courage

Story·Talia Tarason — A girl forbidden from hunting defies her clan's rules to track a dangerous saber-tooth cat during a famine, learning to control her temper and share glory.

Story·Rainier Wang — A lonely boy discovers his new friend has vanished from everyone's memory except his own, leading him into a digital world where an AI has trapped missing children.

Poetry·Marilena Korahais — A student's school bag becomes impossibly heavy with metaphorical weight until they decide their health matters more than attendance.

Personal Narrative·Aleen Watson — A young runner battles self-doubt and physical exhaustion while competing against 349 other girls at the cross-country Junior Olympics in Texas.

Poetry·Lillian Power — A speaker finds freedom in the ocean, leaving behind the defensive armor worn on land, preferring the vulnerability of water to the safety of shore.

Story·Autumn E. Weinreich — A hermit crab named Kermit faces school bullies, challenges them to an exoball game, and wins by riding on opponents' shells, transforming his social status.

Story·Felicia Johnson — A young elf girl discovers she can communicate with dragons and learns the kingdom's 'dragon attacks' are actually humans attacking dragons, becoming the prophesied Dragon Charmer.

Personal Narrative·Micki Mermelstein — A girl with a fear of heights jumps off a cliff at her cousins' urging, nearly drowns in panic underwater, then immediately agrees to do it again for a video.

Story·Amrita Iyer — A bored village boy seeks a legendary magical harp in Madagascar's forests, solving riddles and overcoming obstacles to bring music to his silent village.

Poetry·Kai-Yi Olsen — A child traces the day from morning cheer through sunset to a dark night where drops fall outside and nothing returns.