Environmental writing competitions provide high school students meaningful ways to express their concerns about climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and sustainability. As story tellers, poets, or essayists, these competitions offer ways for youth to develop writing skills, but also amplify their voices for important environmental discussions, while gaining recognition, and possibly scholarships for school, and opportunities to advocate on policy matters. From global competitions to those on a more local level, environmental writing competitions spark interest in young people to become advocates, in and of themselves as well as communicators for future generations.
1. Ocean Awareness Contest
Location: Global (Virtual submissions)
Program Dates: Annual contest, 2025 deadline June 9
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Ages 11-18 worldwide
Application Deadline: June 9, 2025
The Ocean Awareness Contest provides an opportunity for young voices to engage with the environmental issues we face today using writing, art, film, or multimedia. The 2025 contest theme is "Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside" which encourages exploration of each individual's connection with nature. Students can respond to the theme with ideas that range from visits to their local parks, to climate activism expressing how nature inspires them. This international competition encourages students to share their diverse range of lived experiences and provides recognition, opportunities for publication, and opportunities for the potential of winning students' work to be published in educational resources reaching classrooms around the world.
2. Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - One Earth Award
Location: United States (Multiple regions)
Program Dates: Annual submissions, deadlines vary by region
Cost: Small submission fee or fee waiver available
Eligibility: Students in grades 7-12 (ages 13+)
Application Deadline: Early December (varies by region)
The One Earth Award is providing $1000 scholarships to students who have creative works that raise awareness of climate change. Students can submit work in 29 categories, and climate-focused submissions will receive special consideration as a part of scholarship offerings through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. There are additional scholarships for students in certain southern states. Participants write a statement explaining how their work engages with climate change, linking their creativity with advocacy on behalf of our environment. The program has a unique history of recognizing creative teens and can proudly highlight significant alumni in both the arts and literature.
3. Young Reporters for the Environment International Competition
Location: Global competition with national coordinators
Program Dates: Annual competition cycle
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Ages 11-25 involved in YRE program
Application Deadline: Varies by country (typically spring)
Environmental reporters invites young people to investigate environmental problems, develop solutions, and report their findings as articles, photos, podcasts, or videos. There is an annual theme, which could be something like "Ecosystem Restoration," that challenges young people to submit powerful entries on environmental issue advocacy, storytelling, and leadership. Students follow a four-step process or methodology: investigate, develop proposed solutions that address the issue, report on the environmental issue using world wide web (WWW) and analogue technologies, and share their resulting materials with their communities. The competition partners with global organizations, providing a tremendous reach and far greater competition, and winners not only receive recognition, but also the potential to have their work published in international environmental educators communities.
4. Commonwealth Think Trade, Think Green Essay Award
Location: Commonwealth countries
Program Dates: Annual competition
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Ages 18-29, Commonwealth nationals
Application Deadline: August 21 (past year reference)
The competition invites student and early career researchers to identify how trade policy can resolve a climate-related issue. Participants will identify a climate-related problem in their country, and how trade, or trade policy can play a role in solving that problem. Each essay should be a maximum of 2,000 words long and fully referencing all materials used. This competition has prizes of £1,000 for first prize and £500 for second and third prize. The top prize winning essays will be published in the Trade Competitiveness Briefing Series, and launched at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, providing significant exposure for young writers.
5. Green Stories Writing Competition
Location: Global (University of Southampton)
Program Dates: Late 2025 competition announced
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Open to all writers
Application Deadline: To be announced in 2025
Green Stories runs free writing competitions in various formats in order to encourage stories about sustainable societies. Organised by the University of Southampton, the competitions intend to entertain, educate and inspire green behaviours. The 2025 competition is going to be developed and will have either a prize for a novel, short story, or flash-fiction. All submissions must be in English and are unpublished. The initiative does running competitions in various different ways, so provides new writers with opportunities to publish in environmental literature, and raise awareness of sustainability behaviour.
6. California Coastal Commission Climate Storytelling Contest
Location: California, United States
Program Dates: Annual contest
Cost: Free
Eligibility: California middle and high school students
Application Deadline: Varies annually
The California Coastal Commission is inviting students as storytellers to become more aware of climate change. Students can submit a podcast, a photo essay, or a narrative essay that acknowledges the emotion and human elements of climate change. The contest moves beyond the data to explore our personal and community significance. The contest also includes educator resources and contest materials, providing a foundation for all students and their teachers in California.
7. SAVE THE FROGS! India Essay Contest
Location: India (Regional focus)
Program Dates: Annual contest
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Two age groups: 12-17 years and 18+ in India
Application Deadline: June 30, 2025
SAVE THE FROGS! India calls for entries for their essays on amphibian conservation and environmental stewardship. This year's theme is "Echoes of Responsibilities" emphasizing the importance of our urgent need for conservation. Writers are welcomed to submit essays of a maximum of 1,500 words in any regional language of India that encourages writing in the languages. Each winner will receive a certificate, prize, and opportunity to contribute to conservation projects. SAVE THE FROGS! India values original and writings based on research, and those integrate science and field examples.
8. River of Words Poetry and Art Contest
Location: International (Saint Mary's College of California)
Program Dates: Annual contest
Cost: Free
Eligibility: Students ages 5-19 not yet in college
Application Deadline: January 31, 2025
River of Words is the biggest free international youth poetry and art contest in the world. It encourages youth to transform awareness of their environment into poetry and art. Students can submit up to 5 entries each for poetry and art ( poems no longer than 32 lines). There are four age categories where one winner is selected, and one International Grand prize. Each participant receives a Watershed Explorer Certificate for entering. The winning entries will be published in the annual River of Words anthology that will included art and poetry.
9. Royal Geographical Society School Essay Competition
Location: United Kingdom
Program Dates: Annual competition
Cost: Free
Eligibility: UK school students
Application Deadline: Varies annually
The Royal Geographical Society's School Essay Competition, in partnership with the Financial Times, takes significant environmental questions such as climate change, what risks there are, and what constitutes appropriate responses, and allows students to respond to the question clearly and with evidence. Students produce evidence-based essays or create ArcGIS StoryMaps, demonstrate conclusions they reach through analysis in their submissions. The word count for submissions is a maximum of 1,000, and judges assess submissions on quality of argumentation, evidence, and relevance in addressing the brief. The winning essay will appear in FT.com which gives the young people the chance to be showcased as an environmental voice!
10. Girls' Schools Association "Dear Earth" Creative Writing Competition
Location: United Kingdom (Girls' Schools Association)
Program Dates: Annual competition
Cost: Free for GSA member schools
Eligibility: Students from GSA member schools (Key Stages 2-5)
Application Deadline: Varies annually
The GSA's annual Creative Writing Competition invites girls to express their environmental creative mind using the theme, "Dear Earth." The competition has three categories, according to the selected contestants’ age group. The GSA celebrates all winners at their GSA Summer Briefing; the eldest category winner gets to enjoy an eco-poetry workshop. The focus of the entries is environmental and sustainable practice, which become remarkably moving and well-written pieces that reflect girls' experiences and hopes for conserving the planet!
These environmental writing competitions provide high school students with diverse opportunities to develop their voices as environmental advocates while maintaining and enhancing their creative and analytical writing skills. The students have a wide variety of local and global environment competitions through which to learn more about their own writing and how they can contribute meaningful voices to the ongoing discourse around the contexts for environments which can inspire action and, in some instances, possibly change to policy.
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Through personalized guidance and independent research projects that can lead to prestigious publications, RISE Research helps you build a standout academic profile and develop skills that set you apart. With flexible program dates and global accessibility, ambitious students can apply year-round. To learn more about eligibility, costs, and how to get started, visit RISE Research’s official website and take your college preparation to the next
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