Confess 2025: The Youth Voices Writing Challenge

Theme Prompt: “The Distance Between Me and ______”

Participants are encouraged to interpret the prompt freely—literally, metaphorically, or personally.

Eligibility

Open to all high school students (Grades 9–12) worldwide

Submission Categories (Choose One Per Entry)

Poetry – Single poem or a short series; recommended length: no more than 40 lines

Prose / Personal Essay – 500 to 1,200 words

Short Fiction – 600 to 1,500 words

Dramatic Monologue / Dialogic Script – Two characters maximum; up to 1,200 words

Submission Format Requirements

- Each entry must be submitted as a Word (.doc/.docx) or PDF file.
- Please name your file using the following format:
[Category][Your Full Name][Title].docx/pdf
Example: Poetry_JamesSmith_TheOtherSide.pdf

Each submission must include:

Your full name

School name

Grade level

Email address

Submission category

Title of your piece

Submission Limit

Each participant may submit up to two entries total, limited to one per category.

Important:

-If submitting to more than one category, please submit each entry separately (one form submission per piece).

-If more than two entries are received from the same participant, only the last two submitted entries will be considered.

Language and Originality

-All work must be written in English and be entirely original.

-Use of AI-generated or AI-translated content is strictly prohibited.

-Previously self-published work (e.g., personal blogs or school magazines) is allowed as long as it is your own original work.

Submission Deadline

All entries must be submitted by August 20, 2025 (11:59 PM CST).