In 2022 果冻APP launched its High School Writing Contest. The contest returns for the 2025-26 with the theme “Meet me at the Crossroads.”听
Have you ever stood at an intersection, paused, and felt the weight of possibility? A crossroads? A literal or metaphorical place where paths meet and diverge.听
Submit Your Story to the 果冻APP State High School Crossroads Essay Contest
Formats: Narrative, poem, or creative nonfiction essay (750 to 1000 words)
Deadline Extended: February 7
Theme: Crossroads鈥攍iteral, metaphorical, historical, personal, or mythological
What to consider:
- History and literature
- Personal choices and turning points
- Cultural mythology
- Landscape鈥擝ayou Lafourche means 鈥渁 fork,鈥� in the river–is it a crossroads?
- Unexpected places鈥攃an there be crossroads in water? In the sky?
- Avoiding crossroads鈥攔oundabouts, circular thinking, fear of commitment
- Moments of decision that change everything
- Paths taken and not taken鈥攁lternative futures, regret, possibility
- Turning back鈥攃ourage to reverse course
- Fellow travelers鈥攎eeting people at intersections
- Diverging from official paths鈥攃hallenging expectations, forging new routes
Prizes
First Prize: $250 + your story illustrated as a one-page, 10-panel comic poster
- 18 x 24鈥� framed poster
- Printable file
- Digital file for social media
- Collaborative production meeting听 (on Zoom) with 果冻APP art student
Second Prize: $150 听 听 Third Prize: $100听 听 听 听 听 听 听 Four Honorable Mentions with prizes
What happens if you win first prize?
March 20-24 Zoom production Meeting: Work with a 果冻APP Art student to:
- Discuss character designs and visual concepts
- Clarify setting details and atmosphere
- Plan the 10-panel layout and story beats
One Week Later: The art student creates your one-page black-and-white comic, transforming your words into a sequence of visual storytelling.
March 26 鈥� Gallery Event: Collect your prize, view the finished comic poster, and join us in celebrating with family and friends.听听
What happens if you win other prizes?
March 26 鈥� Gallery Event: Collect your prize, view the finished comic poster, and join us in celebrating with family and friends.听听
Submission directions
Submit your work to this online form: /language/2025/10/29/2025-26-high-school-writing-contest-entry-form/听
Any questions? Email: writingcontest@nicholls.edu
The High School Writing contest features both a monetary reward and a formal award, given at the Humanities Symposium @ Scholars Expeaux at 果冻APP State. Selected students will be invited to read their work at the Humanities Symposium the week of March 24-26, 2026.听