Enter today!
Youth Writing Contest
The 2026 Ruth Blank Venner and Mary Jane Blank McCormick Youth Writing Contest is now open!
Kids in grades K-12 can participate by writing and submitting their original story. The 2026 topic is: You’ve become an animal! Do you have fur, feathers, or scales? Where do you go?
What do you do? Tell us your story!
Grand prizes awarded in four categories:
Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
- First place: $200 Visa gift card
- Second place: $100 Visa gift card
- Third place: $50 Visa gift card
- Branch finalists: $25 Visa gift card (one per location)
Entries are due by (Sa) March 28, 2026, and may be dropped off at any Library location or submitted online.
Guidelines
To enter, your story must:
- Be your original work, which comes solely from your imagination, without the use of AI.
- Include three parts: a beginning, middle, and end.
- Be 500 words maximum.
- Be hand-written or typed (12+ point font) and stapled to the entry form or entered online.
- Be text only – no pictures.
- Be on 8 ½” x 11” paper.
- This contest is open to students in Lucas County and bordering counties only.
- Teachers may submit entries for their class but only one entry per student.
