Arkansas PBS KIDS Writers Contest
PBS KIDS Writers Contest is an initiative designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The contest encourages children in grades K-3 to celebrate creativity by submitting their own original stories and illustrations. Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations.
Each Arkansas entrant will receive a participation certificate, and 12 winners – three from each grade – will receive an Arkansas PBS prize pack. In addition, first place winners will receive one (1) PBS KIDS Playtime Pad, which comes preloaded with educational games, music and videos!
Support for the Arkansas PBS KIDS Writers Contest is provided by the June Hoes Williams Endowment.
First place winners will receive PBS KIDS Playtime Pad!
A flier is available for teachers, librarians and caregivers to share with students and library patrons.
Entry Form & Rules
Poster & Fliers
Previous winning entries are available to inspire children during the brainstorming process. PBS LearningMedia also offers a collection of online resources for parents and educators that demonstrate the elements of story writing to students.
How to Enter
Arkansas students may submit stories by mail to Arkansas PBS until April 21, 2023. Winners will be announced in May and featured on myarkansaspbs.org/writerscontest. For your convenience, download and print the Contest Rules and Contest Entry Form.
Contest Rules
For your convenience, download and print the Contest Rules and Contest Entry Form.
- Each entry must include the official Arkansas PBS KIDS Writers Contest Entry Form, with required signatures.
- Entrants must be children in Kindergarten, first, second or third grade.
- Only one entry per person.
- Must be a legal resident of the 50 U.S. states.
- Single author submissions only (no co-authoring).
- Fact or fiction, prose or poetry
- Word count:
- K-1st must have a minimum of 50 words, maximum of 200 words.
- 2nd - 3rd grades must have a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 350 words.
- Title page words do not count toward word count.
- Children can dictate their story to be printed.
- Invented spelling is accepted.
- Non-english text must be translated.
- Stories must have at least five original, clear and colorful illustrations.
- Original art can include drawings, collages, and 3-D art or photographs taken by the author.
- Stories must be created on one side of the paper and numbered on the back of each page.
2022 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Faith Ford of Luxora | Harper Porter of Bentonville | Penelope Posadas of Rogers |
| 1st Grade | Abigail Wharton of Conway | Emerson Gitz of Batesville | Beau Corley of Malvern |
| 2nd Grade | Elijah Smith of Benton | Henley Ritchie of Mountain Home | Bennett Yochum of Rogers |
| 3rd Grade | Isabella Posadas of Rogers | Charlotte Granderson of Fayetteville | Gunner Duck of Omaha David Archer McKnight of Sherwood |
2021 Writer's Contest Winners
Complete stories will be available June 4, 2021.
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Korbin Houston of Little Rock | Eason Ruffin of Mayflower | Sadie Montgomery of Rison |
| 1st Grade | Caden Platt of Batesville Eli Smith of Benton | Savannah Smith of Jacksonville | Erika Robinson of Bentonville |
| 2nd Grade | Arielle Morris of Fayetteville | Yaqoob Younus of Little Rock | Isaac Cruz of Batesville |
| 3rd Grade | Elijah Whitaker of Bentonville | Kanishka Sharma of Jonesboro | Kloe Houston of Little Rock Macy Middleton of Western Grove |
2020 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Ellie Rodriguez of Cabot "The Magic of a Swing" | Emma Morgan of Conway "Army Army" | Madison Collingsworth of Van Buren "Emmalee and the Magic Jewel" |
| 1st Grade | Cooper Henderson of Sheridan "Dogs Save the World" | Gunner Duck of Omaha "Ninja Puppy and the Donut Avalanche" | Kailey Wright of Centerton "The Abandoned House in the Woods" |
| 2nd Grade | Savannah Ali of Cabot "A Pumpkin, A Lake, A Hill, A Splash" | Caroline Key of Rogers "A Problem with Litter" | Jaelle Dennis of Siloam Springs "Rescue Team" |
| 3rd Grade | Auborn "Drew" Mabry of Mena "Amazing Andrew - The Wheels Fall Off" | Hadley Landers of Cave City "Panda P.I." | Maggie Sims of Conway "Dragon Big and Strong" |
2019 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Gunner Duck of Omaha "Ninja Puppy" |
Barrett Friedman of North Little Rock "Twister the Tornado" |
Allen Dong of Conway "Cat & Dog's Adventure" |
| 1st Grade | Natalie Pearson of Paragould "The Last Carrot" |
Gavin Dews of Hot Springs "The Razorback Game" |
Holland Wall of Heber Springs "The Mystery of the House" |
| 2nd Grade | Sarah Felio of Conway "A Queen, a Princess and a Dragon" |
Kyle Elkins of Berryville "Mummy Love" |
Ariq Huq of Conway "The Robot" |
| 3rd Grade | Nadia Ali of Cabot "Agent Pig (and Ducky) Save the Day" |
Charles Dong of Conway "Alien Trip" |
Hasfah Sulta of Little Rock "The Bravest Dog in the World" |
2018 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Holden Dunn of North Little Rock "The Magic Flashlight" |
Spencer Lowe of Mayflower "My Sister's Super Power is a Rainbow" |
Bennett Green of Maumelle "Sam's Super Power" |
| 1st Grade | Ariq Huq of Conway "The Animal Restaurant" |
Sydney Rogers of El Dorado "Cilia Sees Again" |
Haden Rogers of Harrison "The Adventurous Dog" |
| 2nd Grade | Josiah Williams of El Dorado "I Wish (A Snail’s Tale)" |
Brooklyn Witherow of Sherwood "A Rough Road to the Top" |
Evie Fulmer of Conway "First Day of Being A Tooth Fairy" |
| 3rd Grade | Hunter Rogers of Harrison "Frank the Frog" |
Olivia Wright of Springdale "Baking with Gigi" |
Khylee Houston of Little Rock "Athena Gets into Trouble" |
2017 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Jayce Carter of Little Rock "Fish Friends" |
Campbell Beazley of Little Rock "Grab the Moon" |
Madeline Smeds of Little Rock "The Princess and the Bowling Ball" |
| 1st Grade | Hailey Shelton of Lonoke "The Lost Girl" |
Brooklyn Witherow of Little Rock "Two Friends Are Better Than One" |
Nadia Ali of Cabot "Mr. Snaggletooth and the Missing Orange Mystery" |
| 2nd Grade | Ashley Carter of Little Rock "Milo the Magnificent Dragon" |
Sophia LaPlant of Rogers "The Strange Chicken" |
Allie Garrett of Austin "The Shade Cloud" |
| 3rd Grade | Ryker Schmidt of Bentonville "Never Happily Ever After" |
Jana Abdin of Little Rock "The Haunted Emerald Castle" |
Lula Stephens of Vilonia "The Little Girl vs. the Big Crack" |
2016 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Aiyah Miller of Little Rock "The Girl Who Didn't Brush Her Hair" |
Yahya Sridjajamerta of Fayetteville "The Police" |
Charlotte Shelton of Lonoke "Hiccup Saves the Day" |
| 1st Grade | Jordan Murray of Conway "Phil the Skunk" |
Ashley Carter of Little Rock "The Magical Dress" |
Raney Martensen of Little Rock "A Cat Went Fishing" |
| 2nd Grade | Aleksandra Bogan of Little Rock "Magic Tent" |
Jessica Liao of Fayetteville "Jessica Moving to Arkansas" |
Neelie Kindt of Hot Springs "The Beautiful Egg" |
| 3rd Grade | Keynes Wright of Bentonville "Boy in the Island" |
Allison Walker of Benton "Where Is Bella?" |
Jaidyn Moy of Bentonville "Attack of Candy City" |
2015 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Daniel Koshy of Bryant "Can I Keep Him?: Dan and Slider" |
Aliza Ahouse of Morrilton "Crazyland" |
Uriah Fife of Drasco "Dirt Bikes Rock" |
| 1st Grade | Cora Henry of Little Rock "The Mouse Who Couldn't Find A House" |
Abid Asif of Little Rock "Super Baby To The Rescue" |
Ava Wigger of Kingston "Violet and the River Lesson" |
| 2nd Grade | Isabella Nguyen of Little Rock "Be Yourself" |
Abby Rose Chenault of North Little Rock "Mia The Monster Mermaid" |
Johnna Hardin of Jonesboro "The Toothfairy's Day Off" |
| 3rd Grade | Kaeton Kirk of Star City "Spark's Firery Adventure" |
Kaylee Hardin of Jonesboro "The Magical Peppermint" |
Kenzie Daniels of Mena "The Adventure of Rosie Raindrop" |
2014 Writer's Contest Winners
| Grade | 1st Place | 2nd Place | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | Talia Augustine of Conway "The Three Friends" |
Kylie Woodworth of Harrison "Baby Choking" |
Tyler McMahen of Harrison "Baby Goats - Too Big!" |
| 1st Grade | Kall'el Houston of Little Rock "Super Circle Saves Shapeville" |
Kolby Stoner of Rogers "How My Dad Works" |
Jacquelyn Cuellar of Nashville "The Day at the Circus" |
| 2nd Grade | Hailey Emerson of Mena "Bird and Worm" |
Jameel Wesley,II of Maumelle "James Learns the Game" |
Michael McLean of Booneville "The Best Story You Ever Read Because it's Written by Me" |
| 3rd Grade | Mabel Wise of Rogers "Cloudy and the Busy Street" |
Kaleb Young of Batesville "The Adventures of Captain Cross" |
Patrick Gentry of Hensley "Norman" |