Established in 1999 in partnership with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, SoLit’s Young Southern Student Writers literary outreach program challenges, rewards, and nurtures Hamilton County public, private, and home school students’ writing and reading skills. The program also supports teachers and parents by encouraging their students with the fascination of reading and the importance of writing.

 

The Young Southern Student Writers' literary outreach program is open to all Hamilton County public, private, and home school students in grades K-12. Working through language arts and creative writing teachers, students submit original works in either prose (fiction/nonfiction) or poetry. The student entries are evaluated on creativity, content, and style. SoLit honors the student winners and their writing accomplishments each April through a special award ceremony open to friends, family, and the community. During the ceremony, student winners receive a Distinction of Merit medal.

 

The literary outreach program began with 450 students participating in 1999 and reached over 4,000 entries in 2020. In 2024, over 300 students were selected to win the Distinction of Merit award. This special literary program continues to reach diverse public school students and to celebrate and nurture them through community education and innovative literary arts experiences.

 

See important dates below, and join us for the 25th year of this Chattanooga favorite!

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