opens February 1 and closes June 30.
• The Jane Austen Society of North America Essay Contest is an international competition with a high school division open to students and homeschool students studying at high school level. First place receives a $1,000 scholarship plus registration and two nights’ lodging at JASNA’s Annual General Meeting, with $500 and $250 scholarships for second and third place. The organization has confirmed that its 2027 contest will open for submissions in February 2027, although the exact closing date will not be published until November 2026. The 2026 competition closed on June 1.
• The American Writers Museum John Estey Student Writing Competition is returning in 2027, with divisions for grades 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Schools can submit up to three entries in each eligible division, and US homeschool students can also participate. In the most recent competition, elementary winners received $500, middle school winners $1,000, and high school winners $2,000. The museum has not yet published the 2027 submission date; the 2026 competition closed on June 3 after an earlier intent-to-participate deadline.
• The Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest is an international creative competition for students ages 11-18 that includes creative writing and poetry alongside visual art, film, performance, and multimedia categories. It offers separate Junior and Senior divisions and is particularly useful for connecting writing with environmental science, climate education, and interdisciplinary project work. Bow Seat has confirmed that the 2027 contest theme will be announced in September 2026, but its 2027 closing date has not yet been published. The 2026 contest closed on June 8.
• The College Here I Come Essay Scholarship is open to US citizens and permanent residents in the high school graduating class of 2027, including homeschool students, who plan to enter college or career training in fall 2027. Applicants write up to 250 words about a meaningful activity or project they have pursued during the previous two years. Essay quality is one of the selection criteria, and the winner receives a $1,000 scholarship. The deadline is June 30, 2027.

Closing date in July 2027

• The New York Times Learning Network Voice and Choice: Summer Reading Contest is open to students ages 13-19 worldwide. Students choose something published in The New York Times that caught their attention and explain why it interested, surprised, challenged, or connected with them. Entries can take the form of a short written response or a video of up to 90 seconds. The first July submission window runs from July 2-9, 2027. A second window opens July 30 and closes August 6.
• The Public Forum Summer Essay Contest is open to current high school students in the United States and internationally, as well as college and graduate students. Entrants respond to one of the contest’s 2027 prompts with an original 500-1,500-word argumentative essay or op-ed. The organizers are looking for clear arguments supported by evidence or reasoning, and AI-generated submissions are not permitted. Selected entries are published by The Public Forum. The deadline is July 31, 2027.
• The NCTE Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines Awards, known as REALM, recognize outstanding student-produced literary magazines. The program is open to US-accredited middle and high schools throughout the United States and US territories, as well as eligible schools in Canada and American schools abroad. An educator must nominate a middle or high school magazine, and most of its literary and artistic content must have been created by students at the submitting school. The entry fee is $25, although NCTE waives the fee for first-time submissions. The annual nomination deadline is July 31.
• The Unigo Flavor of the Month Scholarship is a short-form writing opportunity for US students age 14 and older. Applicants have 250 words or fewer to answer a lighthearted prompt asking which ice cream flavor they would be and why. Entrants must be legal residents of one of the 50 states or Washington, DC, and meet the scholarship’s future college, university, or trade school enrollment requirements. The award is $1,500, and the deadline is July 31, 2027.

Undated, monthly, regular and open writing competitions

• Taradiddle Young Writers Contests are free international creative writing competitions held twice a year, usually in April and October. Writers age 18 and under create an animal-themed story from a shared prompt, with separate divisions for ages 12 and under, 13-15, and 16-18. The youngest division has a 500-word limit and the two older divisions allow up to 1,000 words. Cash prizes of $150, $100, and $50 are awarded in each age group, and selected stories are published online. Each contest is open for only a few days, so teachers and families can sign up for advance notice of the next prompt.
• The Betty Award runs recurring Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall writing contests for children ages 8-12 worldwide. Entries can be fiction, nonfiction, or poetry on any age-appropriate subject and must be no longer than 1,000 words. First prize is $300, second prize $200, and third prize $100. There is a $20 reading fee for each entry, and individual closing dates are announced on the contest website.
• The TeenQuill Writing Contest from Kinsman Quarterly accepts ongoing submissions from students ages 12-19. Young writers can submit poetry, short stories, personal essays, and one-act plays or monologues. Entry is free, and prizes include publication and Amazon gift cards worth up to $50. There is no single annual closing date listed for the ongoing submission program.
• The National PTA Reflections Literature Competition is part of the annual Reflections arts program for students from pre-K through grade 12. The Literature category accepts forms including prose, poetry, reflective essays, screenplays, play scripts, narratives, and short stories. The 2026-27 theme is “What My Culture Means to Me.” Students enter through a participating local PTA or PTSA rather than directly through National PTA, and submission deadlines vary between local, district, and state programs.
• The DAR American History Essay Contest, organized by the Daughters of the American Revolution, is open to students in grades 5-8 attending public, private, or parochial schools or registered homeschool programs. A new historical topic is set for each academic year, and essays progress from local chapter judging through state and divisional rounds to national judging. Because entries begin with participating DAR chapters, deadlines vary locally and students, parents, and teachers should contact their nearest chapter for current dates and instructions.
• The DAR Patriots of the American Revolution High School Essay Contest is open to students in grades 9-12 at public, private, and parochial schools and registered homeschool programs. Students research a man, woman, or child who contributed to the American Revolution and explain that person’s role in the founding of the United States, with particular value placed on historical accuracy and the use of primary sources. Entries advance from local DAR chapters to state, divisional, and national judging, so submission deadlines vary by chapter.
• The American Foreign Service Association National High School Essay Contest is an annual competition for students in grades 9-12 in the 50 states, Washington, DC, and US territories, as well as US citizens attending high school overseas. Public, private, parochial, and homeschool students are eligible. The contest asks students to research a topic involving US diplomacy and the Foreign Service and typically requires a substantial analytical essay. The winner receives $2,500, a trip to Washington, DC, and an educational voyage with Semester at Sea. The 2025-26 competition has closed and the next contest topic and submission window have not yet been announced.
• The John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Essay Contest is an annual national competition for US students in grades 9-12, including homeschool students and eligible US citizens studying overseas. Writers analyze an act of political courage by a US elected official who served during or after 1917, supporting their argument with research and source material. First prize is $10,000, with additional awards for the runner-up, finalists, and honorable mentions. The 2027 contest opens on September 1, 2026, but its closing date has not yet been published on the contest page.

Resources for creative writing in schools and at home

Websites

• Scribblebibble – a creative writing website designed specifically for children and teens, with free story prompts that can be used at school or at home. The prompts cover a wide range of imaginative situations and are suitable for independent writing, classroom warm-ups, homeschool activities, and longer creative writing projects.
• Scholastic Story Starters – an interactive writing prompt generator for children. Students can generate ideas for adventure, fantasy, science fiction, and other stories before developing the prompt into their own piece of writing. It works particularly well as a quick elementary classroom writing activity.
• Imagine Forest – a large collection of free creative writing resources for children, including story prompts, writing challenges, story starters, and an online story idea generator. Students can use randomly generated combinations of characters, settings, and situations when they need inspiration for a new story.
• Night Zookeeper – an online reading and writing program aimed at children ages 6-12. Its activities combine creative writing prompts with vocabulary, spelling, grammar, games, and imaginative world-building. The website also has a substantial selection of free writing prompts and downloadable activities for parents and teachers.
• 826 Digital – a free K-12 writing resource from 826 National. Teachers can search a large collection of writing prompts, short activities, complete lessons, multi-session projects, and examples of student writing. Resources cover creative genres including fiction, poetry, memoir, narrative writing, and science fiction as well as informational and persuasive writing.
• ReadWriteThink Story Map – a free interactive planning tool that helps students develop the central elements of a story before drafting. Young writers can organize characters, settings, conflicts, and resolutions, making it particularly useful for teaching narrative structure and moving students from an initial idea to a planned piece of fiction.
• Write the World – a writing community for teens ages 13-19 featuring free creative prompts, opportunities to share writing, peer feedback, and guidance from professional writers. Prompts cover numerous forms and genres, making the site particularly useful for middle and high school students who want to develop their writing beyond a single classroom assignment.
• StoryJumper – an online book-making platform where students can write, illustrate, narrate, and publish their own digital storybooks. Teachers can set up classes and writing projects, while students can combine text, artwork, uploaded images, and recorded narration. It can be used for fiction, poetry, informational writing, and cross-curricular publishing projects.
• My Storybook – a digital storybook creator that allows children to combine their writing with characters, illustrations, and other visual elements. A classroom version allows teachers and students to create and share digital books, making it useful for elementary creative writing, picture-book projects, and presenting finished stories to an audience.
• Storybird – an online creative writing platform that uses artwork and visual inspiration to encourage storytelling. Its writing tools, challenges, courses, and publishing features can help students experiment with stories and poetry while developing ideas from visual starting points.
• We Are Teachers Picture Writing Prompts – a large collection of visual prompts for K-12 creative writing. The images are accompanied by opening-line ideas and questions that can help students develop characters, settings, situations, and possible plots. The prompts can be used for quick writes, journals, classroom discussion, or as starting points for complete stories.
• Waterford Creative Writing Prompts for Kids – a free collection of imaginative prompts covering preschool and elementary ages. Ideas range from simple sentence and picture activities for beginning writers to fantasy, poetry, character, and story prompts for children ready to produce longer pieces of independent writing.