Sponsored in part by the Mathwig Family Charitable Trust
Get out your crayons — it's time for Prairie Public's PBS KIDS Writers Contest!
Submit your stories by March 27, 2026. Find rules, entry forms, and a suggested theme below!
Each year, children in Prairie Public's broadcast area from kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to write and illustrate their own stories to submit.
Every entrant is a winner and will receive a Certificate of Achievement.
Top stories win prizes, and are featured on the radio and online.
✏️ HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR STORY
Entrants can send stories via mail to Prairie Public (post dated March 27 or before) or submit a scanned PDF online.
📬 Send the story and entry form via mail to:
Prairie Public
Attn: PBS KIDS Writers Contest
207 5th Street N.
Fargo, ND 58102
👩💻 Submit entry form and story online here. (PDF only)
✏️ SUGGESTED THEME: WHAT DOES AMERICA MEAN TO YOU?
💬 To celebrate America 250 and the new PBS documentary The American Revolution, we encourage entrants to consider this question: What does America mean to you?
This theme is designed to spark curiosity. Lesson plans, created by Prairie Public’s Education Services team, are available below to help educators and caregivers explore the theme at each grade level.
BONUS! We encourage students in grades 3-5 to also participate in a nationwide contest, America’s Field Trip, for the chance to win a special behind-the-scenes field trip experience at iconic American sites.
📝 LESSON PLANS AND PROMPTS (OPTIONAL)
Kindergarten: What is fair?
💡 Prompt: Draw and tell about a time when you helped make something fair. The story can be about school, friends, siblings, playgrounds, sports... anything!
See full Kindergarten lesson plan →
Grade 1: Why is it important to use your voice?
💡 Prompt: Write about something you care about and why it matters. ("I care about _____ because _____.")
See full Grade 1 lesson plan →
Grade 2: How do people work together to create change?
💡 Prompt: Tell a story about a group of people working together to make something better. Sentence starters can include "In the beginning...", "Then they decided to...", and "In the end..."
See full Grade 2 lesson plan →
Grade 3: How can everyday people make a difference?
💡 Prompt: Write a story from the point of view of a character who experiences something important. Focus on the character's thoughts, feelings, and actions.
See full Grade 3 lesson plan →
Grade 4: What does freedom mean to you?
💡 Prompt: What does freedom mean to you, and why is it important to protect it? Students may write from personal experience, a historical idea, or even an imagined scenario!
See full Grade 4 lesson plan →
Grade 5: When is change necessary, and how should it happen?
💡 Prompt: Write about a change you or a character hopes for, and the steps it would take to make it real. Ideas can be big or small, real or imagined. This is your chance to share an idea that matters to you!
See full Grade 5 lesson plan →
Attention educators!
Prairie Public is grateful for all the teachers whose students participate in our Writers Contest.
Each teacher who submits stories from their class is entered to win a $200 Gift Card.