responsibility

Story·Brennan Cameron, age 10 — After a fire destroys their farm's crops and orchard, Oscar must decide whether to sell his beloved foal Rose to help his family survive the winter.

Poetry·Cora Burch, age 13 — A man barricades himself in a White House closet surrounded by weapons, flags, and symbols of power while small details reveal his unraveling control.

Story·Zahra Batteh, age 10 — A spoiled rich man loses everything when his parents die, struggles to find work, and eventually creates a program to help homeless people become rideshare drivers.

Poetry·Alyssa Wu, age 13 — While her mother is sick, a daughter seizes the chance to cook in the usually forbidden kitchen, making pizza with nervous care as a surprise.

Story·Sienna Rapaport, age 10 — A girl with a vast imagination discovers her father is the legendary Bird of Steel and must steal his power to save Riverhaven from eternal conflict between humans and magical...

Poetry·Amber Zhao, age 10 — A young visitor transforms an aquarium trip into a meditation on humanity's relationship with nature, moving from wonder to environmental critique and back to artistic creation.

Poetry·Teddy Lykouretzos, age 13 — A young poet compares plastic's permanence to the pyramids, warning that our disposable creations outlast monuments while poisoning the earth we depend on.

Personal Narrative·Claire Jiang, age 12 — A 12-year-old wrestles with her sense of obligation to fight climate change, questioning whether individual actions matter while affirming her commitment to future generations.

Story·Elaina Heinitz, age 10 — A grumpy man captures the town's beloved wake-up bird, but when the whole town mourns its loss, he realizes his mistake and sets it free.

Poetry·Analise Braddock, age 9 — A surreal encounter at a juggle place leads to accusations of theft and a police litany of the narrator's strange misdeeds throughout the week.