For the 35th year, The Spokesman-Review is joining the Outdoor Writers Association of America in sponsoring contests for youth outdoor writing.

The 2022 S-R contest is open to high school students from the newspaper’s circulation area.

Entries must be on the general topic of “outdoors.” This includes subjects such as hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, boating, nature and conservation. Any literary style – including humor, fiction, letters or poetry – is acceptable.

Other contest rules:

• Contestants must be in grades 9-12 and from the newspaper circulation area in Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
• Stories must be original and may be no longer than 1,000 words.
• Include the writer’s name, school, grade, home address and telephone.

Stories must be received by Nov. 30 at 5 p.m.

One entry is allowed per student.

Email entries (strongly preferred) to elif@spokesman.com. Please send stories in a Microsoft Word or similar word processing document. Please include in the subject line “High school writing contest.” Receipt of all email entries will be acknowledged.

Entries also can be mailed or delivered to Youth Outdoor Writing Contest, Sports Department, The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside, Spokane, 99201.

Newspaper staff will pick the best entries and award one $50 first-place prize and at least two $30 runner-up prizes.

Winning entries will be published in the Sunday Outdoors section and entered in the national OWAA Norm Strung Youth Writing Awards. The national contest offers awards of up to $250.

In 35 years, 46 finalists from The S-R contest have won national awards.