June 2025: VTO's Creative Writing Competition (Round 2)

Hello VTO Families! 

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting our 2nd annual Creative Writing Competition! Students in grades K-9 are once again invited to embrace their inner writer and share an original poem, short story, or personal narrative centered around the idea of “something unexpected”. What do we mean by “something unexpected”? Surprise us! Bring on the plot twists, dramatic endings, or personal realizations. 

Depending on the category, pieces will be graded using a standardized rubric. Students’ grade levels will also be taken into consideration during the judging process to provide a more holistic evaluation. 

Like last year, the competition will be divided into a lower division (K-4) and an upper division (5-9), with the winners and runners-up from both divisions receiving an Amazon gift card and having their work featured on the VTO website. 

What are the dates to remember? The submission form will open on Sunday, June 29th, and close on Sunday, October 5th. 

We will also be hosting a workshop to guide students through the brainstorming process and discuss accepted writing forms on Saturday, July 12th, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. PDT via Zoom. Although the workshop is directed at students in grades 3 or higher, younger students are also welcome. If you’d like to attend, please register by

Friday, July 11th, so that all participants can receive the Zoom information on time. 

All students are encouraged to participate! Our goal remains to foster a supportive space for seasoned and budding storytellers alike. 

To register for the creative writing competition workshop, please fill out THIS Google Form. 

To submit your written piece, please click HERE. 

We look forward to supporting our students on their creative journey and celebrating their writing! 

Until next time, 

Anoushka Majumder

Vice President and Curriculum Director of English, VTO