Young Authors' Contest

YOUNG AUTHORS' CONTEST

Young Authors' Contest (YAC) contest encourages 1st through 12th grade students to enter a poem and/or short story. Students in public and private schools submit their writing piece to the school-level contest. Each participating school then selects an outstanding poem and short story per grade to compete in the county-wide competition. At the county level of the YAC contest, judges select a first and second place winner for each category and grade level. First place Howard County poetry and short story winners have their written work forwarded to the state-wide contest. SoMLA (State of Maryland Literacy Association), who sponsors this program, holds a reception for state winners as part of the SoMLA conference.
Howard County Literacy Association (HCLA) recognizes the first and second place winners through two main events. First, at our YAC Reading Day, students can share their work by reading the poem or short story in public for friends, family, and community. Second, students invited to the Howard County YAC Celebration receive acknowledgments during an awards ceremony and listen to a guest author discuss their craft. Finally, students have their winning pieces published in an anthology.

In the News! 7 HCPSS Students Take Top Honors At Young Authors' ContestSeven Howard County Public School Students snagged top honors at the 2022-2023 Young Authors' Contest.
HCPSS News: HCPSS Students Take Top Honors at Annual Young Authors’ ContestMarch 22nd, 2023
HCPSS Students Take Top Honors at Annual Young Authors’ ContestMarch 22nd, 2023

Contest Chairs:

Elementary School (Grades 1-5)