Poetry Out Loud
A national poetry recitation competition, run by the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation, where students memorize and perform poems, advancing from classroom to school, state, and national finals in Washington, DC.
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English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition
A performance-based program running since 1983 in which students memorize and perform a Shakespeare monologue and sonnet, advancing from classroom to regional ESU Branch rounds and ultimately a national final in New York City.
Marin Poetry Center High School Poetry Contest
Annual poetry contest open to any high school student in the greater San Francisco Bay Area, with winning poems published in an anthology and honored at a public awards reading.
National PTA Reflections - Literature
A long-running national arts program with a dedicated Literature category, with entries advancing from local PTA to council, region, state, and national levels.
Reed Magazine Emerging Voices Contest
Creative writing and art contest exclusively for Santa Clara County, California high school students, with winners published in San Jose State University's Reed Magazine.
The Blank Theatre Young Playwrights Festival
A nationwide playwriting competition for writers ages 9-19 whose 12 winning plays receive fully staged professional productions in Los Angeles with mentorship from working playwrights.
The New York Times Student Editorial Contest
A free global contest via the NYT Learning Network asking teens to write a 500-word persuasive open letter/editorial, with winning entries published by The New York Times.