While there is a lot of criticism directed at the communication skills of today’s teenagers—with many of these so-called deficiencies attributed to increased exposure to the media and the use of technology—we believe that students today are just as passionate, creative, and talented as ever. And they are writing—perhaps more than ever before. One problem with the role of technology in modern society is that it is too easy for individual voices to be drowned out. We want to encourage and recognize excellence in young writers—and help them to maximize their talents.

What is the best writing you’ve ever done? What are you writing that deserves to be recognized?

Submit your entries to The Best Midwestern High School Writing: A Celebration and Recognition of Outstanding Prose.

The writing celebration will offer recognition of submissions in three categories: creative, non-fiction and journalism. These are defined as follows:

Creative works include those involving personal expression, artistic creativity and imagination. Examples of the genre include works of fiction such as short stories and creative non-fiction such as personal essays, which use many of the same literary and artistic devices as fiction and poetry. Typically creative pieces would come as a result of English class assignments with a focus on the fiction or personal essay genres.

Non-fiction works include expository, analytical, persuasive and technical writing, which generally seeks to inform, explain, clarify or create deeper understanding of a topic within a given academic subject. Rather than emphasizing the emotional, creative and imaginative processes of the writer, non-fiction focuses on logic and reliance on facts, arguments and rhetoric. Typically non-fiction pieces would come as a result of assignments from social studies, science, physical education, art, music, health science or other non-writing disciplines.

Works of journalism would typically be those written for the school newspaper or yearbook. These might include personal profiles, event reporting or topical investigations of current community issues.

The prizes listed below are given to the first, second and third place contestants, as well as 20 runners-up, in each of the writing categories: creative, non-fiction and journalistic.

The prizes listed below are given to the first, second and third place contestants, as well as 20 runners-up, in each of the writing categories: creative, non-fiction and journalistic.