ISU’s student journal of creative works, Black Rock & Sage, invites you to submit your poetry and prose to our contest. The winner receives $50 cash prize, publication in Black Rock & Sage, and an invitation to read at our launch party!

Any student grades 9-12 enrolled in High School in South-East Idaho is eligible to submit. For the purpose of this contest, Black Rock & Sage, in its infinite geographic expertise, considers these counties to be in southeastern Idaho: Butte, Blaine, Cassia, Jefferson, Madison, Teton, Bingham, Bonneville, Power, Oneida, Bannock, Caribou, Franklin, Bear Lake.

To enter the contest, send an email to  brs@isu.edu that includes your name, high school, and the genre of your work (i.e. poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction). Attach your submission to the email as a .doc, .docx, or .rtf file.

Deadline: January 31, 2026

Past Winners of the High School Creative Writing Contest

2025: Lydia Gibbons, Highland High School

2024: River Kamplin, Pocatello High School

2023: Aiden McLeish, Bear Lake High School

2022: Mason Lewis, Sugar-Salem High School

2021: Emery Steele, Hillcrest High School

2020: Petra Lynn Johnson, Compass Academy

2019: Jacob Luker, Century High School

2018: Aysha Entrikin, Pocatello High School

2017: Ellie Bailey, Highland High School

2016: Jeremy Wilson, Century High School