East Texas Scholastic
Awards
Amazon Gift Cards are available for participants and winners!
Applications are now CLOSED for 2026
The mission of ETSA is to encourage students to write more and provide a fun competitive atmosphere which will help motivate young writers
DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS 11:59 PM FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2026
All entries after the deadline will not be eligible.
Created in 2022 by Capstone and Brook Hill School student Terry Kim, ETSA has continued to grow each year and Capstone College and Career Advising is proud to host this event each year. Each year, ETSA has had a record number of submissions and ETSA participants have represented over a dozen schools in the East Texas area! Prize money in the form of Amazon gift cards will be awarded to the winner.
Submit your entry in any or all of the categories listed. Make sure you provide a valid email and address to insure you receive your prize if you are a winning entry. Good luck!
Essay Categories
Fiction (500-3000 Word Limit)
Non Fiction (500-3000 Word Limit)
Poetry (25-200 Word Limit)
Journalism (250-2500 Word Limit)
2026 WINNERS
FICTION:
1st - Shayla Wilmsen
2nd - Anaiah Sanchez
3rd - Blakely Prince
NON FICTION:
1st - Charli Herell
2nd - Jesse Choi
3rd - Sydney Martin
POETRY:
1st - Adora Akio
2nd - Ellie Bankhead
3rd - True North
JOURNALISM:
1st - Grant Gentry
2nd - Jaxson Rogers
Some Former Winning Samples
The Disappearance of Madeleine Fischer
Mental Health in the Modern Age_ Desensitizing to the Sensitive
- A Letter to My Brother’s Future
Girlfriends
Morality of Genetic Engineering
Empower and Thrive: Wellness Expo for the Black Community in Tyler
Help us support East Texas students by becoming a Corporate Sponsor:
All sponsorship money goes directly to student prizes for ETSA winners. to become an ETSA sponsor, contact Jim Bell at 903-747-3424 or email jbell@capstoneadvising.com.
Please indicate the sponsorship level in the message.
$1000 - C.S. Lewis Level Sponsor - Listing on the ETSA Website with Link plus Listing on Flyers and named sponsor of the event through media coverage
