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The Storytellers of Tomorrow

The 7th Annual "Storytellers of Tomorrow" High School Creative Writing Contest

The contest has closed. Results will be announced by Monday, February 7, 2022.

The Ringling College of Art and Design Creative Writing Program was created to support, empower, and honor young writers. It’s an exciting time to be a writer thanks to the increasing number of narrative possibilities that new technologies and media offer. We believe that well-told stories can speak truths and communicate ideas in a way that nothing else can.

To that end, we’re inviting all high-school-age students to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the 7th Annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. The sole criterion for earning prizes in this contest is simply overall quality, meaning that well-edited, engaging, and evocative stories have the best chance of winning over the judges. 

Submit Your Writing Here
Prizes
FAQs
List of Winners
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Ringling College of Art + Design

2700 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34234-5895
info@ringling.edu
Phone:(941)351-5100

Office Hours:
M-F 8:30 am – 4:30 pm EST

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To enter the contest:

  • Email your micro-game as a plain-text document (pdf, doc, or docx) to anyonesgame@ringling.edu
  • Title your submission by YOUR LAST NAME + TITLE OF YOUR GAME, not “Ringling Contest,” “Contest Entry,” or anything like that. (Example: DakanTheWithering.pdf or JonesCatAttack.docx)

Please also include:

  • A short bio focused on your writing and gaming background (50 words max)
  • Name of your high school
  • City and state of your high school
  • Your current year in high school
  • How you heard about the contest

Prizes in Each Category

1st prize

  • $1,000
  • 1:1 consultation about your writing with a literary agent or editor
  • iPad for each winner’s high school writing teacher
  • Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt

 

2nd prize

  • $100
  • Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt

 

3rd prize

  • $50
  • Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt

 

Honorable mentions

  • Ringling College Creative Writing T-shirt

FAQs

How do I submit work?
Follow the instructions above and you’ll be all set.

Do I need to use special formatting for my contest entry?
No. Single- or double-spaced plain-text documents in 12-point fonts are fine. Though please include your name both in the doc and in the file title, as well. (See the above instructions for examples of how to title your submission file.)

I’m not a visual artist. Can I still submit?
Your submission should be the text for an original tabletop roleplaying game. While you can be strategic in how you lay it out on the page to create clarity, please don’t send accompanying artwork. The game samples offered above are merely to show how a game fits the word count. The design aspects were added later when they appeared in book form.

Will the contest entries be published?
That’s not in the current plans. If that changes, we’ll alert you and you’ll have the option to decline.

Am I giving up any rights by submitting?
No. Your work is not being published, and you own it 100%.

Can I submit more than one time to this contest?
It’s one entry per contestant per contest year. 

What are you looking for with these games?
High-quality writing that engages the reader and a game that’s fun for players.

I’m not in high school. Can I still submit?
This contest is only for high school students.

I’m 10.  Can I still submit?
If you’re in a high school curriculum, yes.

I don’t live in the United States. Can I still enter?
Absolutely.

Do any colleges teach game writing?
We do. We have courses such as Writing Tabletop Games and Writing for Video Games. Check us out at www.ringling.edu/Creative-Writing.

Is Ringling College associated with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus?
John Ringling was involved with the launching of the institution in 1931, but beyond that, we have no relationship to the circus beyond the association of his name. So the circus’ closing in 2017 had zero effect on Ringling College.

I’ve got a question that doesn’t seem to be answered anywhere. What do I do?
Send your question via email to anyonesgame@ringling.edu with the subject line “Contest Question.”

Winners of the 7th Annual Storytellers of Tomorrow Contest!

GENRE STORIES

First Place: “Seashells” by Miliana Walton, The Webb School (TN)
This illustrated short story exemplifies the interdisciplinary spirit both Ringling and the Creative Writing Program strive to achieve. The layered simplicity of a young woman’s trip to the beach and poignant conversations with some of the ocean’s most essential objects delves into the fulfillment and emptiness of brief spiritual connections.  

Second Place: “The Magician” by Fiona Lu, Hillsdale High School (CA)
From its memorable opening line to its fantastical conclusion, this short story masterfully combines magical realism with a gritty, pulp-like sensibility, reinforcing the very human need to take risks when exploring the mysteries of our world and beyond. 

Third Place: “Geidmann’s Quintessential, All-Complete Zoo” by Kylie Wang, Campolindo High School (CA)
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to go to an intergalactic zoo, this is the story to take you there. The rich, detailed descriptions lull the reader into a welcomed trance, making the surprise ending all the more powerful. 

Honorable Mentions:
(in alphabetical order)

  • “Eraser Marks” by Emma Alexander, Wantagh High School (NY)
  • “Project Memory” by Abigail Cushman, Westborough High School (MA)
  • “The Kraken” by Bailey Fouraker, Florida Virtual School (FL)
  • “Pindrops of Scarlet” by Caroline Grier, John Jay High School (NY)
  • “Holiday Barbie” by Tien Hoang, J.R. Tucker High School (VA)
  • “Sights of the Eye” by Abby Hwang, Notre Dame High School (NJ)
  • “The Library of Rejections” by Serafina Hwang, Northgate High School (CA)
  • “Angel Graves” by Skylar Maranto, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology (VA)
  • “Self Defense” by Joey Qi, Lowell High School (CA)
  • “Misfire” by Ulyana Sharapova, Magic Castle School (Russia)
  • “The Hall of Mirrors” by Alexandra Volkova, Bergen County Academies (NJ)
  • “Untitled Document” by Daria Volkova, New Trier High School (IL)
  • “Quicksand” by Bill Yang, Germantown Friends School (PA)

LITERARY STORIES

First Place: “Save Face” by Madeline Chun, The Hockaday School (TX)
This chilling first-person tale plunges the protagonist into a pool of raw honesty, allowing the reader to wade side-by-side in the deep seas of complex parental relationships.  The author harnesses a rare boldness seen only in fine storytelling and surprises the reader with moments of gobsmacking detail. 

Second Place: “Writing Myanmar” by Matt Hsu, San Francisco University High School (CA)
Experimental in form, this lyrical and captivating collection of vignettes follows a young Burmese poet as he attempts to make sense of daily life in the world around him with a family who is oceans away.  

Third Place: “Lists, Brunettes, and Poptarts” by Jordan Shaevitz, Princeton High School (NJ)
Deftly weaving between second and third-person point of view, this story packs a punch in its simplicity.  The author is a minimalist in style and a powerhouse in emotion as they commission their main character to embark on a sincere yet frank quest for truth and origin. 

Honorable Mentions:
(in alphabetical order)

  • “Congratulations” by Ruby Arthur (NYC)
  • “What It Means to Be Living” by Shem Brown, The Kinkaid School (TX)
  • “Vines” by ChiaYu Chou, Shanghai SMIC Private School (China)
  • “Things She Told Me” by Anna Ferris, Fox Chapel Area High School (PA)
  • “For You Alone” by Tony Foote, Cheney High School (WA)
  • “Flight” by Sophia Hall, Holton Arms (MD)
  • “Why Birds Crash into Windows” by Natalie Hampton, Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (TX)
  • “Diet Mountain Dew” by Jenny Hu, Seven Hills School (OH)
  • “Every Room” by Miceala Morano, Haas Hall Academy at the Jones Center (AR)
  • “Mother” by Sakshi Umrotkar, Mission San Jose High School (CA)

NONFICTION STORIES

First Place: “Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle in Quantum Mechanics” by Samantha Liu, Ridge High School (NJ)
Rhetorically rich and sophisticated in its structure, this account of the troubled relationship between two siblings brims with heart, humor, and melancholy.

Second Place: “Saturn Devouring his Child” by Jenny Hu, Seven Hills School (OH)
The author engages the senses in a way that is both beautiful and unsettling, and their deft use of allusion adds a brightness to the piece, keeping the tone serious without feeling heavy. 

Third Place: “lowercase moments” by Lucille Elliott, Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology (VA)
In language as unassuming as its title suggests, this short piece doesn’t flinch in its examination of the effects of grief on a family.

Honorable Mentions:
(in alphabetical order)

  • “stories from the street that raised me” by Emma Jade Cantrell, A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts (FL)
  • “Handiwork of a Lazy Priest” by Travis Cooper, Sequoia Choice Arizona Distance Learrning (AZ)
  • “I Am From…” by Sade Copeland, Leon High School (FL)
  • “Cougar” by Avery Gendler, Interlochen Arts Academy (MI)
  • “The Buddha’s Belly” by Sophia Hall, Holton Arms (MD)
  • “The Last Indian” by Pranav Mukund, Greenhill School (TX)
  • “The Problem with Peace and Birds” by Brooke Nind, Westlake High School (CA)
  • “Daily Lives With Cognitive Biases” by Ayla Holland, Palmetto High School (FL)
  • “A Conversation with God” by Melissa Uchegbu, Alpharetta High School (GA)
  • “Middle School Feud with Time” by Sakshi Umrotkar, Mission San Jose High School (CA)

Staff

Director of Library Services

941-359-7582

Kristina Keogh

Digital Curation and Special Collections Librarian

941-359-7583

Janelle Rebel

Technical Services Librarian   

941-359-7586

Janet Thomas

Instructional Design Librarian

941-309-0038

Claire Powell

Instructional Design Librarian

941-359-7671

Kayla Morrell

Archivist

941-309-4055

Alexandra Vargas-Minor

Library Technician III (Cataloging and Metadata Assistant)   

941-359-7631

Lisa Martinez

Library Technician II (Periodicals and Interlibrary Loan)

 

Vacant

Library Technician III (Circulation Manager)  

941-359-7587

Tim DeForest

Library Technician III (Acquisitions Manager/Office Support)  

941-359-7584

Yolanda Coleman

Library Technician II (Circulation Assistant)  

941-359-7587

Sean Farrell

Circulation Assistant

 

Vacant

Circulation Assistant

 

Christina Song

Circulation Assistant Vacant

Borrowing

Patron Type # of Items Type of Material Borrowing Time
Student 40 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* 7 days
Faculty and Staff 40 Books 6 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 7 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* 7 days
Trustee, Alumni, Cross College Alliance, and  15 Books 3 weeks
Ringling College LibraryAssociation Members CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
PreCollege 5 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
Local Teacher 15 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
Chartwell’s and Follett employees located at Ringling 15 Books 3 weeks
CDs and CD-ROMs 3 days
DVDs and Blu-Ray 3 days
Magazines (unbound) 3 day
Magazines/Annuals (bound) 5 days
Videogames* N/A
*The video game collection supports the research and teaching of the Game Art & Design program. Video games may not be checked out by Alumni, Ringling College Library Association members or Family members.

Spaces

The Alfred R. Goldstein Library features a wide variety of quiet, group study, and work process spaces. Looking for a quiet study area? Make your way up to the 3rd floor to look for a book in the Research Collection or peruse the new art magazines while relaxing in comfortable seating. When the weather is nice, you can take your coffee from Roberta’s Café on the first floor to one of the four terraces to work outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Looking for meeting space to get together with a group? Check out the group study rooms, which are available on all three floors of the Goldstein Library. The 10 group study rooms are available to students on a first-come first served basis, or available for booking by Ringling College faculty and staff for group and class meetings.

Library Hours

Library Services Hours (when classes are in session):

Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Monday & Tuesday: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Wednesday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: Noon – 6:00 p.m.

Holidays and Breaks:
The Library is closed on holidays, as designated by the institution, and typically operates on a Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM schedule during breaks.

Ringling College ID Access Only

Please note a Ringling College ID is required for access, except from 8:30am – 4:30pm from Monday – Friday.

Hours for the Brizdle-Schoenberg Special Collections Center:

By appointment only from Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., no drop-ins. Closed Saturday and Sunday. Contact specialcollections@c.ringling.edu to schedule an appointment.

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Ringling College of Art + Design
Alfred R. Goldstein Library
2700 N. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34234-5895

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We welcome recommendations for new library materials from the Ringling College community. Librarians will consider all requests bearing in mind their appropriateness for the collections and the current budget.
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