New Monthly Writing Contest for K-12!

Marilyn Yung

2 years ago

black woman with coffee and pen on terrace

Future Scholars Foundation offers monthly prompts and prizes

I recently received an email from 11th-grader Nathaniel Tok, co-founder of Redmond, Wash.-based Future Scholars Foundation. Tok requested that I include on my website a new writing contest for K-12 students. The foundation’s mission? “To empower every child through innovative competitions and workshops, fostering essential skills and an appreciation for the arts so as to develop a brighter, empowered future.”

I checked out the Future Scholars Foundation website and I think it’s something you should know about as you start to plan for 2024-2025. Contests work like nothing else to let your students know you have confidence in their abilities. I also like the relevancy that students feel when they write for the world beyond the school building walls.

Here are the basics:

Students write 350-word short stories in response to a given prompt (plus ideas to get started!) that is provided on the first of each month. This month’s prompt: “One day, your character stumbles out of their room, shocked into disbelief. They’ve found a unique way to see into the future; perhaps they’ve chanced upon a time machine, or are bestowed with a magical ability of sorts. Your character invites a friend to join them in this adventure – but things don’t go as planned. Write a story about what happens when your character (and a friend) find a way to look into the future – and add a twist!”
Students submit by the 28th of each month in their region at the link on the website. Winners are announced on the first of the following month.
Prizes include publication on the website and $25, $15, and $5 Amazon gift cards for first, second, and third place, respectively. Runners-up win publication on the site only.
Entrants may also purchase (for $5) coaching sessions with a FSF founder if a submission is received before the 20th and the entrant specifies he/she would like feedback. What’s cool about that is that the story may be resubmitted for that month’s contest!
Judges include an array of professionals: a University of Washington PhD student and instructor, a New York Times Learning Network executive, a children’s book author, and others. Read more here: judges.
No AI-generated writing of any kind is allowed.
Parent permission must be indicated; entrants must also include a parent’s email address.

So far, so good!

So far, according to the FSF website, more than 3,000 students from 25 states and ten countries have submitted more than 700 entries. The group has received sponsorships and testimonials from The Seattle Times, The New York Times, Kumon Math and Reading Program, Reedsy, and several other supporters.

In a time when kids (especially high school kids) need all the encouragement they can to write, read, and learn math (math contests are also available!), it’s refreshing to see that there’s a new contest in town to offer that encouragement.