Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are among the most famous awards for student achievement in the literary and visual arts. Past winners include such short story masters as Donald Barthelme, Joyce Carol Oates, and Stephen King.

The contest offers several categories relevant to short story writers: short story, flash fiction, science fiction, humor, and writing collection（graduating seniors only）.

Who can enter? The contest is open to students in grades 9 to 12 （including homeschool-ers）in the US, Canada, or American schools abroad.

What do winners receive? The contest offers a variety of scholarships（some as high as $ 10,000）and cash awards （some as high as $ 1,000）at both the regional level and he national level. Winners may also receive certificates of recognition and opportunities for publication.

How are entries judged? The awards have three judging standards: originality, technical skill, and the reflection of a personal vision or voice. Be sure to read past winners to get an idea of what's been successful. The judges change every year, but they always include people who are highly accomplished in their field.

When is the deadline? Competition guidelines are updated in September, and submissions are usually accepted from September through early January. Regional Gold Key winners will automatically advance to the national competition.

How do I enter? All students begin by entering a regional competition based on their ZIP code. See the guidelines for additional information.

Now it’s the perfect time to teach kids about growing things. Try one or more of these plant experiments for fun and learning.

Color carnations(康乃馨).

Fill a glass with water and color the water. Add a white carnation stalk(茎) and watch the plant become colorful as it “drinks” the colored water. This is a great, short experiment to show how plants absorb water.

Plant root vegetables.

Find out how root vegetables form underground by planting root vegetables in a clear container. First, fill the bottom of the container with small stones. Next, add potting soil and plant root vegetable seeds, trying carrots or onions, evenly. Keep the soil wet and enjoy watching the root form. Best of all, when the vegetable is done growing, you can eat it!

Study speedy sunflowers.

Sunflower seeds sprout(发芽) and grow quickly, making this the perfect flower for impatient children. These seeds can be started just about anywhere, even in a paper coffee cup or yogurt container. Kids love seeing the plant push its way out of the soil, wearing the seed’s outer part like a hat! Move your plant to a flower pot after it sprouts to observe the flower as it forms.

Make a grass basket.

Grass is another seed that grows quickly, Make a living basket by lining a basket with plastic and filling it with potting soil, Put grass seeds on top and water them lightly every day.

Growing plants is a great way to bring some learning — and a little sunshine — to your daily life. Try any of these inexpensive garden experiments for a fun project this spring.

Young Writers Awards

About the Contest

Bennington College has a unique literary tradition. We’ve bad twelve Pulitzer Prize winners, three US poet laureates, four MacArthur Geniuses, and two of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people. In celebration of this, Bennington launched the Young Writers Awards to promote excellence in writing at the high school level. Students are invited to enter with the following work:

● Poetry: A group of three poems

● Fiction: A short story (1,500 words or fewer) or one-act play

● Nonfiction: A personal or academic essay (1,500 words or fewer)

Three students among all the finalists are selected in each category (类别) as first-, second- and third-place winners. We welcome participation of both US and international students.

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.

● No charge for entrance. Fees for accidents caused by participants are required.

● All entries must be original work reviewed, approved and guided by a teacher. We will use your teacher as a contact for the competition should we have any questions. For homeschooled students, please also contact a teacher to assist in your writing even if you have experience in such competitions.

Young Writers Awards finalists and winners are also qualified for college scholarships at Bennington if they choose to apply for this college and get admitted. Young Writers Awards finalists who gain admission to Bennington College will receive a $10,000 scholarship every year for four years, for a total of $40,000. Young Writers Awards winners admitted to Bennington will receive $15,000 every year, for a total of $60,000.