The Promising Young Writers essay contest is an annual youth writing contest for 8th graders organized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) whose mission is to stimulate and recognize the writing talents of students and to emphasize the importance of writing skills.
Students must be nominated by their school's English teachers. Writings are judged holistically on content, purpose, audience, tone, word choice, organization, development, and style. All nominated students receive a certificate from their nominating teacher, with those receiving a First Class award having their name and school’s name appear on the NCTE website.
Location(s)
- Remote
Schedule
- Fall/Winter
Cost/Compensation
- Free
Eligibility Requirements
- Eighth-grade students in the current academic school year
- Nominees should be decided upon by several teachers
- Students may NOT self-nominate
- Schools in the United States, US territories, Canada, and American Schools Abroad are eligible to nominate students (must be US accredited)
- The number of nominees allowed from each school is determined by the school’s average eighth-grade daily enrollment (see NCTE's website for additional details)
Deadline
- February
Application or Entry Requirements
- Entries are only accepted from teachers; students may not self-nominate
- Nominated students must submit a themed writing in PDF form
- Submissions must be written based on the topic developed by the Promising Young Writers Advisory Committee
- Maximum length for the theme writing is ten pages
- The student’s name must appear in the upper left-hand corner of each page
Notifications of Decisions
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
- Contest prompt is released in early autumn
Have other questions?
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is a professional organization dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of English language arts at all levels of education. Founded in 1911, it serves as a platform for educators, researchers, and advocates to collaborate, share ideas, and develop best practices in English education. NCTE provides resources, professional development opportunities, and advocacy efforts to support educators in their pursuit of effective English language arts instruction. It publishes journals, books, and other materials that cover a wide range of topics relevant to English education, including literacy, writing, literature, language study, and educational policy.
