AoPS Academy Short Story Contest

Learn more about our annual AoPS Academy Short Story Contest and read the stories from our Student Authors.

About Language Arts

At AoPS Academy, we help young learners grow as confident creative thinkers. Our Language Arts courses train the intellectual leaders of the next generation by fostering creative problem solving. Read more S

2023 Lower Division Winners (Grades 5 and below)

Annette headshot
Annette Kramer
Bellevue
Pieces of Life
Ansh headshot
Ansh Khanduja
Fremont
Through the Endless Forest!
Veeksha headshot
Veeksha Chigurupati
Frisco
Wish Of A Child
Aashvi headshot
Aashvi Bansal
Gaithersburg
The Legend of the Mystery Locket.
Emerson headshot
Emerson Lee
Irvine
Catastrophe
Srujana headshot
Srujana Rajesh
Lexington
Painting Portals
Molly headshot
Molly Zhang
Morrisville
The Feather of Friendship
Shreya headshot
Shreya Santhanam
Pleasanton
The Magical Notebook
Emma headshot
Emma Li
Princeton
A Life Without Books
Claire headshot
Claire Paulsen
San Diego
Out of the Spotlight, Into Our Hearts
Zoey headshot
Zoey Mak
Santa Clara
The Runaway Dragonets
Kaynisha headshot
Kaynisha Kadia
Vienna
Three Wishes

2023 Upper Division Winners (Grades 6 and above)

Annapoorani headshot
Annapoorani Lingeshwaran
Bellevue
Flawed
Samhita headshot
Samhita Murthy
Fremont
Hidden Gems
Sruthi headshot
Sruthi Kotamraju
Frisco
The Unveiling of My Origin
Isha headshot
Isha Bhadauria
Gaithersburg
From These Ashes, A Queen Is Born
Madeleine headshot
Madeleine Lee
Irvine
Unexpected
Aaron headshot
Aaron Khazan
Lexington
The Case of the Bloody Dinghy: A Detective's Tale
Siddhi headshot
Siddhi Ranjeeth
Morrisville
Lost and Found!
Riddhiman headshot
Riddhiman Rana
Pleasanton
The Battle of Kyorokana
Aarna headshot
Aarna Mallidi
Princeton
Déjà Vu
Addison headshot
Addison Bullard
San Diego
Where Dreams are Born
Shriya headshot
Shriya Jha
Santa Clara
A Bond Beyond Time
Ivy headshot
Ivy Zhang
Vienna
Mystery of The Blood Jewel

2022 Lower Division Winners (Grades 5 and below)

Prompt: Write a story where a good piece of advice saves the day.
Braeden headshot
Braeden Wei
Bellevue
Doors
Aadish headshot
Aadish Shah
Frisco
An Emperor in the Hands of an Adolescent
Evelyn headshot
Evelyn Shepherd
Gaithersburg
The Writer’s Block
Ryan headshot
Ryan Liu
Lexington
Write Injuries in Dust, Benefits in Marble
Siddhi headshot
Siddhi Ranjeeth
Morrisville
One Lie Leads to Another
Aadhavan headshot
Aadhavan Sridharan
Pleasanton
The Awesome, Amazing Adventures of Young Albert Einstein!
Shirley headshot
Shirley Xu
Princeton
The Love Within
Savannah headshot
Savannah Wilson
San Diego
A Leather-Backed Book
Aanya headshot
Aanya Singh
Vienna
Different

2022 Upper Division Winners (Grades 6 and above)

Prompt: Write a story about an unexpected friendship.
Isabelle headshot
Isabelle Li
Bellevue
Beyond the Storm
Rishit headshot
Rishit Anand
Frisco
The Poster
Ahalya headshot
Ahalya Srambical
Gaithersburg
Undying
Anoushka headshot
Anoushka Nambiar
Lexington
The Girl in the Gray Area
Shivaani headshot
Shivaani Sankarlingam
Morrisville
Of Violets Swept Away
Siya headshot
Siya Gopal
Pleasanton
Meaningful, the Movie
Ananya headshot
Ananya Kalwala
Princeton
Blood and Pomegranate Juice
Jenna headshot
Jenna Huang
San Diego
Befriending the Ending
Kurn headshot
Kurn Sundaram
Santa Clara
To Share the Light
Samantha headshot
Samantha Kim
Vienna
Through the Mirror

2021 Lower Division Winners (Grades 5 and below)

Prompt: Write a story about a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
Eileen headshot
Eileen Moon
Bellevue
A Little Red Riding Hood Story
Malinda headshot
Malinda Zhu
Gaithersburg
The Lost Finder
Adrian headshot
Adrian Chen
Lexington
Opening My Eyes
Srinika headshot
Srinika Srinivas
Morrisville
The Train of Giving
Charumathi headshot
Charumathi V.
Pleasanton
Legend of Eyelash
Aarav headshot
Aarav Patel
Princeton
The Forgotten Land
Elaine headshot
Elaine Wang
San Diego
Watch of Time
Lexine headshot
Lexine Song
Santa Clara
The Hedgehog's Problem
Summer headshot
Summer Hsu
Vienna
Alpha of the Pack
Other Grand-Prize Winners: Aryan Padarthi - Frisco

2021 Upper Division Winners (Grades 6 and above)

Prompt: Write a story about someone who persuades an enemy.
Winter headshot
Winter Chiu
Bellevue
The Act of Letting Go
Rishya headshot
Rishya Vemireddy
Frisco
Dimensions Apart
Joy headshot
Joy Jiang
Gaithersburg
To Bargain with Death
Alma headshot
Alma Barak
Lexington
The Perfect Birthday
Sarah Kate headshot
Sarah Hancock
Morrisville
The Broken Chain
Aaron headshot
Aaron Zheng
Pleasanton
A Day in the Life of Mr. Fluffikins
Rishaan headshot
Rishaan Nalwar
Princeton
Black Swans
Gary headshot
Gary Liang
San Diego
The Assassin
Samhita headshot
Samhita Laxman
Santa Clara
A Song of Trees and Whispering Leaves
Victoria headshot
Victoria Zhang
Vienna
Walk with Me through a Street of the Past
"A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it."
Ursula Le Guin