young writers award 2023

Share this Page

2022-2023 Winners

• First Place , " Manhattanhenge / Scrapyard Blues / What moves the needle ," Katie Hwang , Dalton School, New York, NY
• Second Place , " Ghazal for Matrilineal Multiverse / Appetence of Vietnamese Daughter / Moonlight on the Ganges ," Sunny Vuong , BASIS San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
• Third Place , " parking lot supplications / Cassandra / (clementine) peel ," Anaya Marei, homeschooled, Stockton, CA
• First Place , " A Story Woven From a Bucket of Milk ," Enkhjin Gantumur, School 1 of Ulaanbaatar, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
• Second Place , “ Untitled ,” Caroline Anthony, The High School of the Performing and Visual Arts, Houston, TX
• Third Place , " ‘How have you been?’ ‘Unlike you ,’" Shambhavi Sinha, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Collegiate Public School, Chandigarh, India
• First Place , " Diagnosis of Familial, Lateral Curvatures ," Joanna Liu, Lexington High School, Lexington, MA
• Second Place , " Cat in a Box ," Kat Davis , South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville, SC
• Third Place , " Riddled Realities ," Emaan Abbasi, Lahore Grammar School, Lahore, Pakistan 

About the Contest

Bennington College has a unique literary legacy , including twelve  Pulitzer Prize winners , three U.S. poet laureates, four MacArthur Geniuses, countless New York Times bestsellers , and two of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.

In celebration of this legacy, Bennington launched the Young Writers Awards to promote excellence in writing at the high school level. Our goal with this competition is to recognize outstanding writing achievement by high school students.

Each year, students in the 9th-12th grades are invited to enter in one of the following categories with the following submission:

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)

A first, second, and third place winner is selected in each category. We welcome submissions from both U.S. and international students. 

Have questions about the contest? Email   [email protected]

  Download a Young Writers Awards poster to print and hang in your classroom or school.  

Download an alternate printable young writers awards submission form .-->, awards & rules.

First-place winners in each category are awarded a prize of $1,000 ; second-place winners receive $500;  third-place winners receive $250 .

There is no entry fee

All entries must be original work reviewed, approved and sponsored by a high school teacher. We will use your sponsoring teacher as a contact for the competition should we have any questions. For homeschooled students, please contact a mentor to sponsor your writing.

Young Writers Award finalists and winners are also eligible for undergraduate scholarships at Bennington. YWA finalists who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a $10,000  scholarship every year for four years, for a total of $40,000 . YWA winners who apply, are admitted, and enroll at Bennington will receive a $15,000  scholarship every year for four years, for a total of $60,000 .

The competition runs annually from September 1 to November 1 .

Congratulations to our 2022-2023 winners!

More About Literature Studies at Bennington

Academics Literature studies at Bennington are grounded in the idea that good writers are good readers. Each year, an exceptional group of Bennington undergraduates is chosen to participate in an MFA summer residency through the Undergraduate Writing Fellowship . At the graduate level, the MFA offered by the Bennington Writing Seminars is one of the best low-residency programs in the United States.

Off the Page & Outside the Classroom Bennington College believes that a writer’s influence extends beyond the printed page. As the steward of the Robert Frost Stone House Museum , Bennington is committed to maintaining and growing Robert Frost’s literary legacy in Southern Vermont and beyond.

Throughout the year, Bennington College welcomes prominent writers and alumni to campus for readings during its Literature Evenings, Poetry at Bennington, and Writers Reading series.

Students at Bennington are invited to contribute to SILO , the student literary and arts magazine. Bennington Review , a national biannual literary journal based at the College, provides students an opportunity to help edit and produce a professional print literary magazine. Bennington College Literature students go on to become novelists, poets, journalists, biographers, and more. Explore notable alumni.

Join Us At Bennington

Interested in exploring what a Bennington education can offer? Here are some next steps: 

Past Winners

Each year, over 5,000 students submitted poetry, fiction, and nonfiction to the Young Writers Awards competition. We congratulate all entrants on their extraordinary submissions, and are pleased to share past winning entries.

2021-2022 Winners

read media release

• First Place , " How Did Li Bai Die? / How to Turn Into the River / Suns ," Ran Zhao, King George V School, Kowloon, Hong Kong
• Second Place ,  " Broken Abecedarian for America / Ghazal for K / Fish-bodied ," Jessica Kim, La Canada High School, La Canada, CA
• Third Place ,   " In Which My Mother Asks When the Hell I’m Getting Baptized / Etymology of Paternity / Bible Study Ghazal ," Ashley Wang, Lawrenceville School, Lawrenceville NJ
• First Place , " Observations made at the Lu Family Dinner Table, New Year's Eve, 2019 ," Sunshine Chen, Deerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA
• Second Place , " A Language is a Story ," Olga Musial, 33 Copernicus High School, Warszawa, Poland
• Third Place ,   "I Leave the Six Blank "   was written by Rachel Kenley Fry and attributed to another writer, who submitted the work. This never should have happened as the contest requires students to submit original work. We apologize to the writer for this wrongful attribution. Measures have been taken to guard against plagiarism in the future.
• First Place,   " The—Lovely—Red—Skirt ," Youjaye Daniels, South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenvile, SC
• Second Place , " Somewhere in Southern Florida ," Vivian Zhu, Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, IL
• Third Place , " Family Portrait as a Gutted Fish ," Danny Liu, Lake Highland Prep School, Orlando, FL

2020-2021 Winners

• First Place , " When You Wish Upon a Star / [letter to durga] / Sightseeing ," Aanika Eragam, Milton High School, Alpharetta, GA
• Second Place , " a sudden nostalgia that i am meant to be somewhere else / The Bedroom / Etymology of Loss ," Olivia Yang, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA
• Third Place ,   " Girl Sonnet / Honey Ghazal / Shelter, Water, A Bite to Eat ,"   Madelyn Dietz, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
• First Place , " Somewhere Nearby Connecticut, There's a Clan of Vampires and a Woman He May Never Know ," Alyssa Wilson, South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville, SC
• Second Place , " Dinner of Three ," Wes Davis, Henry Clay High School, Lexington, KY
• Third Place , " Birthday Party ," Katarina Ivkovic, Hunter College High School, New York, NY
• First Place,   " Dissecting Matryoshka ," Stefania Bielkina, The Dwight School, New York, NY
• Second Place , " Skin Test ," Indigo Mudbhary, Lick Wilmerding High School, San Francisco, CA
• Third Place, " Gifted ,"   Rebecca Orten, Middlebury Union High School, Middlebury, VT

2019-2020 Winners

2018-2019 winners.

• First Place: " made without hands / My daughter inherits my mouth and my fear of everything / Things Without Mouths: An Index ," Sophie Paquette, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
• Second Place: " Unneeded Insecurities / My Reason (Outro) / Arrival ," Devon Reed-Rivera, Cumberland High School, Cumberland, VA
• Third Place: " Type Girl / Uber Driver / Daughter Said ," Karrington Garland, Franklin Academy High School, Wake Forest, NC
• First Place:  " Haymarket ," Cynthia Lu, Belmont High School, Belmont, MA
• Second Place:  " Moon Fever ," Kali Puhnaty, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Idyllwild, CA
• Third Place: " Hardest Hue to Hold , " Lillian Robles, Homeschooled, Glendale, CA
• First Place: "Sundown with Giraffes," Azpiri Iglesias, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
• Second Place:  " Becoming a Woman: A Checklist ," Thalia King, Pittsburgh CAPA High School, Pittsburgh, PA
• Third Place: " Transience ," Jessica Yu, West Linn High School, West Linn, OR

2017-2018 Winners

• First Place: "Manhandling / i. lying ghazal / ii. lying ghazal,"  Julia Bohm, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
• Second Place: "Sext to Absalom / Bildungsroman with Distant Nation / Field Notes on Rough Trade,"  Aidan Forster, SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville, SC
• Third Place: "Art Tatum: Harmonium / Art Plays a Myth / The Panther Room,"  Darius Atefat-Peckham, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
• First Place:   "The Seventh Secret," Lilly Hunt, Northpoint Christian School, Southaven, MS
• Second Place:   "The Cat You Named Remy," Zane Austill, SC Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, Greenville, SC
• First Place: "PEEL,"  Kelley Liu, Troy High School, Troy, MI
• Second Place:   "Ruth," Sophie Paquette, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen, MI
• Third Place: "Bingo,"  Katherine Chou, Hamilton High School, Chandler, AZ

2016–2017 Winners

• First Place: "Necessary Roughness / Public Enemy No. 1 / Seoul is singing now,"  Christina Im, Sunset High School, Portland, OR
• Second Place: "Anaerobic / Kintsugi / Lake-Effect Snow,"  Steven Chung, Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, CA
• First Place: "Souvenirs,"  Catherine Wang, Chinese International School, Hong Kong
• Second Place: "House of God,"  Jacqueline He, The Harker School, San Jose, CA

Nonfiction 

• First Place: "Watermelon Seeds,"  Chaeyeon (Annika) Kim, Dwight Engelewood School, NJ
• Second Place: "A Trip to Home Depot,"  Carlos Orozco, Sage Hill School, Newport Coast, CA

2015–2016 Winners

• First Place: "What Made Me / Night Fishing / Dilutions,"  Letitia Chan, Milton Academy, Milton, MA
• Second Place: "Nanjing Road / Autumn / Glass Familia,"  Helli Fang, Walnut Hill School, Natick, MA
• First Place: "Reddi-Wip," Walker Caplan, The Lakeside School, Seattle, WA
• Second Place: "Momma Drove Like a Man,"  Ella Zalon, Oakland School for the Arts, Oakland, CA
• First Place: "Of Perfumes,"  Addie Glickstein, East High School, Denver, CO
• Second Place: "Hair,"  Luisa Healey, Hunter College High School, New York, NY

2014–2015 Winners 

• First Place: "Ebola in Dallas / At Thurgood Marshall / When My Parents Go Out I Eat Breakfast For Dinner and Pee With the Door Open,"  Rachel Calnek-Sugin, Hunter College High School, New York, NY
• Second Place: "Ling hoards fake eyelashes / Ling traces X's on her collarbone / Ling takes off her left hand wedding ring before she sleeps," Carissa Chen, Phillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH
• Second Place: "Mansions,"  Sophia Gyarmathy, Northside College Preparatory High School, Chicago, IL
• First place: "Motherland,"  Jessica Li, Livingston High School, Livingston, NJ
• Second Place: "Driving Lessons From My Brother,"  Maryam Ahmad, Emma Willard School, Troy, NY

Young Writers Awards 2023-2024

Students currently enrolled in the 9th-12th grades or secondary school (for international students) during the academic year are invited to submit in  one writing category by the  November 1  deadline:

> Poetry:  three poems of any length and in any form.  Poems must be typed. Each page must clearly show the author's name.

> Fiction:  a short story or one-act play.  Short stories must be typed, double-spaced, and fewer than 1500 words. Scripts must be typed, double-spaced, and run no more than 30 minutes (playing time). Each page must clearly show the author's name.

> Nonfiction:  a personal or academic essay. Stories and nonfiction must be typed, double-spaced, and fewer than 1500 words. Each page must clearly show the author's name.

All entries must be original work. All entries must be reviewed, approved, and sponsored by a high school teacher. We will use your sponsoring teacher as a contact for the competition should we have any questions. For homeschooled students, please contact a mentor to sponsor your writing.

Both US and international students are eligible to submit. All entries must be submitted in English. 

We welcome simultaneous submissions, and we understand and appreciate that you may be participating in multiple competitions with your YWA entry. Our expectation remains that you will submit in only one category for the YWA. Winning entries will be published under the Newsroom section  and the Young Writers section on the  Bennington College website  in the spring and may be published via media requests in local newspapers or magazines. Authors retain all other copyrights. We are unable to return submissions. For more information, please email  [email protected] . * fields are required

• 2023 Award Prizes
• Screenplay Award
• Writing Award
• Young Writer Award
• Writing Mentorship Award
• Self-Editing Trial
• Award Prizes
• 10 Ways To Win Our Awards
• 10 Key Factors In A Copy Edit
• Testimonials
• 2022 Award Winners
• 2022 Awards Results
• 2022 Judges
• Success Stories
• 2022 Awards
• 2021 Judges
• 2021 Finalists
• 2021 Longlists
• 2021 Shortlists
• 2021 Winners
• Finalists & Winners
• Entrant's Stories
• Writing Award Shortlist
• eBook Award Shortlist
• Highly Commended
• 2020 Winners
• Meet Our Team
• Media Centre
• Prado Press
• Character Workshops
• Literary Agent Critique
• Email Marketing For Authors and Writers
• Promoting and Marketing Your Books Boot Camp
• Free Writing Resource For Writers
• Freebies and Offers
• ProWritingAid
• Book Promotion
• Writing Products & Services
• Writing Courses & Retreats
• 10 Ways ProWritingAid Can Help You Win Our Awards
• Video Gallery
• Writing Contests
• Find A Literary Agent
• Adapting Novels Into Screenplays
• IngramSpark

2023 Young Writer Award

They are keen to see fresh new voices in young writers' submissions.

Young writer, Jaidyn Groth, won the 2021 Young Writer Award. Kay Mancino won the 2022 Young Writer Award.

T he 2023 Page Turner Awards is now closed.

Get Notified About 2024 Awards

Watch for our finalists announcement.

2023 Young Writer Award Judges

As a young aspiring writer herself, Holly Davis is judging our 2023 Young Writer Award. Holly works as a physical therapist by day and a writer by night in Chicago and enjoys playing with her three

Jenni Harrison, Editorial Manager for Young Writers is judging the Page Turner Young Writer Award in 2022. Jenni has been an editor with Young Writers for ten years, selecting, editing and judging

Melissa Hope is judging the Page Turner Young Writer Award and is the author of SEA OF KINGS, an award-nominated children's fantasy. She helps aspiring writers improve their craft and connect with

Kenny MacKay is judging the Young Writer Award, hoping to discover more talented teenager writers.

He is an author and host of the Author Your Dream podcast, a show dedicated to helping first-time

Natalia Leigh is judging the Page Turner Young Writer Award with hopes to find writers aged between 18 and 25 who are talented character creators.

Natalia is the managing editor at Enchanted Ink

Blogger and podcaster and reviewer of books, Maya Grimley, is judging the Page Turner Young Writer Award.

She is a blogger and podcaster who reviews all kinds of books and movies. She’s been

Hero Brown, the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Muddy Stilettos, is judging the Young Writer Award in 2023.

A national journalist with over 25 years’ experience with top broadsheets and glossy

Jordan Kantey is judging the Page Turner Young Writer Award in 2023 with the hope of finding talented young writers aged between 18 and 25 who have intriguing voices.

Jordan is a writer, editor

Elisa Doucette is judging the Page Turner Young Writer Award to look for beautiful writing that keeps readers emotionally engaged.

Elisa is a writer, editor, and writing coach who travels the world

For The Smarter Writer

ProWritingAid is a grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package.

Visit Our Sister Sites

© Page Turner Awards 2020 | Made with ♥ in England

Global Submissions

Although we are based and registered in the UK, the Page Turner Awards are open to any authors, writers and screenwriters in the world.

Company name: Page Turner Awards Ltd. Company number: 13632079. Registered in England and Wales. Page Turner Awards is part of Sierra Blanquilla Holdings Ltd.

Welcome to the 2023 Young Writers Contest

KET Education is honored to announce the 2023 KET Young Writers Contest winners. Our judges have been impressed by the compelling stories, strong characters, and emotional imagery included across each of the 2,400+ entries received. They have laughed-out-loud, cheered for the hero, and even shed some tears. With so many amazing works, we look forward to honoring and celebrating the stories and poems that have risen to the top of an incredibly talented pool of entries. 

Contest Categories

Illustrated Stories | PreK-12

Written work with associated visual illustrations, created through any choice of mediums. 

Open Rules PDF | Open Scoring Rubric PDF

Graphic Novels | K-12

Written work with strongly integrated visual illustrations that has a purposeful narrative.

Poetry | K-12

Written work made of carefully chosen words to create images or explore an idea

Short Stories | K-12

Well-crafted work of fiction or non-fiction that consists only of text and has a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Additional Resources

About Judging

Learn more about the Young Writers Contest judging process.

Past Winners

Enjoy a selection of past Young Writers Contest winners.

Associated Rights

Review the rights associated with the Young Writers Contest.

On the Same Page Virtual Visits

Hear about process straight from professional poets, graphic novelists, authors and visual artists.

Creative Writing Toolkits

New toolkits with classroom-ready lessons to introduce Graphic Novel, Poetry, Illustrated Story and Short Story experiences in your learning spaces.

• The 2023 Prize
• About the Prize
• The Borders Book Festival

The Young Walter Scott Prize

Young walter scott news, news archive.

• August 2023
• February 2023

3rd August, 2023

The ultimate guide to competitions for young writers 2023

Getting words down onto the page isn’t the hard part for many keen young writers, but making the time to polish a story or poem can be hard. That’s especially true if you’re in school and juggling other demands like exams or extracurricular activities. But entering a writing competition is a motivation to do the editing that will turn your inspired draft into a shining example of your craft. Here’s a list of competitions aimed at young writers and poets. We try and keep it as up to date as we can, but always take time to read and follow the guidelines and terms and conditions. And always check the closing date! Once you’ve found one that appeals, why not give it a go?

We are proud to run the Young Walter Scott Prize. It is the UK’s only creative writing prize for budding historical fiction authors. You can enter if you’re between 11 and 19 and live in the UK or Ireland. You could win a £500 travel grant, and a chance to see your own work in print. Entries must be between 800 and 2,000 words, set in a time before you were born. The deadline for this year’s competition is 31 st October 2023. Details of how to enter are here , and you’ll find some of the previous winning entries here .

You can also follow the YWSP on TikTok www.tiktok.com/@walterscottprizes  and YouTube www.youtube.com/c/walterscottprizes

Atom Learning Young Author Award

Open to young writers aged 7 to 11, the theme for 2023 year’s entries – which should be no longer than 500 words, is ‘If I Were In Charge for a Day… You’ll find the information you need here: https://atomlearning.com/young-author-award

Author of Tomorrow

The Author of Tomorrow prize is open to young writers in a range of age categories, from 11 and under, up to 21 years. The competition aims to find the adventure writers of the future and offers a cash award, book tokens, and digital publication in an anthology. Find out more at https://www.wilbur-niso-smithfoundation.org/awards/author-of-tomorrow-2019

BBC 500 Words

Divided into two age categories – 5 to 7 and 8 to 11 – this popular competition invites entries of 500 words or less, written in prose. There are clear guidelines and resources for schools on the web page – https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/500-words/about-500-words – and the competition opens in September 2023.

CABB Publishing Writing Competitions

CABB Publishing runs two writing competitions, one for writers aged 8 to 12 and the other for writers aged 13 to 16. Visit the website for more information: https://www.caabpublishing.co.uk/submit-competitions

Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award

The Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award is the biggest poetry competition for 11-17 year olds in the world. Since it began 25 years ago, the Award has kickstarted the career of some of today’s most exciting new voices. Find out more here: https://poetrysociety.org.uk/competitions/foyle-young-poets-of-the-year-award/

Green Stories Writing Competitions

This is a series of free writing competitions across various formats inviting stories that showcase what a sustainable society might look like.  Entries must be in English and unpublished. The intention is to create a resource that entertains and informs about green solutions, inspires green behaviour and raises awareness of the necessary transformations towards a sustainable economy. You’ll find more information here: https://www.greenstories.org.uk/writing-competitions/

Hampshire Young Poets Prize

The age categories for this poetry competition span 4 to 16 years, and it is open to young people who live or study in Hampshire. For more information, this is the website: https://www.hampshireculture.org.uk/hantsyoungpoets23

Orwell Youth Prize

The Orwell Foundation’s Orwell Youth Prize is open to you if you’re between 8 and 13 years old. Write a story, essay or even your own game. The themes they’re looking for vary from year to year. Sign up for more information, including details of the next annual theme at  https://www.orwellfoundation.com/the-orwell-youth-prize/

Royal Geographical Society Essay Competition

Organised in partnership with the Financial Times, entrants are asked to answer a question in a 1000-word essay. This year’s question is What risks are associated with climate change and what should we be doing about them?   You’ll find details – including lots of helpful resources to aid research – on the website: https://www.rgs.org/schools/competitions/school-essay-competition/

Solstice Prize

Organised by Writing East Midlands, this nature-themed writing competition is open to writers aged 7 to 17; you can submit a story or poem and the prizes on offer include a cash award and a book voucher for your school. Head for the website, which has examples of previous winning entries, for details of the next competition at https://writingeastmidlands.co.uk/young-writers-groups/solstice-writing-prize/

The Stephen Spender Prize

A prize for poetry in translation with categories for pupils, teachers and individual young people living in the UK and Ireland, as well as an Open category for adults from all over the world. The rules are simple: translate into English any poem from any language – from French to Farsi, from Spanish to Somali. Check out the details here: https://www.stephen-spender.org/stephen-spender-prize/

War Through Children’s Eyes

Organised by the Azerbaijani Community in the United Kingdom, this award is for art and creative writing and was set up as part of the 30th anniversary commemoration of the Khojaly massacre in Azerbaijan in 1992. If you are a UK resident aged between 7 and 17 (the award is divided into 7-11 and 12-17 age categories), you can enter with artwork or a written piece inspired by the themes of war and peace. Entry is free, although participants are encouraged to make a donation to War Child. For more information about how to enter, and a list of the judges, go to https://www.warthroughchildrenseyes.org.uk/competition_entries

HG Wells Short Story Competition

There is an annual theme for this short story competition – go to the website to find out more – https://hgwellscompetition.com .  The competition is free for entry for writers under 21.

Wenlock Olympian Society Writing Competition

This competition welcomes stories and poems and is open to young writers from around the world. There are awards in three medal categories — gold, silver and bronze — and all medallists receive their own Wenlock Olympian Society medal. Find copies of winning stories on their website, where details of the next competition are published. https://www.wenlock-olympian-society.org.uk/wenlock-olympian-society-arts/creative-short-story/

Yorkshire Festival of Story: Children’s Story Competition

Open to young writers aged 7 to 12 years, entrants are given a theme to inspire their story of up to 500 words. Find out more here: https://www.settlestories.org.uk/whats_on/childrens_story-comp/

Young Poets’ Competition

This competition is organised by the Wells Festival of Literature. First, second and third places all win cash awards, plus a year’s subscription to the Poetry Society. Find out more here: https://www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk/2023/02/2023-young-poets-competition/

Undergrowth Competition

Nature and our relationship to it, growth and regeneration – this is an opportunity for writers aged 16 to 19 – ‘the next generation of nature and wilderness lovers’ – to share their stories in fiction, poetry and non-fiction. Details can be found here: https://www.overgrowth.uk/writing-competition-2023-undergrowth

Write on Art

Write on Art is an annual national writing competition sponsored by Art UK and the  Paul Mellon Centre  to encourage an interest in art history among young people. To enter, you must be aged 15 to 18 and live in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland; choose one artwork from artuk.org that fascinates you. For details and guidelines see https://artuk.org/learn/what-is-write-on-art

Young Writers Awards

Goldsmiths University in London runs a series of writing competitions for 16- to 19-year-olds. Details can be found here: https://www.gold.ac.uk/schools-and-colleges/young-writer-competitions/

BBC Young Writers’ Award with Cambridge University

This writing prize, run by the BBC along with Cambridge University, could be for you if you’re aged 14 to 18 and live in the UK. Entries can be up to 1,000 words; the shortlist will be announced on Radio 1 and the winner will be announced live on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. Find out more at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2cslf9QxZKznVCqplBS0SY0/the-2023-bbc-young-writers-award

The Young Muslim Writers’ Awards

The Young Muslim Writers’ Awards are open to entrants aged from 5 to 16 years. Short stories, poems, articles, screenplays and playscripts are welcome – all details can be found here: https://ymwa.org.uk/2023-competition-now-open/

Young Writers Annual Showcase

An opportunity for writers aged from 4 to 18 years – submit an entry of up to 1000 words for a chance to win, and to see your work in print. There’s more information on the webste – including a Story Generator to set you going! https://www.youngwriters.co.uk/competitions/all-ages/showcase-23?view=ind

You’ll never know how you’ll fare in a competition unless you enter, so give it a try! Whether you’ve ambitions to become an author or just enjoy working with words, it’s fun to take part.

And why not take a look at the YWSP YouTube channel where past winners talk about their experiences?

You’ll also find inspiration on our TikTok , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , and our Inspirations page.

And if you come across other competitions for young writers that should be included in this list, just let us know.

• Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Borders Book Festival

• SAETA Council Meetings
• SAETA INC. CONSTITUTION
• SAETA Privacy Policy
• Life Members
• Current SAETA Events
• Register for SAETA Events
• AATE National Conference
• SAETA Annual State Conference Information
• SAETA State Conference Resources
• Meet the Writers
• Spring Poetry Festival
• Young Writers Award
• Book Reviews
• Early Career Teachers' Resources
• Exam Preparation Evening
• Opinion Archive
• SAETA Annual State Conference
• SAETA Video Resources
• Stage 1 and 2 Refresher Course
• Twilight Workshops
• Adult Readers
• Dystopian Worlds
• Fantasy Novels
• Historical Fiction
• Older Readers
• Picture Books
• Short Stories
• Science Fiction
• Autobiographies
• Biographies
• English Teacher Resources
• Narrative Poetry
• SAETA 2023 conference workshop resources
• Member Login

Entries are closed for the 2023 YWA.

The young writers award is open to all south australian students. it is free of a topic. you may write poetry or prose, up to 1000 words. there are categories from reception to year 12.

Applications are to be made online and not via email.* Any enquiries are to be sent via email to SJ Addams [email protected]

*we understand some school security settings won't allow sharing to google. If you're unable to enter online, please see this form

Previous winners

Young Writers Winners 2022

Poetry r/1 No entries

Poetry 2/3 Angelina Zhou, Pembroke School Martin Best, School of the Air

Poetry 4/5/6 Caiden Cheong, Plympton International College Tiffany Ali, Torrens Valley Christian School Matilda Boaden, West Lakes Shore Primary School

Poetry 7/8 Rosa Forrest, Woodville High School Benjamin Eaton, The Heights School Nina Le, St Dominic’s Priory College

Poetry 9/10 Ione Rawlings-Way, St John’s Grammar School Francine Stavrou, St Peter’s Girl’s School Evie Hayes, St John’s Grammar School

Poetry 11/12 Camryn Wundke, Emmaus Christian College Sarah Marsh, Woodville High School Jaime Johnston, Pulteney Grammar School

Prose r/1 Henry Molaee, Pembroke School Liam Ng, , Pembroke School

Prose 2/3 Tristan Lovell, Prince Alfred College Gisele Paglia, St Dominic’s Priory College Jaime Toh, Pulteney Grammar School

Prose 4/5/6 Andrew Trinkle, Sunrise Christian School Riley Hanna Bekker, Pedare Christian College Eliza Rolls, Concordia College

Prose 7/8 Declan Penhall, St Francis de Sales College Ava Morrison, Norwood International High School Prakriti Sharma, St Peter’s Girls School

Prose 9/10 Baylea Rainbow, Kings Baptist Grammar School Lysiane Franchi, Seymour College Charlie Edwards, St Peter’s Girl’s School

Prose 11/12 Sienna Moreau, Walford (Anglican School) Finn Boylen, Pulteney Grammar School Kiana Sajdeh, Seymour College

Overall Winner Sienna Moreau, Walford (Anglican School)

Young Writers Winners 2021

Poetry Group 1

Henry Molaee, Pembroke School

Poetry Group 2

Angelina Zhou, Pembroke School

Olivia Occhiuto, St Domonics Priory

Aliya Walters, St Domonics Priory

Poetry Group 3

Elizabeth Brown, Torrens Valley Christian

Oscar Zhou, Pembroke School

Jackson Harrison, Torrens Valley Christian

Poetry Group 4

Lucia Andrae, Wilderness

Leah Berhe, Wilderness

Tahere Hussani, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart

Poetry Group 5

Tobias Casey, Banksia Park International

Sarah Marsh, Woodville High

Georgia Williams, Cedar College

Poetry Group 6

Abby Douglas, Eynesbury

Charlotte Doig, Eyensbury

Michael Fakes, Australian Science and Maths School

Prose Group 1

Ella Wallace, Scotch College

Zoe Rice, Seymour College

Sophie Rolls, Concordia College

Prose Group 2

Tessa Elding, Pedare

Aiden Ky, Pembroke

Ava Webb, Port Lincoln

Prose Group 3

Maddy Humphry, St Thomas School

Krishna Neelam, Pedare

Elliott George, Torrens Valley Christian and Eva Dal Santo, Emmaus

Prose Group 4

Emily Dwyer, Pulteney Grammar

Oliver Carney, Scotch College

William Thorpe, Torrens Valley Christian

Prose Group 5

Nadia Bidwell, Emmaus

Edward Jurevicius, St Johns Grammar

Lucinda Kennedy, Emmaus

Prose Group 6

Ben Butler, Emmaus

Charlotte Chambers, University Senior College

Olivia Kyriacou, Wilderness

Overall Winner

Young writers winners 2020.

Nikhil Schembri, Pembroke School

Harriet Wegener, Encounter Lutheran College

Mearah Bernard, Belair Primary School

Ruth Kowaliw, Fairview Park Primary School

Mareike Best, OPen Access College Port Augusta

Oliver Siegele, Prince Alfred College

Shantell Hill, Torrens Valley Christian School

Daniel Teng, Prince Alfred College

Guanbo Wang, Westminster College

Harmony Ibis, Mary Mackillop College

Edwina Whitton, Seymour College

Denise Huynh, Woodville High School

Hannah Smailes, Cabra Dominican College

Sarah Marsh, Woodville High School

Emma Hislop, Eynesbury Senior College

Yumeng Liu, Trinity College Senior

Tom Eckert, Pembroke School & Justyna Dutka, St Dominic’s Priory College

Grayce Kelman, Manoora Primary School

Jackson Willmott, Manoora Primary School

Alexandra Smith, Coromandel Valley Primary School

Matilda Rose Boaden, West Lakes Shore Primary School

Georgina May, St Aloysius College

Oscar Zhou, Pembroke Schooll

Ava Thomson, Pembroke School

Keeley DeVink, Pedare Christian College

Samaira Gudipati, Prospect Primary School

Emily Richardson, Walford Anglican School for Girls

Anastasia Luczak, St John’s Grammar School

Emily Dwyer, West Lakes Shore Primary School

Soyal James, Emmaus Christian College

Alexandra Goodwin, Seymour College

Alicia Morrow, Woodville High School

Sophie Hoff, Emmaus Christian College

Madison Violi, St Francis de Sales College

William Rooke, Pulteney Grammar School & Anjali Telfer, Woodville High School

Young Writers Winners 2019

Nikhil Schembri, Pembroke

Maddy Fotheringham, Pembroke

Chloe Worthley, Scotch College

Shaniya Sami, St Dominics Priory College

Poetry 4/5/6

Amelie Coleman, Seymour College

Joanna Homer, Cedar College

Advisha Sujeeve, Pembroke

Joshua Hynes, Charles Campbell College

Matilda Chu, St Peter’s Girls College

Poetry 9/10

Lani Mai Watling, Seaton High School

Juliana Laverde, St Aloysius College

Achsa Binu George, Unley High School

Poetry 11/12

Emily James, Roma Mitchell Secondary

Dante McDonald, Eynesbury Senior College

Ani Baker, Oakbank Area School

Gracie Cutri, St Dominics Priory College

Dante Ky, Pembroke

Leila Thomas, Walford

Edith Kowaliw, Fairview Park Primary School

Prose 4/5/6

Ava Thomson, Pembroke

Ameerah Ankliss, Emmaus

Eadan McGuiness, Magill School

Ruby Powell, St Peters Girls College

Lachlan Thorpe, Torrens Valley Christian School

Tess Pankhurst, Loxton High School

Hannah Trezona, Emmaus Christian College

Alaric Knight Westphalen, Pulteney Grammar School

Breanna Cummins, Concordia

Prose 11/12

Brianna Nunan, Reynella East College

Tom Clapp, Pulteney Grammar School

Jackson Erhart-Bruce, Eynesbury Senior College

South Australian Young Writer of the Year for 2019

Elizabeth Butler Prize

Bubble Gum and Lightening

Brianna Nunan , Reynella East College

Young Writers Winners 2018

Oscar Zhou, Pembroke

Amanda Chan, Walford

Matilda Bock, Pembroke

Eilidh Jarrett, St Marys

Priyanka Thavarajah, Seymour

Abbey Wehr, Walford

Mary Economos, Walford

Tamika Gunson, St Dominics Priory College

James Jankowski, Pembroke

Breanna Liebelt, Mitcham Girls School

Olivia Bridgland, Wilderness School

Patrick Leviton, St Johns Grammar School

Lily Franco, St Ignatius College

Claire Hennessy, St Dominics Priory College

Amy Goussios, Eynesbury College

Alexander Warren, Pembroke School

George McGivern, Immanuel College

Nathan Allen, Manoora Primary School

Jack Voigt, Manoora Primary School

Yolinda Rainho, Goodwood Primary School

Harry Edwards, Prince Alfred College

Lila Cox, Pembroke School

Marlene Du Toit, Aberfoyle Park High School

Alisha Roberts, Marryatville Primary School

Lily Thompson, Pembroke School

Ulyssia Rothwell, Scotch College

Saskia Walsh, Mitcham Girls School

Will St Vincent, Brighton High School

Brianna Nunan, Reynella East High School

Milla Pinney-Scales, Mt Barker High School

Hannah Ricks, Emmaus

Judges Prize

Young Writers Winners 2017

Daisy Miller, Pembroke School

Clare Haddad, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Sally Rupashinge, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Emma Smith, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Lily Milam, Trinity College Gawler River

Elsie Holland, Pembroke School

Blake Smith, St. Michael’s College

Maymina Chan, Immanuel College

Olivia Spandrio, St. Joseph’s School Tranmere

Mikayla R. Bartley, Marryatville High School

Lily Van Niekerk, Cornerstone College

Madeline Hulm, Wilderness School

Alyshia Vu, Wilderness School

Aurora Balding, Walford Anglican School

John Beji Daniel, Eynesbury Senior College

Kirsty Taylor, Eynesbury Senior College

Heath Wilmott, Manoora Primary School

Logan Howard, Pembroke School

Hayden Philp, Manoora Primary Shool

Ava Tsing-Hoi, Pembroke School

Abhinav Alwarappan, Pembroke School

Amber Kalam, Manoora Primary School

Amy Ma, Pembroke School

Chelsea Anne Schar-Grant, Pedare Christian College

Emily Banks, Gulfview Heights Primary School

Grace Foster, Seymour College

Ashlee Stone

Hamish Phillips, Charles Campbell College

Amelia Ryan, Kadina Memorial School

Ellen Martin, St. Mary’s College

Isabelle Greco, Wilderness School

Nicola Badran, Loxton High School

Ellen Martin

Young Writers Winners 2016

Jade Heinrich, Farrell Flat Primary School

Emma Charlotte Smith, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Eliza Donnellan, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Morgan Ella Smith, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Magdelene Dinos, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Amos Mulholland, Farrell Flat Primary School

Jennifer Ly, Parkside Primary School

Jasmine Esvelt, Unley Primary School

Lyora Lee, School of Languages

Eden Slater, Navigator College

Cara Roberts, St Mary’s College

Kobi Guthrie, Lockleys Primary School

Anthea Yew, Wilderness School

Elizabeth Siaw, Wilderness School

Shayla Woolf-McCullough, Reynella East College

Jayal Perera Amaratunga, Eynesbury Senior College

Emily Bensted, Muirden Senior College

Georgie Waters, Blackwood High School

Andrew Roberts, St John’s Grammar School

Markus Fuks, Farrell Flat Primary

Sienna Truong, St. Dominic’s Priory College

Amy Wallace, Scotch College

Harriet May, Foster St Michael’s Lutheran School

Grace Williams, Cedar College

Bella Ng, Parkside Primary School

Keagan Wallace, Scotch College

Rebecca, Swanson Crafers Primary School

Gemma, Squire Seymour College

Emily Loh, St Peter’s Girls School

WIrre Benveniste, St John’s Grammar School

Emma Margrison, St Mary’s College

Jess Dickinson, Nuriootpa High School

Leila Williams, Hills Christian Community School

Megan Crossing, Mercedes College

Tegan Jones Walford, Anglican School

Shevaun Rutherford, Emmaus Christian College

Teaching Resources

AATE Bookshop

• © 2023 AATE
• Privacy Policy

• Pay Report Apply
• English (Australia) Select this as your preferred language
• Advocacy Priorities
• Funded Projects
• Help Moorabool thrive
• How to apply for a job with us
• Why work for us?
• Our commitment to you
• Sign up to our e-Newsletters
• About the Shire
• Australia Day and Citizenship Ceremonies
• Freedom of Information
• Governance rules
• Media and Publications
• Organisational structure
• Policies, plans and strategies
• Public Interest Disclosures
• Your privacy
• Councillors
• Council integrity
• Council meetings
• Have your say
• Bacchus Marsh Eastern Link Road project
• Western Renewables Link
• Annual budget
• Annual report
• Council Plan and Community Vision
• Community satisfaction survey
• Council performance dashboard
• Know your Council
• Asset Protection
• Building forms
• Building fees and charges
• Building site amenity compliance
• Build over an easement
• Fencing information
• Greenlight Manager
• Legal point of discharge
• Register a pool or spa
• Shared fence with Council-owned land
• When do I need a building permit?
• Works Within Municipal Road Reserves permit
• Build a deck
• Build a retaining wall on private property
• Build or install a shed, gazebo or carport
• Build a verandah or pergola
• Check the planning zones and overlays on a property
• Install solar panels on your roof
• Remove, destroy, or lop a tree or other vegetation on your property
• The difference between planning and building permits
• Engineering standards
• Find a specialist consultant
• Advocacy projects
• Aqualink Cycling and Walking Corridor
• The Bacchus Marsh 1000+
• Bacchus Marsh Racecourse and Recreation Reserve
• Ballan Recreation Reserve
• Darley Park Pavilion
• Gordon Public Park Improvements
• Ballan Library and Community Hub
• Moorabool Aquatic and Recreation Centre (MARC)
• Moorabuild Projects in the Pipeline
• Roads & Transport
• West Maddingley Early Years Hub
• Mill Park Recreation Reserve upgrades
• Development plans
• Moorabool Community Infrastructure Framework
• Moorabool Planning Scheme
• Planning for our Shire's growth
• Planning scheme amendments
• Parwan Employment Precinct
• Application forms, checklists and templates
• Before you apply for a planning permit
• Greenlight Permit Manager
• Learn about planning permits
• Onsite wastewater management systems
• Subdivision
• Urban design guidelines
• View planning applications
• Graded roads
• Management and maintenance of unmade roads (paper roads)
• Nature strips
• Overland flow or flooding
• Road Management Plan
• Rural roadside drainage
• Sealing unsealed roads
• Scheduled road closures
• Special charges and rates policy
• Speeding vehicles
• Street, footpath and stormwater drainage cleaning
• Street lighting
• Traffic management
• VicRoads owned roads
• Book your vaccine
• How to get your COVID-19 digital certificate
• COVID-19 testing sites and wait times
• COVID-19 community support
• Do I need to wear a face mask?
• Emergencies & COVID-19
• COVID-19 community newsletters
• Community RAT Program
• Fires and emergencies
• Flood information
• Road closures
• Agriculture recovery
• Business support
• Waste & clean up
• Financial assistance
• Wellbeing support
• Donations & volunteering
• Health after floods
• Assistance and support following the storm
• Storm Recovery FAQs
• Storm Stories and News
• Storm recovery newsletters
• Storm Recovery Activities
• DELWP Community Updates
• Government financial assistance
• Storm clean up support
• Emergency re-establishment payment
• Fire preparedness
• About Arts & Culture in the Shire
• Artist Opportunities
• Creative Programs and Events
• Past Projects
• Business networks
• Council Procurement
• Events and filming
• Investing in Moorabool
• Useful Links For Businesses
• Community Leadership Program
• Health and wellbeing
• Emergencies: before, during and after
• Fire Access Track
• Fire prevention
• Food registrations and food safety
• Public Health and Wellbeing applications and information
• Avenues of Honour
• Find Nearest
• Public toilets
• Visitor Information Centre
• Alcohol and other drugs support
• Djerriwarrh Health Services
• Healthy eating and active living
• Health providers and social support services
• Mental health
• Municipal Public Health & Wellbeing Plan 2021-2025
• Prevention of violence and gender equity
• Public health
• Residential complaints
• Tobacco sales and smoking laws
• Emergency management
• Vehicle crossing / driveway
• What's in my area
• Adult programs
• Children's programs
• Contact our libraries
• Creative writing opportunities
• Exhibition opportunities
• Library catalogue, apps and eResources
• Library services
• Reading challenges
• 2023 Peter Carey Short Story Awards
• Ballan Seed Library
• Application for additional animals in your home
• Application to store a heavy vehicle on private property
• Application for local law permits
• Permit to burn outside of fire season
• Permit to place items on the street
• Permit for recreational vehicles
• Permit for roadside grazing
• Permit for roadside grazing (Drought Declared)
• Election signage
• Active Ageing and Diversity
• Family and children
• Immunisation services
• See what's near me
• Youth services
• Parking infringements
• Parking permits
• Report an abandoned vehicle
• Safety around schools
• Female friendly facilities
• Leisure facilities
• Recreation, sporting and leisure
• Recreation Reserve Management Framework
• Recreation strategies and policies
• Volunteering
• Bin tagging program
• Find your bin collection day
• Recycling, Garbage and Greenwaste bins
• Report a missed bin
• A-Z Recycling and Waste Guide
• Pets and livestock
• Dead animal on public land
• Local wildlife
• Report a dog attack
• Report a barking dog
• Report animal cruelty
• Report livestock on roads
• Dumped rubbish and litter
• Connect with local environment groups
• Get support
• Looking after my patch
• Record a sighting
• Revegetation
• Significant roadside vegetation
• Weeds of the Moorabool Shire
• Sustainable events and businesses
• Transfer stations
• Waste collection for business

In This Section

• Arts and culture
• Fire and emergency
• Food and Health businesses
• For visitors
• House, property and pets
• Moorabool Writers Craft
• Peter Carey Short Story Awards 2023

Moorabool Young Writers Awards 2023

• Young Writers' Craft
• Local law permits
• Moorabool families
• Sport and recreation

Early Years Primary

Middle primary category, upper primary category, youth category, young writers in focus in 2023.

A huge round of applause to the 688 daring students who entered the 2023 Moorabool Young Writers Awards and congratulations to the 27 award winners, announced by local author and judge Allyse Near at Lerderderg Library on Saturday 3 June.

Allyse was impressed by the originality, imagination, and quality of the submissions and had a difficult task of selecting the winners. Allyse's selections are as follows:

Prize Winner Lola Hendrix

Prize Winner Harper Harris

Prize Winner Jake from Bungaree PS

Prize Winner Freddie O’Donnell

Prize Winner Meeka Booth

Winner: Photo Day by Evie Rose Jarrad

Runner Up: The scary photo by Scarlett Taylor Anderson

Third Place: The Photo by Grace Bonnici

Honourable Mention:

• The photo by Chloe Beardsley
• Camping by  Chloe from Bungaree PS

Encouragement award:

• A missing photo and a camera by Areen Kaur
• The photo by Kendall Matautia
• The best birthday ever! By Jessica from Bungaree PS

Winner: The Artist by Matilda Elizabeth Marshall

Runner Up: The case of the missing photographer by Ivy Elizabeth Tyley-Miller

Third Place: The big book of recovered files by Harrison Malcolm Dean

• The mystery by Amelie John
• Emotions in a Knot by Makanaka Mukundi

Encouragement Award

• The Majestics by Elise Victoria Holland
• The Photo by Lexie from Darley PS
• The wrong case by Blake Griffiths
• The Picture by Mason Kick
• The secret photo of nuclear labs by Liam Garth
• The photo monster by Jye Altay

Winner: Planetary Disorder by Isaac Tyley-Miller

Runner Up: Captured Memories by Katelynne Nicholson

Third Place: Thylacine ? by  Freya Fox

Entries are now closed.

• What's on
• Information collections
• Family history
• First Nations
• Art and design
• Caring for our collections
• Using the library
• Ask a librarian
• Borrow and request
• Computers and internet
• Print, copy and scan
• Book spaces and equipment
• Justice of the Peace
• Getting here
• Opening hours
• Maps by level
• Food and facilities
• Access and inclusion
• Children and families First 5 Forever
• Exhibitions
• First Nations cultures
• Makers and designers
• Queensland stories
• Readers and writers
• Teachers and students
• Awards and fellowships
• Caring for your collections
• Contribute to collections
• Corporate information
• Interim Truth and Treaty Body
• Jobs and employment
• News and media
• Partnerships and collaborations
• Pay an invoice

Young Writers Award - 2023 Judges

The formal judging period for the Young Writers Award 2023 has now closed. Results will be announced shortly. 

The judging process

• State Library staff will check entries for eligibility. 
• Entries are provided to the judging panel. The panel will deliberate remotely.   
• This competition is judged anonymously.   
• Judges will award first prize to the short story that possesses the highest literary merit.   
• The judges may award one winner and up to three runners up, in order of merit. The panel may also note up to five highly commended entries. 
• Results will be published on the State Library website and social media channels
• State Library and the Young Writers Award judges do reserve the right not to award a prize in a category, but this should be first discussed with State Library staff.  

The judging panel

Entries to the Young Writers Award are assessed by an independent panel of judges, including a representative from Griffith Review. open_in_new

Jack Vening (Chair)

Jack Vening is a Naarm-based writer of fiction, comedy and TV. His work has appeared widely in print and online, and he's a regular columnist for The Guardian .

Siang Lu is based in Brisbane, Australia, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Siang is the award-winning author of The Whitewash , and the co-creator of The Beige Index open_in_new . 

His work has won several awards, including at the Australian Book Industry Awards and the Queensland Literary Awards. His writing has appeared in KYD , Pedestrian, Southerly and Westerly . He has been a speaker at writers festivals around Australia. Siang holds a Master of Letters from the University of Sydney and has written for television on Malaysia's Astro network. 

Lauren Mitchell

Lauren Mitchell is an editor from North Queensland. She is the acquisitions editor at Major Street Publishing open_in_new and has worked with a range of publishers and journals including UQP , Magabala Books , Griffith Review and Overland . Lauren holds Bachelors of Arts (English Literature) and Journalism from the University of Queensland and a Master of Arts (Writing, Editing and Publishing), also from UQ. She is currently based in Naarm. 

Ellen Vickerman

Ellen Vickerman is an emerging writer based in Canberra. She studied a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Creative and Professional Writing) and a Master of Philosophy QUT, where she researched narrative form and creative practice. Ellen has been published in the Griffith Review open_in_new , and has previously won the Newcastle Short Story Award, QUT's Allen & Unwin Writers Prize, and the Sydney Writers Room Short Story Prize, among others. Currently, she is working on a novel. 

Ellen won the Young Writers Award in 2021, and 2020. You can read her winning stories here .