Important 2026 Dates Submissions Open: Sunday, March 1, 2026 Submissions Close: Tuesday, March 31, 2026 Awards Ceremony: Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm at the Pickens Library in Jasper, GA
Who Can Enter Any student in 6th – 12th grade that lives or is educated in Pickens County, GA. This includes home school, private schools, alternative school, or virtual school students.
Prizes for Each Category High School (9th – 12th grade) 1st: $75, Certificate of Achievement, and Personalized Marble Plaque 2nd: $50 and Certificate of Achievement 3rd: $25 and Certificate of Achievement Honorable Mention: Certificate of Achievement
Middle/Junior High (6th – 8th grade) 1st: $60, Certificate of Achievement, and Personalized Marble Plaque 2nd: $40 and Certificate of Achievement 3rd: $20 and Certificate of Achievement Honorable Mention: Certificate of Achievement
All writers and teachers or parents will be submitted for a gift card drawing. All Students who submit will be entered to win a prize drawing. Their teacher, learning coach, or parent listed as the teacher will be entered for a prize drawing as well. Each student will receive one entry per admissible submission, up to two. Each teacher will receive one entry per student. Prizes will drawn at random during the award ceremony. Must be present to win.
Contest Rules
How To Submit
Each submission must be submitted digitally through the online form OR as a paper copy.
If you have not created an online an account, begin by clicking the CREATE LOGIN button below.
Each hard copy submission must have a completed Entry Form stapled to it. If you are submitting to more than one category, each submission must have its own entry form. DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME ON PHYSICAL ENTRIES, ONLY THE TITLE.
Hard copy submissions may be turned in directly to the Sassafras Board of Directors. Additional directions for this are on the physical entry form.
Winners for the Youth Writing Contest and the raffle will be announced at the award ceremony. Award Ceremony will be hosted on Thursday, November 19, 2026 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Venue TBA.
Requirements
– One Submission Per Category, Per Person in up to Two Categories – No use of AI or assistive writing software or tools is permitted – Put the title of the story or poem at the top of the work being submitted – Do not put your name on the story or poem. Submissions are judged anonymously. – 1500 word limit for fiction or non-fiction. – 50 line limit for poetry. – Entries must be typed, double spaced, Times New Roman or Arial font, 12 point font.
