In celebration of the voices and experiences of Chinese immigrant youth, Documented is proud to announce the launch of its bilingual essay contest for Chinese high school students in New York City. The contest invites students to reflect on the theme “A Tradition I Hope Never Disappears”, exploring meaningful cultural practices — from food and language to festivals and storytelling — and why they matter.
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The contest is open to high school students who are Chinese immigrants or children of Chinese immigrants (grades 9 to 12) and currently residing in New York City and Long Island. Submissions are due by 11:59 PM, Sunday, August 10, 2025, and winners will be honored at a public award ceremony at the Glow Cultural Center in Flushing on Saturday, August 23. Winning entries will earn up to $500 and publication.
This contest is about more than just writing; it’s about cultural memory, identity, and the power of bilingual storytelling. We want to give young people the space and visibility to share their experiences in both English and Chinese.
Theme
A Tradition I Hope Never Disappears
Write about a cultural practice. It can be related to food, festivals, language, or a cultural story. Tell us why it matters to you and how it has shaped your life or identity while living in New York City?
Who can enter
- High school students who are Chinese immigrants or children of Chinese immigrants
- Currently in grades 9 to 12
- Living in New York City or Long Island
Submission guidelines
- One original essay of 1,100 to 1,400 Chinese characters in Traditional or Simplified Chinese with a version in English that should come out to 800 to 1,000 words.
- Submissions must be the student’s own work. AI writing tools and ghostwriting are not permitted.
- Help from teachers and parents and moderately used online translation tools are allowed, but the core storytelling and expression must come from the student.
- Essays must include the student’s name, grade, school, and contact information at the top
- Please send a single PDF file containing both language versions to april.xu@documentedny.com with the subject line: Attn: Essay Contest: A Tradition I Hope Never Disappears
- Deadline: 11:59 PM on Sunday, August 10, 2025
Format
Please refer to the sample format below:
Prizes
- First Place: $500 + publication on Documented’s WeChat official account and potentially the Documentedny.com website
- Second Place: $300 + publication
- Third Place: $200 + publication
The judges understand that students may have stronger writing skills in either English or Chinese. Regardless of proficiency, all students are invited to apply. The English and Chinese versions of the essay will be judged individually.
All winners will be recognized at an award ceremony on Saturday, August 23rd at the Glow Cultural Center in Flushing, where students will have the opportunity to present their work to an audience of peers, educators, and community leaders.
Integrity in storytelling
To ensure authentic voices are uplifted, Documented encourages raw, heartfelt, and imperfect writing. Participants may be invited to a short follow-up interview, and teachers or mentors may be asked to verify students’ authorship.
For more information, please contact
April Xu
Chinese Community Senior Reporter, Documented
april.xu@documentedny.com
About Documented
Documented is an independent, non-profit newsroom dedicated to reporting with and for immigrant communities in New York City.
