Teen ETCH

Teen ETCH Creative Writing Contest

The annual Teen ETCH Writing contest is a partnership between the Guelph Public Library and the Vocamus Writers Community. Teens, in grades 7 through 12, are given the chance to become a published author by submitting their original short story or poem to be considered for inclusion in the anthology.

The 2026 Teen Etch Writing contest is now closed; we are no longer accepting submissions. Check back in 2027 for details on the new contest.

Teen ETCH Anthology Cover Art contest

In conjunction with the writing contest, the annual Teen ETCH Anthology Cover Art contest offers teens, in grades 7 through 12, the chance to have their original piece of art be the cover of the 2026 Teen Etch Anthology. Participants must be a resident of Guelph or Wellington County.

The 2026 Teen Etch Anthology Cover Art contest is now closed; we are no longer accepting submissions. Check back in 2027 for details on the new contest.

Questions?

Get inspired

Past Teen ETCH winners

2026 Teen ETCH

Cover Contest

Jia Sun

Poetry

Third place is awarded to Nandini Parihar for "Reflections in Silver Glass"
Second place is awarded to Silvie Muller for "Lookback's Shadow"
First place is awarded to Noah Orine for "Nebulae"

Grades 7 to 8

Third place is awarded to Ishanvi Nair for "My Friend in the War"
Second place is awarded to August McQuigge for "Not Dying in the World of Mirrors"
First place is awarded to Isabel Swan for "Night of Mystery"

Grades 9 to 10

Third place is awarded to Piper Caporicci for "The Girl I Used To Be"
Second place is awarded to Dylan Hostein for "A Letter Without an Address"
First place is awarded to Nandini Parihar for "Ripples of Recognition"

Grades 11 to 12

Third place is awarded to Ril Gibson for "The Man in the Mirror"
Second place is awarded to Kaelin Caporicci for "Frayed Edges"
First place is awarded to Lily Bitton for "Cecil Mead"

2025 Teen ETCH

Cover Contest

Jamie Mino

Poetry

Third place is awarded to Nandini Parihar for "Reflections in Silver Glass"
Second place is awarded to Silvie Muller for "Lookback's Shadow"
First place is awarded to Noah Orine for "Nebulae"

Grades 7 to 8

Third place is awarded to Ishanvi Nair for "My Friend in the War"
Second place is awarded to August McQuigge for "Not Dying in the World of Mirrors"
First place is awarded to Isabel Swan for "Night of Mystery"

Grades 9 to 10

Third place is awarded to Piper Caporicci for "The Girl I Used To Be"
Second place is awarded to Dylan Hostein for "A Letter Without an Address"
First place is awarded to Nandini Parihar for "Ripples of Recognition"

Grades 11 to 12

Third place is awarded to Ril Gibson for "The Man in the Mirror"
Second place is awarded to Kaelin Caporicci for "Frayed Edges"
First place is awarded to Lily Bitton for "Cecil Mead"

2024 Teen ETCH

Poetry

- Third place is awarded to Charlie Anna Mary Ratcliffe for "Adoring an Artist"
- Second place is awarded to Elianna White for "Everything"
- First place is awarded to Noah Orine for "The Wonderseeker"

Grades 7 to 8

- Third place is awarded to Erich Lacsamana for "Women in Time"
- Second place is awarded to SaniaZehra Abedi for "What the Eras Taught Me"
- First place is awarded to Ishanvi Nair for "Queen of Thorns"

Grades 9 to10

- Third place is awarded to Forest Hillis for "Shoot the Arrow"
- Second place is awarded to Melanie Kruis for "A Dangerous Adventure"
- First Place is Divya Dasgupta "The End of an Era"

Grades 11 to 12

- Third place is awarded to Scott White for "The Car"
- Second place is awarded to Kaelin Caporicci for "Between the Lines"
- First place is awarded to Lily Bitton for "Leaving"

2023 Teen ETCH

Cover Art: Zola Senitt

Poetry

First Place: "Gunslinger" by Rory Phelan
Second Place: "Smiles" by Hiba Khan
Third Place: "Falcon of Fire" by Elianna Wylie

Grades 7 to 8:

First Place: "A Song of Souls" by Lauren Zheng
Second Place: "The Dawning" by Piper Caporicci
Third Place: "The Corruption of Progress" by Liam Ruddock

Grades 9 to 10:

First Place: "The Obituary" by Lily Bitton
Second Place: "Little Bunny" by Charlie Ratcliffe
Third Place: "Fire Damage" by Hana Alice Maherali-Caruso

Grades 11 to 12:

First Place: "My First Friend" by Athavi Nishaanthan
Second Place: "They Called Me Katrina" by Julia Pelitis
Third Place: "All the Glitters" by Gwynne Valentine Ross

2022 Teen ETCH

Cover Art: Sadie Henry

Grades 7 to 8 Winners

First Place: "The Book Carrier" by Alexis Jurchuk
Second Place: "Inoculation Challenge" by Piper Addison Caporicci
Third Place: "The Tale of Porcelain Throne" by Olivia Wang

Grades 9 to 10 Winners

First Place: "The Livestream" by Paisley Thomason
Second Place: "Emma and Lilah" by Lily Bitton
Third Place: "A Broken Promise" by Ailish O'Donnell

Grades 11 to 12 Winners

First Place: "Loved" by Athavi Nishaanthan
Second Place: "Statement" by Pearl Aalbers-Davey
Third Place: "I Spy" by Aisha Zubair

Honourable Mentions

"Sunlight in a Jar" by Hiba Khan
"The Desmariate Virus" by Eden Muller
"The Fallacy of Joy" by Mabel Taiwo
"Corona Virus Blues" by Hana Maherali-Caruso

2021 Teen ETCH

Cover Art: Clark Kurtz Favero

Grades 7 to 8 Winners

First Place: "Welcome to the Island" by Olivia Gyuran
Second Place: "Injected" by Kaelin Caporicci
Third Place: "Emerald Island" by Paisley Thomason

Grades 9 to 10 Winners

First Place: "Monster" by Athavi Nishaanthan
Second Place: "World in a Box of Matches" by Joseph Schuurman
Third Place:"Sunshine" by Sadie Pattison

Grades 11 to 12 Winners

First Place: "Windward" by Bea Aalbers-Davey
Second Place: "We are Many" by Aluki Chupik-Hall
Third Place: "Rules for the Road when Travelling Europe" by Darcy Tyrrell

Honourable Mentions

"The Chase" by Katelyn Heyboer
"Goodbye" by Leah Symons

2020 Teen ETCH

Cover Art Winners:

Bronwen Lee for "Summer"
Jiansen Zhang for "Untitled"

Grades 7 to 8 Winners

First Place: "Before the Sunrise" by Desmond Bradshaw
Second Place: "Just Around the Bend" by Mirren Litchfield
Third Place: "Twisted" by Jessie Witherspoon

Grades 9 to 10 Winners

First Place: "Him" by Athavi Nishaanthan
Second Place: "Breathe" by Melia Tessel
Third Place: "Chlorine and Other Constants" by Beatrix Aalbers-Davey

Grades 11 to 12 Winners

First Place: "Smokes on the Water" by Catherine McCulloch
Second Place: "Lavender Perfume" by Katie Gaskin
Third Place: "The Surface of the Sun" by Aluki Chupik-Hall

Honourable Mentions

"Dark" by Zechariah Nasir
"Here She Lies" by Luka Jamieson
"Lights Out" by Sadie Pattison
"At the Edges" by Alex Petrie
"The Leather Jacket" by Molly Griesbach
"Sand Dollar" by Maeve Brennagh

2014-2019

Staff List

Teen ETCH writing inspiration

A selection of short stories and poetry to inspire your writing for the Teen ETCH Creative Writing competition.

GuelphPL_Teens

Staff List

Teen ETCH cover art inspiration

Art books to spark your creativity as you prepare an entry for the Teen ETCH cover art competition.

GuelphPL_Teens

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Teen ETCH

Teen ETCH Creative Writing Contest

Teen ETCH Anthology Cover Art contest

Get inspired

Past Teen ETCH winners

Teen ETCH writing inspiration

Teen ETCH cover art inspiration

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