Who doesn’t want to win a prize!

Enter the 100-Word Tiny Memoir Contest, sponsored by Arts and Communication, for a chance to do just that. But, do it quickly! Submissions are due by Dec. 1, 2025.

Some may be wondering What, even, is a memoir? In short, a memoir is a personal story that reflects on how a specific event or period of life shaped the writer. In this case, however, the memoir must be tiny: 100 words–no more, no less–with no grammatical mistakes. Of course, “originality” will be taken into high consideration, as well.

Mrs. Amy Stine–who teaches English 11 Dual Credit and Advanced Composition, and is also in charge of the Yearbook–offers some useful advice to those who are participating or are interested in winning the prize. “My tip would be to just sit down and write. Don’t worry about it being perfect the first time around,” she insists. “Worry about not starting!” Mrs. Kathleen Coates, who teaches English 12 and Film Literature, has a different approach. “I would tell students to think about the relatable, universal emotion that they want their audience to sense, feel, or get out of the memoir.” Continuing, she adds, “Be very specific and use powerful verbs!”  

From a student perspective, creative writer Senior C’Nedra Johnson shares her insights. “Using correct grammar and finding your writer’s voice is the key, but try not to get caught up in the details.” After all, contestants have only 100 words to convey their memoirs.

Tips can be helpful, but not helpful enough if a person just doesn’t know what to write about. Mrs Stine shares what she would do. “If I were a student and I was participating, I would write about something funny. There’s so much that is serious in the world right now, and I think we could all use a laugh.” As for Mrs. Coates: “I would write about me graduating from college!” Johnson said she’d choose to write about “a moment in [her] life that sticks out the most in [her] memory.” 

If one participates in this contest, it isn’t just about winning. Mrs. Coates and Johnson both agree that the process is also a valuable growth experience. Students will learn “how to be disciplined in their language and how to be precise with it,” Coates states.  And, Johnson adds, “I’d say it’s a good way to practice and get experienced with writing. I’d recommend competing!”   

So, whether the competitors write about something funny or personal, at the end of the day, the competition is still about the valuable experience in selecting 100 words to tell one’s story–and, of course, a prize!

Click Here For More Details AND For Submissions