Beyond the System

Submissions should be nonfiction short stories under two pages. There is no submission fee, and two winners will be selected for each age category (high school and post-secondary). First place winners will receive $250, and second place winners will receive $150. Guidelines: - Open to young people who have experienced the foster care system - All decisions made by the judges are final - Please do not use ChatGPT or AI of any kind; we would much rather look over genuine pieces with mistakes than something that isn’t authentic or “you”!

Prompt: Write about one moment, big or small, that is important to you. Your submission will be graded on a one-to-five-point scale based on how well an experience is described, the inner feelings and growth explored, and a reflection of the moment. Use descriptive language when possible, such as detailing the sight, sound, and taste of the events. Focus on zooming into one moment, ideally within a day, rather than trying to write a story over a long period.