new york times essay contest 2021

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Competition

New York Times Personal Narrative Writing Contest

November 17, 2023.

High School

Description:

For this contest, we invite you to write a personal narrative of your own about a meaningful life experience. We’re not asking you to write to a particular theme or to use a specific structure or style, but we are looking for short, powerful stories about a particular moment or event in your life. We want to hear your story, told in your unique voice, and we hope you’ll experiment with style and form to tell a tale that matters to you, in a way you enjoy telling it.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/10/learning/our-3rd-annual-personal-narrative-writing-contest.html

Writing Type

Essay, Prose, Nonf𝔦ction

Publication

International

Upcoming Summer 2024 Application Deadline is April 14, 2024.  

Click here to apply.

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New York Times' Student Editorial Contest - 7 Tips to Help You Win

“You can make anything by writing,” goes the quote by C.S. Lewis, and the prolific author, wasn't wrong! 

Your words, if crafted clearly, can shape opinions, change minds, uncover the truth, and much more. 

If you’re a high school student with a passion for writing concise and persuasive arguments, then you should consider applying for the New York Times’ Annual Student Editorial Contest ,  which invites students from across the U.S. to send in their best writing on topics they’re passionate about.

Argumentative writing is a critical skill you need to excel in college, and winning competitive essay competitions is a great way to showcase your clarity of thought, ability to build cohesive arguments, and write concisely.

What is the Student Editorial Contest all about?

Now in its 11th year, NYT launched the contest to encourage students to write convincing evidence-backed opinion essays on topics they are passionate about — LGBTQ+ rights, school shootings, Black Lives Matter, anti-Asian hate, memes, art repatriation, video game culture, and pineapple on pizza, to name a few — in 450 words or less. The key here is to choose a topic you care deeply about and convince readers that they should care too. 

Who can apply for the contest?

All middle school and high school students around the world aged 13-19 can apply for the contest.  You can apply even if you’re in a gap year but must not be enrolled in a college at the time of application. Students attending their first year of a two-year CEGEP in Quebec Province, Canada, can also apply.

Note:  you are ineligible if you are the child or stepchild of an NYT employee or if you live in the same household as an NYT employee.  

What do the contest winners get?

Winning essays will be published on the NYT’s Learning Network , an online resource for teaching and learning. There is no financial award.

Is the contest prestigious?

The Student Editorial Contest is highly selective and prestigious. While there is no financial award, NYT receives thousands of entries every year and selects only a handful of winners. In 2023, the paper received 12,592 submissions and selected 11 winners. That means 0.09% of all submissions won! 

What are the rules of the contest?

Your editorial submission must meet the following requirements:

1. Be 450 words or less  

This word limit does not include the title and your reference list.

2. Submit original writing  

You cannot submit an essay published in a school newspaper or elsewhere.

3. Cite your sources

You must use at least one NYT article source and another external source.

4. You must be the author of your own work  

While other people (teachers. parents, etc) may review your work, your final submission must reflect your own ideas in your voice.

How will your submission be judged?

NYT journalists, Learning Network staff members, and educators from across the U.S. judge the essays and pick the winners. This is done based on the following criteria:

1. Viewpoint

Your essay has a clear argument and provides an evidence-based call to action for a cause.

2. Evidence

Your essay cites reliable sources and uses compelling evidence to support your argument

3. Analysis and persuasion

Your essay argues a particular point of view by providing historical context, acknowledging counter-arguments, using examples, and developing claims. 

4. Language

Your essay uses the correct grammar and punctuation and is free from errors. Additionally, it uses a language and style appropriate for an editorial and is an engaging read

5. Guidelines

Your essay follows all the contest rules, including citing and least one NYT and one non-NYT source

When is the submission deadline?

Tentatively, submissions for the 2024 contest will open from March 15 to April 19, 2024. 

What did previous winners write about?

Previous years’ winners have written compelling essays on the joys of multigenerational living , the cultural insensitivity of “voluntourism,” ,   navigating life with an incarcerated parent , the importance of student journalism , stigma and shame young girls feel when they get their period , and many more. You can find a list of the 2023 winning and runner-up essays here , and the 2022 essays here .  

Without further ado, here are 7 tips to help you win the contest!

1. Think of a relevant topic, especially one you can connect with personally

You only have 450 words to make your case, so choose a topic you have the strongest connection with. NYT says that the best writing they see is from students who are personally attached to the subject matter. For example, Ketong Li wrote about the ethical problems with voluntourism after traveling to Myanmar, while Lucas Cohen-d’Arbeloff wrote  about the impact of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill based on the experiences of his two dads.

2. Find a good reviewer to give you constructive feedback on your draft

While the idea and writing must be your own, NYT acknowledges that editorial writing is a collaborative process in newsrooms, with staff coming together to shape an argument. Thus, it's important you have a mentor, ideally, someone with editorial experience, who can help you make more sense of your thoughts, help you think critically, and finally craft an effective argument.

3. Break out of your “filter bubble”

NYT encourages you to include a diversity of opinions in your essay, addressing their merits and finally making your own independent argument. Additionally, NYT pays special attention to your citations: you must use at least one NYT article as a source and one or more from other reliable publications when presenting differing arguments. 

4. Make good use of the NYT’s resources

The NYT has a trove of resources to help you ace the contest, including a step-by-step lesson plan on argumentative writing ,  a webinar on teaching argumentative writing , and NYT columnists have videos explaining how to write editorials .  

5. Learn from previous winners

You will gain a deeper understanding of the kind  of editorials NYT looks for by reviewing previous years’ winning submissions . Additionally, two winners of the 2020 contest have annotated essays explaining how they crafted their winning writing:  Ananya Udaygiri on “How Animal Crossing Will Save the World”  and Abel John on “Collar the Cat!”  Ananya and Abel have also recorded videos with advice on choosing a topic  and how to cite evidence in your submission .

6. Keep your audience in mind

Remember, you’re writing for NYT readers. To that end, your tone and writing style should reflect the NYT’s editorial voice. You would learn a lot by reading and analyzing the NYT’s daily editorials! 

7. Practice, practice, and practice

Few people are gifted writers, and fewer still can make their point in 450 words! We highly recommend that you simulate the contest by choosing different prompts and writing editorials, and then incorporate any feedback that you receive. NYT has a list of prompts  use can use to practice.

Our final verdict — what do we think of the contest?

The Student Editorial Contest is highly competitive and being one of the winners would add significant prestige to your college application.  It would also go a long way in helping you get into a top journalism school. We like that the competition is global and there are no financial barriers to entry (the contest is free!). The contest is thought-provoking and seeks unique perspectives on issues part of our lives. Even if you don’t win, you will gain a lot of important experience in argumentative writing which would certainly help you in university!

Bonus — the Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you are interested in doing university-level research in literature, media, and journalism, then you could also consider applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online high school program for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, over 4000 students applied for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form   here.

Also check out the   Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation , a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.

Kieran Lobo is a freelance writer from India, who currently teaches English in Spain.

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The New York Times Annual STEM Writing Contest

• Last modified 2023-10-25
• Published on 2021-05-14

Competition Details

Introduction : The New York Times Annual STEM Writing Contest invites students to choose an issue or question in science, technology, engineering, math or health. Then, students will write an engaging 500-word explaining it to a general audience to help them understand and engage them in the topic. 

Contest Guidelines:

• Choose a STEM topic you care about. It could be a topic you already know a great deal about and want to explain to others, or something you’ve never thought about until now.
• Make sure your topic is narrow enough that you can cover it well in 500 words or fewer
• Do research, and cite your sources. At least one of your sources must be from The New York Times, Science News or its sister site, Science News Explores. Students can choose to interview experts or survey relevant audience for the essay. 
• But be very careful to put quotations around any direct quotes you use, and to cite the source of anything you paraphrase
• Students will have to provide a research and writing process. While the judge won’t use what you write in this section to select finalists, it would give the judges a better picture of your writing decision and your research process

Contest Rubric : here

Prizes: The contest will announce the winner about two months after the contest. Winners will having your work published on The New York Times Learning Network

Competition Website : For more information about the competition, click here .

Aralia students won 3 prizes in The New York Times Summer Reading Contest

Eligibility

This contest is open to students ages 13 to 19 who are in middle school or high school around the world. College students cannot submit an entry. However, high school students (including high school postgraduate students) who are taking one or more college classes can participate. Students attending their first year of a two-year CEGEP in Quebec Province can also participate. In addition, students age 19 or under who have completed high school but are taking a gap year or are otherwise not enrolled in college can participate. The children and stepchildren of New York Times employees are not eligible to enter this contest. Nor are students who live in the same household as those employees.

Contest Date

Jan 18 to Feb 15, 2023

Our Teaching Methods

1:1 personalized curriculum.

After registration, your assigned teacher and course consultant will go over course expectations, personal goals, and course plans.

Expert teachers

Aralia's instructors are teachers from top-ranking high schools and colleges across the United States. They will help you cultivate the skills and knowledge needed for college and future career

Your success

With the combination of personalized curriculum and years of teaching experience, you are set to achieve your personal and professional success

Students who previously took the class:

Throughout the years, our students have successfully gained admission or are currently attending top-ranking secondary and high schools around the world: America, Australia, Canada, China, and more:

• Cardigan Mountain School
• Choate Rosemary Hall
• Concord Academy
• Groton School

Other competition preparation programs that we offer

Modeling the Future Challenge

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Fitzwilliam College Essay Competition

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National Junior Classical League Contests

Aralia Education is an innovative online education platform for ambitious middle and high school students worldwide. Aralia’s instructors propel students forward by helping them build a strong foundation in traditional academic courses. They also actively engage and guide students in exploring personal interests beyond their school curriculum. With this holistic approach, Aralia ensures its students are well-prepared for college and equipped for success in their future careers.

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NY Times STEM Writing Contest

New York Times STEM Writing Contest

• What: 500-word engaging essay on a STEM topic
• Who: Students ages 11-19 anywhere in the world attending middle or high school can participate.
• Prize: Having your work published on The New York Times Learning Network.
• Deadline: March 2, 2021  (contest starts January 19)

Note:  Register for the Times’ live webinar on Jan. 14 on teaching informational writing with a STEM theme.

The second annual New York Times STEM Writing Contest invites students to choose an issue or question in science, technology, engineering, math, or health, then write an engaging 500-word explanation.

Why do hummingbirds nap ? How do  coronavirus vaccines work ? Can  two robotic spacecraft  land on the moon at once? How do plant roots  compete for water ? Do foods like kiwis and cherries  affect our sleep patterns ?

If you click on any of these articles, you’ll see that they are written for a general reader. Special technical or scientific knowledge is not required, and each is designed to get our attention and keep it — by giving us “news we can use” in our own lives, or by exploring something fascinating in a way that makes it easy to understand and shows us why it matters.

That’s what Times journalists do every day across our  Science ,  Health  and  Technology  sections.

The Learning Network invites middle and high school students around the world to bring that same spirit of inquiry and discovery to finding a STEM-related question, concept, or issue they’re  interested in, and, in 500 words or fewer, explaining it to a general audience in a way that not only helps us understand, but also engages us and makes us see why it’s important.

It begins with  an engaging hook  to get readers’ attention and make us care about the subject.

It quotes experts and/or includes research on the topic  to give context and credibility .

It explains  why the topic matters . Why do you care? Why should we care? Whom or what does it affect, why and how? How is it relevant to broader questions in the field, to the world today and to our own lives?

Here’s what you need to know:

• How to Submit
• Contest Guidelines
• Resources for Teachers and Students
• Frequently Asked Questions
• A lesson plan:  Teaching Science with the ‘Trilobites’ Column , and all of our  Lessons of the Day that concern STEM-related topics .

Robotic ants were the subject of Celina Zhao’s winning entry in New York Times Learning Network’s first-ever STEM Writing Contest. The 17-year-old high school student from Athens, Ga., was one of eight top submissions selected from 1,618 entries.

Note: The New York Times is now available to high school students and teachers across the United States for FREE through Sept. 1, 2021. Learn more and invite your classes here.  (Please note that once teachers send an invitation, students will need to accept it to get their free account.)

Students who are not yet in high school can get access to Times pieces through The Learning Network . All the activities for students on our site, including mentor texts and writing prompts, plus the Times articles they link to, are free. Students can search for articles using the search tool on our home page (scroll down past the featured articles to the article stream). In the rest of The Times , they can access up to five free articles a month.

Filed under: Grades 6-8 , Grades 9-12 , K-12 Outreach Programs , Special Features

Tags: Competitions for Students , Contest , Internet Resources , New York Times STEM Writing Contest , Resources for Teachers , Teacher Resources

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25 Writing Contests and Publication Opportunities for Teens

Portrait of Emilio Terry by Salvador Dalí (detail, 1935).

NYPL Digital Collections, Image ID: 1564999

Are you an aspiring writer, creative artist, scientist or a future scholar? The following list of twenty-five publishing platforms provides teens with opportunities for recognition in those fields. Submitting your work for review and publication can channel your creative energy into a meaningful and rewarding project. Additionally, working on your writing will improve your research and organizational skills. Participating in a contest, or having your work published, is also a factor in college admissions decisions.

In estimating the amount of work each submission requires, be mindful of all provided deadlines. Notice that most essay submissions require a bibliography. If you are tackling an essay with an assigned topic, take advantage of the Library's Research resources. This guide to Remote Research Resources will provide you with guidance on how to use the Library's electronic resources from home. If you are working on composing an oratory, or any other piece of polemical writing, take a look at How to Research for a Debate Using Library Resources . Aspiring poets can consult Columbia Granger's World of Poetr y, a premier poetry online resource. Young artists can draw inspiration from the wealth of imagery in our Digital Collections . The Library encourages everyone to get creative with our public domain collection of digital images. If you are inserting a quotation into your text, learn How to Research a Quotation . Don't forget to attend the Library's events , as they frequently include writing workshops and book discussions . If you have any additional reference questions ,or want to see the full extent of remote research opportunities, take a look at our guide to Remote Collections and Services.

For additional guidance and inspiration, please see the short list of books provided below.

The Writer's Practice: Building Confidence in Your Nonfiction Writing by John Warner

Wired for Story: The Writer's Guide to Using Brain Science to Hook Readers from the Very First Sentence by Lisa Cron

Singing School: Learning to Write (and Read) Poetry with the Masters by Robert Pisnky

Writers's Idea Book by Jack Heffron

Barron's Painless Writing by Jeffrey Strausser

How to Write Better Essays by Bryan Greetham

You Can Write a Play! by Milton E. Polsky

The Artist's Way: a Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

Apprentice Writer

Susquehanna University and the Writers Institute initiative invite high school students to submit fiction, memoir, personal essay , poetry and photography for the thirty-ninth volume of Apprentice Writer , which will be published in the fall of 2021 

Deadline:  submissions are accepted from September 15 , 2020 to March 15 2021

Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest 

The Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest provides scholarship, prizes, and recognition for the best poems submitted by young women who are sophomores or juniors in high school or preparatory school. No more than two poems per student. For details and prizes please see the contest webpage . 

Deadline: October 31, 2020 

Leonard l. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize

The Leonard L. Milberg ’53 High School Poetry Prize recognizes outstanding work by student writers in the eigth grade in the U.S. or abroad. Contest judges are poets on the Princeton University Creative Writing faculty, which includes Michael Dickman, Paul Muldoon, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, James Richardson, Tracy K. Smith, Susan Wheeler, Jenny Xie, and Monica Youn.

Deadline: to be announced. For the latest information and updates, you can subscribe to a newsletter . 

Rattle Young Poets Anthology

Young Poets Anthology is looking for poem submissions from authors that are 15, and younger. Poets can use their whole name, first name or a pseudonym. Poems could be submitted by students that are younger than 18, teachers, parents and guardians. 

Deadline:  Submission for 2020 accepted until November 16, 2020.

Society of Classical Poets High School Poetry Competition

Invites classic poetry lovers ages 13 to 19 to submit up to 3 metered poems, limited to 108 lines.  Poems must contain meter. Counting the number of syllables and ensuring there are a similar number in each line is sufficient. Society offers a very useful tutorial on  writing poetry with a meter. To learn how to write poetry with a meter, see a brief beginner’s guide on common iambic meter here or a more elaborate beginner’s guide to many kinds of meter here .

Deadline: December 31, 2020

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers   

The Patricia Grodd Poetry Prize for Young Writers recognizes outstanding young poets and is open to high school sophomores and juniors throughout the world. The contest winner receives a full scholarship to the Kenyon Review Young Writers workshop. In addition, the winning poem and the poems of the two runners-up will be published in the Kenyon Review, one of the country’s most widely read literary magazines.

Deadline : Submissions accepted between November 1 and November 30

Bennington College Young Writers Awards 

Students in 9th-12th grades, residing anywhere in the world, are invited to submit original works in three categories. Poetry requires a submission of three poems. Category of Fiction accepts short stories or a one-act play. There is a separate nonfiction essay category. Please notice that only original writing is accepted, and all  work has to be sponsored by a high school teacher. For further details, carefully read the submission rules.  

Deadline: Submissions for 2020 are accepted from September 3 to November 1 

Claudia Ann Seaman Awards for Young Writers 

High School students from anywhere in the world are eligible to submit original work written in English. Creative writing that was not previously published, can be submitted in the categories of poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction. For further detail and submissions guidelines read the rules of the context. In addition to creative writing, you can submit cover art for Polyphony magazine. 

Deadline: Check the website for the latest writing deadlines. Deadline for cover art submission is April 30th.   

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest 

In order to increase high school students' knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media in our lives, Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalist and the Journalism Education Association invites students enrolled in grades 9-12 in US public, private and home schools , to submit an essay on a given topic.  National winners of this essay contest will receive a scholarship award. Topic for 2020 will be released in November. 

Deadline : February 22 

Achievement Award in Writing 

National Council of Teachers of English is offering an Achievement Award in Writing to High School Juniors in the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands, and accredited American Schools abroad. Students must be nominated by their school's English department and should submit one themed essay and a sample of their best writing. 

Deadline:  Submissions for 2021 are open from November 15 to February 15. Theme for the essay is available at the time of publication ( October 2020) 

Teen Ink Magazine 

A national teen magazine devoted to teenage writing, art, photos and forums, offers an opportunity to publish creative work and opinions on issues that affect their lives of teens. Hundreds of thousands of students aged 13-19, have submitted their work. Teen Ink magazine has published the creative output of over 55,000 teens. Teens can submit an article, poetry, book, novel, photo or a video though this link.

Deadline: none

Princeton University Ten Minute Play Contest 

Eligibility for the annual playwriting contest is limited to students in the 11th grade in the U.S , or an international equivalent of the 11th grade. Jury consists of members of the Princeton University Program in Theater faculty. 

Deadline: Information regarding submission will be provided in late Fall of 2020.

Youth Plays 

Unpublished one-act plays from authors younger than 19 years of age are accepted for submission. Plays should feature youth characters and be suitable for school production. For detailed submission guidelines and helpful advice visit Youth Plays website. 

Deadline: Next opportunity for submission will open up in early 2021.

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards has the largest selection of opportunities for creative self-expression. With twenty eight categories, ranging from poetry to the entire writing portfolio, young artists and writers can choose from a plethora of opportunities. For the latest updates, rules , and information on how to enter, register with Scholastic. Don't forget to view the Gallery of Winning Entries . To participate in the Awards, you must be a student in grades 7–12, age 13 years or older, residing in the United States, U.S. territories or military bases, or Canada.

Deadlines vary by category, with submissions windows between September to December. 

National Young Arts Foundation Competition

Young Arts' signature program is an application-based award for emerging artists ages 15-18, or in grades 10-12. Open to students in a variety of different disciplines, including visual arts, writing, and music, National Young Arts Foundation  Competition  asks students to submit a portfolio of work.

Deadline: October 16 , 2020

World Historian Student Essay Competition  

World History Association invites international students enrolled in grades K-12 in public, private and parochial schools, and those in home-study programs to participate in a writing competition that celebrates the study of history. Each competitor will submit an essay that addresses the issue: In what way has the study of world history affected my understanding of the world in which we live ? For further details on submission guidelines, visit World History Association.  

Deadline: May 1

The Concord Review

This unique publication is the only quarterly journal in the world to publish academic history papers of secondary students. The Concord Review accepts history research papers (about 8,500 words with endnotes and bibliography ) of high school students from anywhere in the world. There is no theme, and papers on every period of history anywhere in the world are accepted. For specific rules and regulators, see the submission guidelines. 

Deadline: essay are accepted on a rolling admissions basis.

George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) invites all high school students (9th through 12th grades) interested in the American Revolution to participate in the George S. & Stella M. Knight Essay Contest. To participate, students must submit an original 800 to 1,200-word essay based on an event, person, philosophy or ideal associated with the American Revolution, Declaration of Independence, or the framing of the United States Constitution. 

Deadline: December 31 

JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest 

The contest is open to United States high school students in grades 9-12 attending public, private, parochial, or home schools. In Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy recounted the stories of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to do what was right for the nation. The Profile in Courage Essay Contest challenges students to write an original and creative essay that demonstrates an understanding of political courage as described by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage.

Deadline: January 15 

Write the World Competition

Write the World is a global community of young writers, ages 13-18. Write the World offers a rotating list of themed competitions. Current competition ( October 2020) is for a Speech Writing Oration. The list of past competitions includes Historical Fiction ( short story), Food Writing, Album Review, Environmental Journalism, Songwriting and Book Review. 

Deadline: a new competition every month

Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize

Established in 2006, the Lloyd Davies Philosophy Prize is an essay competition open in year 12 or the equivalent. Students can submit essays on three given topics in Philosophy. The judges will look for originality of thought, a clear grasp of the issues, clarity in presentation and a critical approach to what has been read. They will also look for a clear structure to the essay. Please read the submission guidelines carefully .

Deadline: June 22 , 2021

The American Foreign Service Association’s National High School Essay Contest

Students whose parents are not in the Foreign Service are eligible to participate in the contest, if they reside in the U.S., U.S territories, or if they are U.S. citizens attending high school overseas. In addition to the winner, there is the one runner-up and eight honorable mentions. For further details, please read Rules and Guidelines 

Deadline: The new prompt and deadlines for 2021 will be announced in the fall of 2020

International Essay Contest for Young People

This annual themed essay contest is organized by the Goi Peace Foundation in an effort to harness the energy, creativity and initiative of the world's youth in promoting a culture of peace and sustainable development. Essays can be submitted in two age categories, by anyone younger than 25. In addition to English, essays can be submitted in French, Spanish, German and Japanese. Please note that essays must be mailed, as no email submissions are accepted.

Deadline: Consult the Goi Peace Foundation website for the 2021 theme .

Engineer Girl Essay Writing Competition

This competition is  open to individual girls and boys in the following three age categories: elementary, middle, and high school students. This year's theme  relates to the COVID-19 virus.

Deadline: The contest will close at 11:59 PM, February 1, 2021, U.S. Eastern Standard Tim e

Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Scholarship Program

Established in 1947 by Veterans of Foreign Wars, Voice of Democracy Youth Scholarship program requires a submission of a themed recorded essay. Students attending any type of school in grades 9-12 are eligible to participate. Essays are judged on content and on delivery technique.

Deadline: October 31

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Pisay student natalia araña wins the new york times’ essay writing contest.

Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Grade 11 student Natalia Araña has won The Learning Network’s Second Annual STEM Writing Contest organized by The New York Times for her essay, “Mycowood Violins: A Different Kind of Time Machine.”

Araña was named one of the eleven international winners of the prestigious writing tilt, which challenged teenagers from around the world to choose a compelling scientific topic and then write an engaging 500-word explanation for it.

The winning essay, which stood out from 3,741 entries received by The New York Times, involves the discovery of scientist Francis W.M.R. Schwarze, who found a way to replicate the sound of the world’s most famous violin – the Stradivarius, through white-rot fungi.

Only a few hundred of the original violins made by Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari over 250 years ago survived, according to the essay.

To recreate the sound of the iconic Stradivarius violins, Schwarze and his team used fungi to mimic the effects of a cold climate on wood, producing biotech violins with a tone matching those of a Stradivarius.

“For three months, Dr. Schwarze let these decomposers feast on the wood until its cells shrunk, letting the timber reach its optimal density without largely affecting the speed of sound travel through the material. The result? A higher radiation ratio that made the newly created ‘mycowood’ one step closer to the resonance wood used by Stradivari — close enough, in fact, that most listeners in a blind test mistook a fungi-treated violin for the original Stradivarius!” the 16-year-old Araña explains.

The positive results produced by Schwarze’s study meant that the fungi-treated violins could one day become available to talented young musicians who would otherwise be unable to afford their own Stradivarius.

Natalia Araña’s essay entitled, “Mycowood Violins: A Different Kind of Time Machine,” along with the other winning works, have been published by The New York Times on April 29, 2021. Read her story here .

Filipinos who recently bagged top literary prizes include UP Cebu student Christian Andrei Nuez Laplap who won the United Kingdom’s International Hammond House Literary Prize and Filipino-American author Erin Entrada Kelly’s historical fiction “We Dream of Space” which was awarded the John Newbery Honor for distinguished children’s books.

SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Grade 11 student Natalia Araña who has won The Learning Network’s Second Annual STEM Writing Contest organized by The New York Times for her essay, “Mycowood Violins: A Different Kind of Time Machine.”

Good News Pilipinas is celebrating its 15th Anniversary in 2021 by giving away prizes! Subscribe to our  Good News Pilipinas! TV YouTube channel  and enter the raffle by sending us an email to [email protected]

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• Natalia Araña The New York Times' essay writing contest
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• The Learning Network’s Second Annual STEM Writing Contest
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Science News , Science News for Students

Star polymers, space origami and singing finches: Science News and The New York Times announce winners of the 2nd Annual STEM Writing Contest

By Aparna K. Paul

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. and WASHINGTON, D.C. – Together Science News and The New York Times Learning Network are excited to announce the winners of the 2021 STEM Writing Contest . Eleven talented young science communicators are named winners based on their keen ability to shed light on scientific topics ranging from star polymers to space origami to singing finches.

In its second year, the STEM Writing Contest invited teenagers from all over the world to choose an issue or question in science, technology, engineering, math or health, and then write an engaging 500-word explanation that would be understood by scientists and nonscientists alike. The winners have their essays published in The New York Times . Other thought-provoking topics in 2021 included snake venom, egg shells, violins, fin whales and COVID-19.

“We are thrilled to partner with The New York Times for the second year in a row for a STEM Writing Contest that challenges the next generation of learners to hone their science communication skills,” said Nancy Shute, Editor in Chief of Science News . “The ability to write clearly and accurately about science has become all the more apparent in the midst of a global pandemic, when the ability to tell accurate information from misinformation is a matter of life and death. It is wonderful to see so many students submit stellar essays explaining complex science topics.”

The New York Times Learning Network received 3,741 essays from middle and high school students between the ages of 11-19, hailing from 48 states, Washington D.C. and 43 countries. A group of STEM teachers — many from the Science News in High Schools educator community — science journalists, professionals and writers, along with editors from The Learning Network, selected 65 finalists and 11 winners. Of the finalist pool there were also 15 runners-up and 36 honorable mentions.

The 2021 STEM Writing Contest winners are:

Natalia Araña, “ Mycowood Violins: A Different Kind of Time Machine ” (age 16, Philippine Science High School, Quezon City, Philippines)

Sophie Araten: “ Unleash the Tests: The Four-Legged Future of COVID-19 Testing ” (age 15, Millburn High School, Millburn, N.J.)

Maggie Bell, “ Dishwashers and Dementia: The Brain System You’ve Never Heard Of ” (age 16, Lakeside High School, Atlanta, Ga.)

Jaejeong Kim, “ A Rising Star: These Star-Shaped Polymers May Be Our Last Defense Against Superbugs ” (age 17, Hunter College High School, New York, N.Y.)

Hoonsun Lee, “ Origami in Space Engineering: Rediscovering the Meaning of Discovery ” (age 17, Cornerstone Collegiate Academy of Seoul, Seoul, South Korea)

Suleiman Mohamed, “ The Peacock Mantis Shrimp: The Ant-Man of Atlantis ” (age 16, British School Muscat, Muscat, Oman

Nicola Myers, “ And the Grammy Goes to … Fin Whales ?” (age 17, Boise High School, Boise, Idaho)

Erin Rasmussen, “ The World’s Best Quarantiners ” (age 14, Andover High School, Andover, Mass.)

Kelly Shen, “ From Babbling to Birdsong: What Finches Can Teach Us About Vocal Learning ” (age 16, Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, Atherton, Calif.)

Dana Steinke, “ The Motion of the Ocean: Using Sea Waves to Desalinate Seawater ” (age 16, Saratoga High School, Saratoga, Calif.)

Jocelyn Tan, “ Sleep to Clean: A Prevention of Plaques That Lead to Alzheimer’s disease ” (age 15, Ridge High School, Basking Ridge, N.J.)

The runners-up and honorable mentions can be viewed here .

Michael Gonchar, editor of The New York Times Learning Network commented, “We were thrilled to see that writing about STEM subjects was so popular among students and teachers. In the fall of 2019 we created a full-year writing curriculum for middle and high school students based on our collection of writing prompts, mentor texts and contests, and we knew we needed a unit on informational writing. That’s how we came up with the idea of our STEM Writing Contest. We wanted to work with a respected partner organization that could offer source material that would complement the many short, compelling articles in the Science Times and we found that partner in Science News , published by the Society for Science.”

Applicants were required to submit entries emulating mentor texts provided by Science News and The New York Times science section. Essays were judged on how well a scientific concept was not only captured and explained but also on other writing elements, such as an engaging hook, an explanation of why the topic is important, accurate citation of expert sources, focus and clarity as well as analysis.

Thank you to all our contest judges.

Society for Science National Leadership Council members: David Bray, Shantanu Gaur, Michelle Hackman Science News in High Schools educators: Victoria Bampoh, Samm Blunt, Jennifer Donnelly, Phebe Martinez Fuentes, Dana Herbsman, Lori Herbsman, Meghan Hess, Kehakashan Khan, Allison Lee, David Lockett, Nadia Makar, Aaron Meyer, Amanda Nix, Dawn Parker, Shannon Payne, Breann Ross, Gerald Sanders, Ernst Schneidereit, Amy Telford, Yesenia Torrescolon, Peggy Veatch, Laura Wilbanks and Jieun Yoo.

From The New York Times Science-Journalism Community:  David Brown, Cara Giamo, Shannon Stirone.

From The Learning Network Community:  Kathryn Curto, Michael Gonchar, Jeremy Engle, Simon Levien, Tiffany Liu, Keith Meatto, Natalie Proulx, Katherine Schulten, Melissa Slater, Vanessa Vieux. About Science News Science News  has been covering the latest discoveries in science, technology and medicine since 1921, and is published by Society for Science . It offers readers award-winning news and features, multimedia and access to archives with more than 80,000 articles. Concise, current and comprehensive, the magazine provides an approachable overview of all fields and applications of science and technology.

Our sister website,  Science News for Students , makes science accessible for people ages 9 and up, and teachers and students in over 5,000 high schools read us in print and online through our  Science News  in High Schools program. The Science News in High Schools Digital Educator Guide Library is full of interdisciplinary lesson plans, each one inspired by and paired to a Science News article.

For more information about  Science News , please visit  sciencenews.org  or follow on  Facebook  and  Twitter .

About the New York Times Learning Network The Learning Network helps teachers bring current events and issues into the classroom to help students see why and how they matter in their own real lives. The Learning Network publishes about 1,000 teaching resources each school year, all using New York Times content — articles, essays, images, videos, graphics and podcasts — as teaching tools across subject areas. All of its resources are free.

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Student ‘How To’ Contest Winner

How to Make the Perfect Sandwich

A winning essay by Jackson DeNichilo, age 15.

By The Learning Network

This essay, by Jackson DeNichilo, 15, of Fallston, Md., is one of the Top 11 winners of The Learning Network’s new “How To” Informational Writing Contest for Teenagers .

We are publishing the work of all the winners over the next several days, and you can find them here as they post.

“It’s got to be something really unique,” says Ben Gollan, sandwich connoisseur and founder of A Man and His Sandwich, a touring experience where Gollan takes guests throughout New York City in search of the most mouthwatering sandwiches. “It can’t be the same standard thing that we all get so used to,” he says. Constantly eating the same sandwich gets boring, especially for Gollan. Try to put your own twist on a traditional sandwich. Use unorthodox ingredients to help break the mold. You don’t necessarily need rare ingredients; what you need are rare combinations.

When making your sandwich, the number one rule is balance. Avoid adding too much of one certain ingredient. Instead, distribute different types of ingredients throughout the sandwich evenly. Using hot-cold, soft-crunchy, and sweet-sour combinations will benefit you in making a balanced sandwich. Focus on beginning your sandwich’s assembly with the condiments. Pick out your favorite condiments and sauces, then choose your meats based on them. Condiments make the sandwich. “If I ever see a chili jam or a fig jam or something in that world, I know it’s going to be a pretty bangin’ sandwich,” says Gollan.

Try splitting up the sandwich into two levels. Put all the dry ingredients on the bottom half, and the wet ingredients on the top half. This protects the base of the sandwich from the wet ingredients’ juices. Pick breads that add texture and crunch. It is important to ensure your sandwich won’t crumble and fall apart. “If everything is soft and sloppy, it doesn’t matter how good the ingredients are; the sandwich is not going to be great,” Gollan says. Make your sandwich look nice, as making a good first impression with your eyes is important. “You eat with your eyes first,” says Gollan. Cut your sandwich into rectangles for a more visually appealing look, or into triangles if you want to trick your brain into thinking there is more sandwich than there is.

Even after amassing over 14,000 followers on an Instagram account dedicated to reviewing sandwiches, Gollan is still left searching for the perfect sandwich. “I think it gets very, very close to being perfect, but perfection is really hard to attain. I almost don’t want to find the perfect sandwich, because what does that mean for all the other ones that I want to try?” Gollan says.