The PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest is a national-local contest designed to promote the advancement of children’s reading skills through hands-on, active learning. The Contest encourages children in grades K-3 in communities across the country to celebrate the power of creating stories and illustrations by submitting their own original pieces.
Eligibility & Entry Guidelines
Entrants must be in kindergarten, first, second or third grade. Children of employees of PBS, PBS stations or their affiliates, sales representatives, subsidiaries or parent companies, advertising/sales promotion agencies, and judges are not eligible. To be eligible, an entrant must be a legal resident of the United States. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify ineligible entries; such entries will not be returned. Only one entry per person will be accepted; all subsequent entries will be disqualified. Only single author stories qualify (no co-authored stories). Stories can be fact or fiction, and prose or poetry. Any failure to adhere to these Contest Rules may result in disqualification from the contest.
Word Count
Kindergarten and first grade stories must have a minimum of 50 words and a maximum of 200 words. Second and third grade stories must have a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 350 words. The word count includes “a,” “an,” and “the,” but not the words on non-story pages such as the title page or those that enhance the illustrations. Text must be printed or written legibly or typed. Children who cannot write may dictate their story to be printed, written legibly or typed. Text may be integrated into the illustration pages or on separate pages. Non-English text must be translated on the same page and the translation text must adhere to word count. Invented spelling is accepted.
Format & Illustrations
Stories must have at least 5 original, clear and colorful illustrations. Original art can include drawings, collages, and 3-D created by the author or photographs taken by the author. Stories submitted by mail must be created on one side of the paper and numbered on the back of each page.
Official Entry Form
Each entry must include the official PBS KIDS GO! Writers Contest Entry Form, with the required signature of a parent/guardian (and, if appropriate, the optional signature of the sponsoring teacher), confirming that the story and art are original, and granting certain rights to the entry materials. The entry form must be complete and legible. Download the entry form at aetn.org Send your completed entry form and book to Writer’s Contest, 350 S. Donaghey, Conway, AR 72034 by Friday, April 27, 2012.
National Judging, Awards & Notification
Entries will be judged on originality, creative expression, storytelling and integration of text and illustrations. The sponsoring PBS station will judge local submissions and send its first place winners to the national Contest. All decisions of the judges are final and not subject to appeal or review. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. National winners will be notified in June 2012. Each national winner’s story will be posted on the Contest Web site at pbskids.org in summer 2012.
National prizes include tablet computers for 4 first place winners (~$500), e-readers (~$150) for 4 second place winners, and MP3 players (~$100) for 4 third place winners. PBS reserves the right to substitute any prize for a prize of equal or greater value, at the sole discretion of PBS. Prize recipients must allow a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks from notification to delivery. Prizes are non-transferable.
Return of Entries
The Contest administrators will make every effort, but are not required, to return mailed entries only if accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope of an appropriate size. PBS, and or its affiliates, are not responsible for late, lost, stolen, misdirected, damaged, mutilated, incomplete or illegible entries, or postage-due mail.