Eligible Participants: All public, private, and online students who attend a high school in Pueblo, Colorado during the 2026-27 school year.

How to Enter: Submissions must be received no later than May 4, 2027, via the submission link. Hard copies can be submitted if desired. Recommended format is .pdf, but Word is acceptable.

Genres & Themes: All genres and themes are welcome.

Categories (3):

1. Short stories/books or plays: Short stories should be a minimum of 1,000 words, with no maximum length. Plays or movie scripts should be no less than 10 pages (approximately 10 minutes in length) to full length.

2. Pre-defined scenario:  Write a story or play based on the following scenario:

   *** *** *** ***

   A high school student is a waiter/cashier/dishwasher at a famous Pueblo eatery (Pass Key, Mill Stop, Gray’s Coors Tavern, Fuel & Iron, etc.). The protagonist exchanges a glance with a customer, Riley. Riley is a teenager from New York City, who is visiting his/her grandparents in Pueblo.

   The protagonist, who will graduate soon, is uncertain of his/her next step—should they stay in Pueblo to assist their family, or move away to expand their experiences and see the world?

   “Nothing in this world is perfect. It’s how you approach everything. How you circle back.”

   ‍ ‍ *** *** *** ***

   The story is yours to create. It can take place entirely at a meeting at a restaurant or include additional settings inside or outside of Colorado. It can encompass a single day, or expand to weeks, months, or years. Create as many characters as you like, or focus entirely on the protagonist and Riley.

3. Miscellaneous category: If you write it, we’ll read it. Possibilities include poetry, songs, comic strips, monologues, a 100-word description of how you see your life turning out, etc. We suggest that submissions tell a story.

Maximum Submissions: Participants may enter one submission per category (three entries total). Entries that are written as an assigned school project are eligible for submission as long as they fulfill all contest requirements.