The annual YouthInk Writing Contest is returning for 2026 – and starting this month, the call is out for middle-school storytellers, poets and creative voices in Orinda.
Organized by Orinda Junior Women’s Club, YouthInk is open to all sixth, seventh and eighth grade students who live in Orinda or attend an Orinda school. Entrants may submit an original story (fiction or non-fiction), poem or other creative writing in English – no assistance from teachers or parents allowed. Submissions must be 750 words or less.
This year’s official prompt is “The Journey” – though writers are also free to explore any other topic that inspires them.
The 2026 contest opened Dec. 15, 2025 and runs through Feb. 8. Those interested should submit using the YouthInk entry form or email their work as a Word, PDF or Google Doc to oyouthink@gmail.com. As in past years, entries should not be signed – the author’s name goes only on the entry form. Entrants will receive a confirmation email upon submission.
A panel of local authors, editors and reporters will judge the submissions, evaluating based on content, clarity, structure and originality.
Prizes remain the same: $250 for first place, $125 for second and $75 for third, along with gift certificates for up to 10 honorable-mention recipients. Winners will be notified by mail and honored at a public awards ceremony scheduled for May 7.
The contest is funded and supported by the Orinda Junior Women’s Club, along with community partners such as Friends of the Orinda Library, The Intuitive Writing Project, Lamorinda Arts Council and Orinda Community Foundation.
Local organizers encourage all eligible young writers – whether inspired by “The Journey,” poems, short stories or personal essays – to seize this chance to share their voices.
For more information and to access the entry form, visit the Orinda Junior Women’s Club at bit.ly/48vbjdc.
