STC Announces Endangered Species Day Writing Competition

Endangered Species Day in the U.S. is on May 15. To celebrate the achievements of the Endangered Species Act and bring attention to the species that benefit from its protection, Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) is hosting its first Endangered Species Day Writing Competition!

All five species of sea turtles found in the United States are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. For more than 50 years, the Endangered Species Act has provided a strong legal framework to protect our sea turtles while facilitating collaboration among governments, conservation organizations, and community partners. Largely thanks to the ESA, green turtles have set record-high nest counts in recent years and Florida’s loggerhead sea turtle aggregation is now the largest in the world. Unfortunately, the Endangered Species Act, and the iconic species it protects, are under threat.

STC encourages our followers of all ages to submit original writing focusing on sea turtles found in the United States (leatherback, loggerhead, Kemp’s ridley, green, and hawksbill) in the form of a short story, essay, or poem. Examples can include your experience with sea turtles, fictional stories about these species, the importance of protection, why the Endangered Species Act is needed, and more.

Specifics about the contest can be found below:

When:

The contest opens on March 11 and ends on May 8. Winners will be announced on Endangered Species Day on May 15.

How to submit:

Please email submissions to lexie@conserveturtles.org.

Rules:

Submissions created with AI assistance will not be considered. Below are word count limits for each category:

1) Poem (no word limit)
2) Short Story (1,500 word limit)
3) Essay (2,000 word limit)
4) Kids 12 and Under (poem, short story, or essay)

Judging, Awards and Recognition:

Submissions will be scored by STC staff. Winning submissions will be shared on STC’s website, social media, and quarterly newsletter, The Velador. Winners will also receive a free sea turtle adoption kit!

Terms:

Upon submission, participants grant STC the ability to share and use submitted content for promotional and educational purposes. STC will provide credit to the author in each instance.