Creative Writing Contest

CERTIFICATES WILL BE AWARDED TO THE WINNERS IN EACH CATEGORY. WINNERS WILL BE HONORED AT AWARDS DAY PROGRAMS IN EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL IN LATE APRIL OR MAY.

CATEGORIES: K-1 Fiction, Illustrated story, Non-Fiction, Poetry 2-3 Fiction, Illustrated story, Non-Fiction, Poetry 4-6 Drama, Fiction, Illustrated Story, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Webpage 7-9 Drama, Fiction, Illustrated Story (including cartoons), Non-Fiction, Poetry, Webpage 10-12 Drama, Fiction, Illustrated Story (including cartoons), Non-Fiction, Poetry, Webpage

Creative Writing Requirements
  • Students may enter all categories in their respective division.
  • Two - three poems may be entered by any student to give the judges an idea of the overall ability of the student. However, ONLY ONE POEM FROM EACH INDIVIDUAL STUDENT WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN AWARD. IF MORE THAN ONE POEM IS SUBMITTED BY A STUDENT, PLEASE SPECIFY WHICH POEM IS TO BE JUDGED.
  • All secondary entries must be typed.
  • Since most elementary entries are relatively brief, handwritten copies may be submitted if these conditions exist.
  • The writing is legible.
  • The placement is well spaced and neat.
  • All entries must be the original work of students. To avoid plagiarism altogether is impossible; however, precautionary steps should be taken to diminish the feasibility. Changing characters' names, names of places, etc., but retaining the same plot, theme, and types of characters are thinly disguised acts of plagiarism. To learn after the judging has been completed and/or after the winners have been announced that a winner has borrowed another's work is embarrassing to the parents, principal, teacher, and to me, but most of all, to the student. 9. Each winning entry should be proofread by the sponsoring teacher and corrections made by the student.

Facts About Judging

Creative Writing entries are judged by teachers and administrators from area school systems. Retired teachers and administrators from our system have also served as judges.


Entries go to the judges without student names or school names; therefore, each entry is judged solely on its own merits. The following areas are considered in judging:


  1. Judge’s overall impression
  2. Content – depth of thought and understanding of subject
  3. Mechanics – grammar, punctuation, capitalization
  4. Originality – creative treatment of material
  5. Style – unique and effective communication

2023-2024 Creative Writing Contest Winners

We are PROUD to announce the winners of the 2023-24 Creative Writing Contest! For a complete list, click CREATIVE WRITING WINNERS.

Additional Category Information
  1. DRAMA:

    These entries should not be the effort of several students. Each entry must be the work of the individual student submitting the play. Judging will be based on the elements of fiction (characterization, plot, setting, theme, etc.) and on the ease or difficulty in staging the work, with more weight given to those plays that could be easily staged. Another consideration in judging will be the performance time. The minimum performance time for elementary and junior high skits is five minutes, and the maximum time is ten-twelve minutes. For senior high plays, the minimum time is from fifteen-twenty minutes, and the maximum is from twenty-five to thirty minutes. These works may have several scenes but only one act.


  1. NON-FICTION:

    The paragraph/essay should be the student's ideas on any appropriate subject rather than a summary of material found in reference books. ELEMENTARY students may enter a single, well-developed paragraph, using sentence structure, vocabulary, syntax, etc., appropriate for their grade level. JUNIOR HIGH students may do the same, or they may enter a composition consisting of two or more paragraphs. SENIOR HIGH students' entries must consist of a minimum of three paragraphs.


  1. FICTION:

    These entries should be short stories and not novelettes. These entries must not be illustrated as this category depends on facility with words for its meaning rather than on visual impressions.


  1. ILLUSTRATED STORY:

    The illustrated story may be bound using construction paper or covered cardboard. Cartoon illustrations are permissible for secondary entries.


  1. POETRY:

    The poems may be rhyme, blank verse, limerick, or cinquain, but care should be taken to ensure that each poem is original and not borrowed.


  1. WEBPAGE (NEW!):

    The webpage (Blogs, Glogs, Prezi, Wiksi, etc.) must use correct grammar and spelling. The writing must be strong, showing thorough understand of the topic. Students should select and insert links, graphics, and/multimedia when appropriate to enhance the content and appearance. The webpage must include original ideas that promote further thinking and engage potential viewers.


Please contact your school's language arts teachers to submit an entry or to find out more information.

District Contact: Donna Franklin