National High school poetry contest

All U.S. high school students are eligible to enter this contest. That eligibility is continuous until June 30 of their senior year. Poems must be 20 lines or less (title and spaces between stanzas do not count), unpublished, the sole work of the entrant, and not be entered in any other concurrent contest. Only poems written in the English language can be judged. Foreign phrases are acceptable only with a translation provided. Only ONE poem per poet may be entered during any 90-day span.

ENTRY FEE:

There is no entry fee, and no purchase of any kind is required to enter or win the contest.

PRIZES:

The Easterday Poetry Award of a $500.00 college scholarship will be awarded to the American High School Poets, "Poet of the Year". In addition, there will be 4 "Best of Issue" Winners ($500 scholarship prize, 1 selected each quarter) and 4 Editor's Choice Selections ($100 scholarship prize, 1 selected each quarter). There will also be 20 to 30 "JUST POETRY!!!" Winners each quarter and hundreds Topical Winners. JUST POETRY!!! Winners will receive a free copy of the JUST POETRY!!! quarterly, in which their poem appears. There is no compensation for "Topical Winners" beyond the opportunity provided by having their poem published in one of our anthologies. 

DEADLINES:

Submissions are accepted 24/7. Only one submission per poet per quarter. Deadlines for each quarterly publication are: ​

September 30 for the Fall issue

December 31 for the Winter issue

March 31 for the Spring issue

​June 30 for the Summer issue. 

International Public Policy Forum

IF you think you're a wiz at research and debate, then consider joining the IPPF Written Debate Competition! Gather your strongest team of 3-5 humans and participate in this years topic! Email Mr. Caric if you are interested in participating.

The 2026-27 IPPF Topic:

Resolved: The United Nations should prioritize protecting the rights of women and girls over respecting state sovereignty.

About the IPPF

Founded in 2001, the International Public Policy Forum (IPPF) is the only global competition that empowers high school students to engage in rigorous written and oral debates on issues of public policy.

​

Founded and managed by the Brewer Foundation and jointly administered with New York University, the IPPF is open to all high school students worldwide. Students compete for the title of IPPF World Champion and a $10,000 grand prize.

JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest

In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. These leaders demonstrated political courage by taking a stand for the public good in spite of pressure by interest groups, their political party, or even their constituents. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.

The first-place winner receives a $10,000 cash award. If the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation holds the 2027 Profile in Courage Award event in person, the winner and their family will be invited to travel to Boston to accept their award in May 2027. Travel and lodging expenses will be paid for the trip to Boston for the winning student and up to two guests.

The second-place winner receives $3,000 and three finalists receive $1,000 each.

Fifteen students receive honorable mentions. The remaining students receive either a Certificate of Excellence or a Certificate of Participation.

Essay due date: January 11, 2027

Are you an aspiring fiction writer?

The "Next C.S. Lewis" program offers a FREE five week writing mentorship program for young authors.  

Every young writer nominated will receive an invitation to join The Next C.S. Lewis Fellowship.

This is a transformative five-week mentorship experience that is completely FREE for all nominees.

This fellowship, running five weeks from November 1 to December 5, 2026, is a rare opportunity for aspiring authors to receive the same caliber of training typically reserved for tuition-paying Author Conservatory students.

Nominations must be received by October 31.

You can nominate yourself, but if that feels weird, I am happy to nominate you.

**Please note that this is a Christian organization, and religion may be part of the program.