New this year, teachers can sponsor as many students for the contest as they want. In previous years, it was limited to two short stories per grade segment.

Contest co-chairs Larry Buege of Marquette and Nikki Mitchell of Ishpeming oversee all aspects of administration. Interested media, teachers, and students can reach out to them by writing to dandelion@uppaa.org.

The contest deadline is Jan. 31. Per the rules, submissions are accepted in two categories: fifth through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grades. As revised last year, stories entered are now limited to no more than 4,000 words in length. The top prize is $250 in cash for first-place senior division winner and $150 cash for the junior division winner. As always, there are no entry fees for student writers. Complete information on how to submit can be found on https://www.dandelioncottage.org.

Last year’s Dandelion Cottage Award winners were Addison Hoffstrom, first place senior divison; Grace Dee, second place senior division; Kya Gleason, first place junior division; and Gwen Skoog, second place junior division.

Grace Dee

The Dandelion Cottage Story Contest allows young authors to participate in a literary event specifically organized for nourishing their creative writing talent. The top three prizewinning entries from high school writers and fifth through eighth grade groups will appear in the historic volume 10 of the U.P. Reader, an anthology of short stories and poetry from members of the UPPAA.

Their stories will also be recorded in audiobook form by Brandy Thomas of Marquette. Additionally, when released in April, copies of U.P. Reader will be donated to any interested rural libraries across the Superiorland library district. Winners and their families are invited to a special award ceremony on May 16 at the UPPAA Spring Conference.

Kya Gleason

Gwen Skoog