Contests

Create art that explores the many impacts of the climate crisis and celebrates the wonders and beauty of Earth. Find inspiration in YWP Alumni Advisor Sam Aikman's series of visual art prompts. 

The Earth is in crisis. Dig deep, YWP, and write about it with YWP Alumni Advisor Sam Aikman. Find "both the heavy and the hopeful, the worried and the appreciative, the challenged and the uplifted ... to create!"

A democratically elected government might not be enough to uphold the tenets of democracy in America. Can President Abraham Lincoln's vision "of the people, by the people, for the people" be saved? What needs to change to protect democracy?

Tell a winter story in short descriptive or narrative poetry or prose. Selected pieces will be presented by Vermont Stage performers at the annual Winter Tales production in Burlington in December 2025! Due March 28, 2025

Consider how rights are diminishing for LGBTQ+ people, women, Native Americans, people of color, people with disabilities, and other historically marginalized groups. Write about the impact this has on you, your friends & family, your community.

How do you celebrate human rights through art? How do you protest their erosion in America today? In photography, painting, sketching, digital art, or another medium of your choice, send a powerful message through your art.

Using the medium of your choice, interpret the concept of democracy. Consider President Abraham Lincoln's "government of the people, by the people, for the people." You can take a realistic photograph or create an imaginative illustration. 

Illustrate the concepts of home, community, and inclusion. Due March 14, 2025

In the genre of your choice, describe how you gather support from your community in a challenging time. Due March 14, 2025

What does it mean to be a teenager in America in 2025? Responses can be abstract, literal, symbolic, interpretive, realistic – whatever best conveys your message. Due: Feb.28, 2025

What does it mean to be a teenager in America in 2025? How would you describe your daily life? When and where do you most feel like your true self? Where do you find inspiration? What keeps you awake at night? What brings you joy? Due: Feb.28, 2025

In the short, dark days of December, make it a mission to find vibrant colors around you and share your discoveries in photography, painting, or another medium of your choice. Due Dec. 22, 2024.