Each year, the George Putz Memorial Student Writing Contest gives young writers across Shawano and Menominee Counties a chance to share their creativity, develop their craft, and be recognized for their work. Coordinated and sponsored by Shawano Area Writers, the contest invites students in grades 1–12 to submit original work in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Students compete within four grade groups: grades 1–2, 3–4, 5–8, and 9–12.
This year’s awards ceremony will be held May 17 at the Meilke Arts Center, when we will celebrate the students whose writing stood out to our judges. The contest offers cash prizes and certificates of achievement, and over the years it has become an important way to encourage young people in our region to see their words as something valuable and worth sharing. Contest judges are selected from outside Shawano and Menominee Counties, helping support a fair evaluation process.
The George Putz Memorial Student Writing Contest has a meaningful history within SAW. After an earlier student contest ended, funding from the George Putz estate helped revive it, and the contest has continued as a way to support student writers in our communities. Since its return, students from a wide range of schools, along with homeschooled students, have had the chance to participate.
Shawano Area Writers is proud to continue this tradition. Opportunities like this matter. They remind students that their stories, poems, and ideas deserve an audience. They also remind all of us that writing begins long before publication. It begins with encouragement, courage, and someone saying, “Yes, your voice belongs here.”
We look forward to recognizing this year’s student writers on May 17 and celebrating the imagination, effort, and talent they bring to the page.
