Ozarks Public Television proudly presents the annual OPT/PBS KIDS Writers Contest, designed to promote the advancement of children’s literacy skills through hands-on, active learning. The Contest empowers children in grades K-3 to celebrate creativity and build literacy skills by writing and illustrating their very own stories.
2024 OPT/PBS KIDS Writers Contest
Entries for the 2024 Writers Contest will be accepted from February 1, 2024 to April 26, 2024. A panel of local judges will select winning stories. OPT will award first, second, and third place prizes in each grade level from kindergarten through third grade.
Please review the 2024 Contest Rules HERE.
All entries must be accompanied by a completed and signed entry form, available HERE.
Local winners will be celebrated at an awards banquet this summer, and their stories will be on display at Waverly House Gifts & Gallery and at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Children's Literature Festival.
2023 Contest Winners
KINDERGARTEN
1st Place: Kendrie Jones, Branson West, MO - The Little Seed
2nd Place: Brigden Coryell, Springfield, MO – How To Catch an Alien
3rd Place: Lucy Kostic, Springfield, MO – The Arguing Six Year Olds
1ST GRADE
1st Place: Theodore Quiring, Springfield, MO – Maxwell Mouse & the Vacation
2nd Place: Kami Norris, Springfield, MO – The Cat and the Turtles
3rd Place: Waylon Thomas, Taneyville, MO – The Alien Goes to Earth
2ND GRADE
1st Place: Olivia Guo, Springfield, MO – Lovely the Unicorn - The Mystery of the Flashing Rainbow
2nd Place: Sadie Jones, Branson West, MO – The Mysterious Nest
3rd Place: Louise Zimmerman, Springfield, MO – The Dragon World
3RD GRADE
1st Place: Beckett Moulder, Strafford, MO – Charlie the Lost Squirrel
2nd Place: Maren Altrup, Springfield, MO– Mary's Trip to Fairyland
3rd Place: Sadie Deatherage, Rogersville, MO – Shelly the Turtle
Click the links above to read the winning stories!
CONTEST RULES
ENTRY FORM
Digital entries:
Email scanned PDFs
Mail entries:
Ozarks Public Television
Attn: Writers Contest
901 South National
Springfield, MO 65897
In-person deliveries:
Strong Hall, Room 115
Missouri State University campus
900 South Holland
Springfield, MO 65897
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