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2024 Youth Essay Writing Conference:

A Celebration of Critical Thinking Across Disciplines

Writopia’s 2024 youth essay writing conference welcomes the next generation to share their ideas, passions, and research with their peers and the community at large. 

Our in-person conferences will be held in:

  • New York City on Saturday, March 2nd, from 1 PM to 5 PM EST at the New York Society for Ethical Culture. 
  • Washington, DC on Saturday, April 6th, from 2 PM to 5 PM EST. Location TBD. 

 Our online conference will be held:

  • Over Zoom on Saturday, March 2nd, from 1 PM to 4 PM EST / 10 AM  to 1 PM PST.

 Submissions for papers are now open to thinkers and writers ages 11 to 18 from across the country and beyond. We are calling for essays on literature, technology,  politics, philosophy, music, sports, and more! 

Submissions are due by midnight on February 2nd, 2024.  

Click here to submit your essay to the conference!


Featured Panels

Embracing Nostalgia 

Nostalgia is a deep yearning for a return to or a focus on the past. Every day we see reflections of the past in our everyday lives— fashion trends (Oh no, not low-rise jeans!); adaptations, reboots, and sequels of literature, films, and plays; and trying to understand our current world in relation to its history. How does nostalgia show up in your life? How does it help or hurt the world, to contemplate and yearn for the past? 

Self in Society

In a world of widespread punditry, social media sound bites, internet rabbit holes, and mixed messages about what the “ideal” is, it can be hard to recognize and maintain a true sense of self. There are times where we may be willing to compromise small aspects of self to fit within frameworks and there may be times where we cannot. In those instances, how do we maintain a sense of self? Where do we find balance and how do we practice self-care? And how do we speak up and reflect on what matters most to us? 

Our Classic Panel Topics
(Each year, we’re eager to read essays about any of the following.)

  • Literature/Film/Media/Music/The Arts
  • Science/Technology
  • Philosophy/Religion
  • Current Events/Society/Global
  • Race/Culture/Gender
  • ...and more!

Previous Years:

Enroll Now!

Weekly Trimester-Long Workshops

Check out the Weekly Trimester-Long Schedule.

Holiday & School Break Workshops

Check out the Half-Day and Full-Day schedules.

Summer Workshops and Camps

Check out the Summer Schedule.