Writopia Lab's Youth Essay Conference

The submission deadline for our 2026 symposium has passed. However, all are welcome to attend!

Each year, we invite essayists (ages 12-18) to share their original thoughts, research, and experiences publicly, and engage in conversation and celebration for their non-fiction writing. We’re continuing in that tradition this year, and expanding it into something bigger.

This year, we invite you to submit not just essays, but also panels and presentations related to the writing process and voice, for Writopia Lab’s Essay Conference and Symposium: Process and Original Voice.

What is a symposium and why are we inviting you to it?
It’s a fancy word for a conference with an exciting array of panels and discussions. We’re curious about your process. We’re invested in your original voice. We’re wondering—as more students reach for ChatGPT and AI for answers to solutions—if both of these are getting lost somewhere in the mix. And so we’re trying something new this spring to explore and celebrate your unique process and original voice.

Ways you can take part.
Our 2026 conference is on Sunday April 19th, from 1:00pm-5:00pm EDT at Goddard Riverside’s Bernie Wohl Center, 647 Columbus Ave, New York, NY 10025.

All are welcome to attend, listen to writers' essay excerpts, hear them respond to questions about their topics, participate in Q&As, and be part of our first ever ‘Topia Talks! 

The conference is free to attend, but we do ask that you donate what you can here: https://www.writopialab.org/donate

Do you have questions? Feel free to send them to elsa@writopialab.org and matthew@writopialab.org.