The 2026 YouthInk Writing Contest winners, back row (L-R) Caroline Compton, Iniya Mubeen, Paige McPhaden, Olivia MacDiarmid, Olivia Spoto and Alina Ngo-Olson; front row (L-R) Emery Kollerer, Sebastian Estevez, Olivia Kirk, Elora Salinas and Alexis Park. Winners not pictured are Dylan Bondy, Mao Yoshikuni and Natalie Zhen. The event is sponsored by the Orinda Junior Women’s Club.
Middle school writers from Orinda shared their creativity, imagination and personal voice in this year’s YouthInk Writing Contest, with students describing everything from inspiration and identity to growth and storytelling.
Thirteen-year-old seventh grader Olivia Kirk earned first place even though she was not expecting the win.
“I was really surprised and thrilled when I saw my name because I definitely wasn’t expecting it. I’m so grateful I got to be part of this amazing contest,” she said.
Kirk said writing has long been an interest of hers and she enjoys developing stories from early ideas into more complete narratives.
“I do!” she said when asked if she loves writing. She added that she was inspired by “the idea that even when someone or something dies, their actions live on.”
She also said publishing a book is one of her long-term goals.
“I don’t know exactly what I want to be when I grow up, but ever since I was young, it’s been a goal of mine to publish a book when I get older.”
Her mother, Kelly Kirk, said she is proud of, not only her daughter, but all the student participants.
“I feel really proud of all the writers who entered the contest, as it takes lots of courage and hard work to submit a piece,” she said. Kelly also noted that her daughter enjoys writing outside of school through a book club and creative projects with friends.
Second place winner Lily Bondy said she was surprised by her placement.
“It felt really surprising that I made second place,” Bondy said. “I honestly just sent in a story I randomly wrote and hoped I’d make it.”
Bondy, 12, said she enjoys writing creatively and often shares her work online.
“I do love writing. I occasionally post things on apps like Wattpad and such. I love using my imagination to create things,” she said.
She added that she chose her topic based on childhood reading experiences and a desire to create her own version of an adventure story.
“I remember as a kid I read a book that was all about adventures and discovering new things. And I thought that YouthInk was the perfect opportunity to make my own version of it.”
Bondy said she hopes to pursue a creative career in the future, possibly animation or engineering.
Her father, Neil Bondy, said the contest encourages creativity and expression.
“I love that something like this encourages kids to do something they wouldn’t normally do, think creatively about a topic, find their voice, and participate because they want to, not because they have to,” he said.
Third place winner Olivia Spoto said she was also surprised by the recognition.
“Initially I was really surprised because I didn’t expect it at all, but I was just proud of myself that I was able to write something that other people enjoy,” Spoto said.
Spoto, 14, said poetry is her favorite form of writing.
“I’ve loved writing stories and poems since I was little,” she said. “My favorite part of writing is definitely poems since I love how you can be creative without a formal structure.”
Spoto said she was inspired by what’s going on around her when writing her submission.
“I was inspired about the current events in the world, so I wrote a poem about that.”
Her mother, Vy Spoto, said she values the opportunity the contest provides.
“I love that this writing contest exists for the kids to participate in it,” she said. “It’s a nice outlet outside of school to have kids express their creativity.”
The YouthInk Writing Contest is organized by the Orinda Junior Women’s Club, which supports youth literary arts in the community.
Erika Rosenberg, a member of the organization, said participation increased this year.
“We had 46 entries this year, last year we had closer to 30 entries,” she said. “The number of entries usually hovers around 30.”
Rosenberg said encouragement from local teachers has helped boost participation.
“I think that has definitely helped grow the number of entrants this year,” she said.
Carolina Ryklansky, president of the Orinda Junior Women’s Club, said the contest has a long history.
“We believe that the contest started at least 30 years ago by the Orinda Junior Women’s Club,” she said.
Ryklansky said the most meaningful part of the program is hearing student work read aloud.
“There is something incredibly powerful about those moments,” she said. “They are often vulnerable, honest and deeply personal, and that’s when each student’s unique voice truly shines.”
She added that the contest remains a shared community effort.
“No matter what is happening in our individual lives, we show up for one another and for these students.”
Entries for the 2027 YouthInk Writing Contest are expected to open in early December. Visit orindajuniors.org for more information and click on “What We Do.”
For more information, visit orindajuniors.org/recent-events/.