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Rules

1. All essays must be written about one of the assigned topics. 
   
   
2. Essays must be typed, double spaced, and written in 12 point Times New Roman. Entries can be a maximum of 7 pages. All pages should be numbered in the upper right corner. Entries not properly formatted will not be read. 
   
   
3. All submissions must be original to the author and participants must sign a statement of originality.
   
   
4. Participants can enter a maximum of one essay.
   
   
5. Participants will select one of two divisions: WKCTC students or “community”. Students enrolled in WKCTC courses in the spring 2026 semester (this includes dual credit students) will enter the student category. All others (faculty and staff, community members, students not enrolled in dual credit, etc.) will enter the “community” category.
   
   
6. Entries received after the deadline will not be considered for awards.
   
   
7. Entries that cannot be opened due to malfunctioning uploads or incompatible file formats will not be considered for awards.
   
   
8. The writer’s name should not appear anywhere on the submission itself. Submissions that contain the writer’s name will be discarded.
   
   
9. Essays must be received on or before March 6, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST. These will be uploaded to the WKCTC One Book Read website.
   
   
10. Essays must be previously UNPUBLISHED and cannot have won other writing contests.
    
    
11. Winners in each category will receive $100 for first place and $50 for honorable mention.   March and will be invited to attend an opening reception with the author of the One Book Read.
    
    
12. Contact Dr. Kim Russell  for more information.

Please select your essay topic(s) from this list:

• “Finding Light in the Darkness” – Write about a time in your life when, like Cash or Delaney, you found hope or beauty in a hard situation. How did that experience change you?

• “When I Found My Place” – Cash struggles with feeling like he doesn’t belong. Describe a time when you finally felt seen, understood, or at home in an unfamiliar or uncomfortable situation or place.

• “The People Who Believe in Us” – Dr. Adkins, Cash’s grandfather, and others believe in him before he believes in himself. Discuss the role a mentor (or mentors) has played in your life.

• “The Poetry of Everyday Life” – Cash often finds poetry in small, ordinary moments. Write about the beauty you see in something that others might overlook or take for granted.

• “When I Chose Courage” – The novel is full of moments when characters act bravely despite fear. Describe a time you had to make a difficult choice that required courage.

• “Home Isn’t a Place” – Cash learns that “home” can be more about people and moments than geography. What does “home” mean to you?

• “Holding On and Letting Go” – Throughout the book, Cash learns when to hold tight to memories and when to let go. Write about something or someone you had to let go of, and how that experience helped you grow.

• “What This Book Taught Me” – Reflect on a character, theme, quote, or moment from In the Wild Light that stayed with you. How does it connect to your own life or outlook?

• “Kindness Toward Myself” – Cash often shows compassion to others but struggles to show it to himself. Write about what it means to treat yourself with kindness, even when you feel like you don’t deserve it.

• “The Road Back to Joy” – The characters in In the Wild Light move through sadness toward hope. Write about how you’ve rediscovered joy after a difficult time.

Rules

1. Poetry can be written in any poetic style but must be related to one of the contest themes.

2.  A poem in its entirety must be an original work by the person entering the contest.  Use of AI  is not permissible and will result in disqualification.

3. Writers may submit up to three poems, but only one of those is eligible for a cash award.

4. Do not include your name or any other information on the document with your poem.

5. There is no length minimum or maximum for poetry

6. Poems must be typed.  If the poem is longer than one page, page must be numbered.

7. Poems must be submitted in PDF format.  No other formats are accepted, and entries in other formats will not be judged.

8. Poems must be previously UNPUBLISHED and cannot have won other writing contests.

9. Poems must be submitted before 11:59 PM on March 6, 2026.

10. Participants are also permitted to enter the essay and photography contests.

11. The following criteria will be used to evaluate poetry:  Thematic connection, originality and voice, emotional impact, craft and language, and presentation/clarity

Poetry Contest Themes

• Grief, Healing, and the Power of Hope

• Friendship as a Lifeline

• Mental Health, Vulnerability, and Emotional Honesty

• Nature and the Sacred in the Everyday

• Identity, Belonging, and Finding Home

• The Power of Words, Art, and Expression

• Quiet Heroes

• Courage, Change, and New Beginnings

Photographs should capture the spirit and themes of In the Wild Light by Jeff Zentner.  Participants are not required to reference the book specifically, though they are welcome to do so.  Photographs should relate to one (or more) of the following themes:

• Friendship, love, and connection

• Grief, healing, and resilience

• Nature as comfort and renewal

• Leaving home, belonging, and self-discovery

• Mental health and quiet strength

• Beauty in ordinary moments

• Light in darkness — hope and transformation

Rules

1. Entries must be the photographer’s own original work taken by the entrant.  Photographs cannot be previously published and/or entrants into another photography or art competition.

2. Each entrant may submit up to three photographs.  However, only one photograph will be eligible to be awarded a cash prize.

3. Photographs must be submitted in print format.  Photographs should be 8 X 10 and matted in an 11 X 14 matte (color of matte is not specified, and entrants, and choose any color).  Please do not submit framed photographs.

4. Photographs must be brought to the circulation desk at the WKCTC Matheson Library before March 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM.  Entries that are not submitted by March 6 will not be judged.

5. Entries must be human-created photographs, not generated or substantially altered by AI.  It is at the judge’s discretion to determine if a photograph is “AI generated or substantially altered.”

6. Prizes will be given for first place ($100) and honorable mention (2 @ $50 each).  There will be a category for WKCTC students as well as “community.”  To be considered a WKCTC student, participants must be enrolled in at least one WKCTC course (this includes dual credit courses) in the spring 2026 semester.  All other participants will be considered “community” (including WKCTC faculty and staff).

7. Contestants must certify that their work was created and edited ethically and honestly.

8. Along with each photo, participants must include a short artist statement (up to 150 words) explaining how the photo connects to a theme from In the Wild Light.  This statement should be printed in Times New Roman font size 12.  Titles for photographs are encouraged. Entries without this statement will not be judged

9. Images must be appropriate for a general audience and will be displayed in the Matheson Library.  No explicit, violent, or discriminatory content.

10. Judging will be based upon the following criteria:  thematic connection, creativity and originality, emotional impact,  composition, technical quality, artistic statement/intent