YOUTH WRITING CONTEST

Calling all young writers in grades 5th-12th! For Poetry Month this April, StoryStudio Chicago is pleased to host a youth poetry contest on letter poems. Two winners, one from 5th-8th grades and one from 9th-12th grades, will receive a cash prize or admission into a youth writing class. Details can be found below, and winning pieces will be published on our website and newsletter. 

SUBMIT HERE – DEADLINE May 4

The 2026 Youth Poetry Contest

StoryStudio Chicago is pleased to invite you to enter our annual poetry contest with the chance to win a $100 cash prize, or free enrollment in a our youth summer camp. All submissions must follow the below guidelines.

Write a letter poem (also known as an epistolary poem): a poem that is addressed to someone or something. It can begin with “Dear (____),” but it doesn’t have to, and the recipient of the letter can be directly named or implied.

Submissions will open on April 7th and close on May 4th at midnight Central time. A guest judge will anonymously choose one winner from the 5th-8th grade division, and one winner from the 9th-12th grade division. The decisions of the judge are final and binding. Winners in each division will be individually notified of the results by email provided.

Read Past Winners Here

Guidelines & Rules:

  1. Participants must currently be in grades 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 and have parent/guardian consent. 
  2. Your story must be original and unpublished. Any plagiarized entries will be immediately disqualified. Use of AI is prohibited.
  3. Your poem must use the criteria above.
  4. You are only allowed to enter 1 poem. 
  5. Immediate family members of any SSC Faculty, Staff or Board of Directors cannot submit. 
  6. Only electronic submissions will be accepted.
  7. Previous winners from last year are not eligible to win this year.

General Information:

  1. A guest judge will anonymously choose one winner from the 5th-8th grade division, and one winner from the 9th-12th grade division. The decisions of the judge are final and binding.
  2. No entry fee. 
  3. Entrants retain all publication rights.
  4. Prizes for best letter poem will be awarded: $100 cash prize, or a spot in our 2026 youth summer camp. 
  5. Submission will be open on April 7 and close on May 4 at midnight 
  6. Only 1 entry per participant. Once an entry is submitted, it cannot be unsubmitted for revision or editing. It may be permanently withdrawn for other reasons, but not resubmitted. Please read all information carefully before making a final submission. 
  7. Winners in each division will be individually notified of the results by email provided.
  8. This contest is void where prohibited by law.

Formatting: 

  1. Include only a TITLE on your document–no NAME, ADDRESS, or other personal information should appear on your poem or the file name (that will automatically be collected during submission).
  2. 12 point font

Submission:

  1. Please save your poem as a Word Document (not PDF) with the poem title and your grade. 
    • For Example: “My poem_10th Grade” 
  1. DO NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER INFORMATION on your document! 

SUBMISSIONS OPEN THROUGH May 4

SUBMIT HERE – DEADLINE May 4