Rebuild
fallen ashes, soot-covered letters
little bullets fly through
stained missing pieces
slices through
throat tightens
swirling, racing, losing hope
gently, seeds fold into the ground
peace lilies blooming
Young Writers Project
The Daily Read
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Finding Hope
Finding hope can be hard sometimes, in this world where people are trodden on with little thought, and certainly no apologies.
But I still try.
Every day.
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mid-afternoon thoughts
periwinkle-blue light through my shuttered windows
my heart is racing but my mind is blank with things I don't know how to express
that k-drama I just watched stirred something in me
Gallery
Challenges
Visual Art
Deadline
Desert
Imagine a desert. Draw, paint, or use any other visual arts medium to make an image of this desert.
Writing
Deadline
Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day celebrates love––any kind of love. Think about all the people you love and the different kinds of love in your life. Friends, family, pets, etc. Write an ode to them to celebrate the love you all have for one another.
Writing
Deadline
Shoes
Shoes carry us everywhere we go, through everything we experience, even shaping our feet as we grow. Write a short story from the shoes’ perspective or an ode to your shoes.
Visual Art
Deadline
Winter 2026 Art Contest
With your artist's eye, observe, interpret, and create. Choose a subject — an everyday object, a person, a landscape — and give yourself time and space to study it. Use the medium of your choice to convey the subject the way you uniquely see it.
Writing
America?
The fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents on the streets of Minneapolis have induced fury, disbelief, sadness, and an overwhelming sense of betrayal. This isn't America. Is it? Share your thoughts.
Writing
Hope & Resilience
Poetry steps in where uncertainty and chaos take root. Poetry lifts us up and moves us forward with determination. Explore these poems of hope and resilience. If you are inspired, share your own.
News & Events
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'Mountains of Strength'
Thank you to everyone who donated so generously to our Annual Appeal, and for the messages of support and encouragement for the YWP community, such as this one: "We're sending you mountains of strength and abundant appreciation for everything!"
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Tomorrow Project: January 2026 Award
Congratulations to Goldenrose, the January 2026 award winner in YWP's monthly Tomorrow Project contest!
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2026 Vermont Youth Poet Laureate
Vermont writers: You could become the 2026 Vermont Youth Poet Laureate!
