Read With You Publishing announced the results of the 2024 “Voices From The World” Writing Contest

Sixteen young writers stood out with their original, insightful, and skillfully narrated works. Their pieces will be published as a collection this November. Through Read With You Publishing’s donation channels, the book will reach a wider global audience. The contest’s top winners will also be invited to deliver speeches at the Frankfurt Book Fair in mid-October. 🎉🎆🌹

Perhaps the contest’s prompt played a part in the rich response: What is the biggest challenge you have overcome? How did you overcome it? In just ten months, nearly 600 entries poured in from across the world, mostly from middle and high school students. The contest was created to promote literacy, inspire young writers, and encourage them to share unique perspectives that spark meaningful conversations. We are honored to witness the extraordinary talent showcased this year.

Many stories left a deep impression: a high school student aspiring to become an AI automotive engineer, who interned at a repair shop and grew through unfamiliar challenges; a high school soccer goalkeeper reflecting on his adoption at six, overcoming reading difficulties, and finding confidence and passion in sports; a small-town “quiz kid” who entered a gifted high school program, unlocking the mysteries of growing up during countless late nights, learning how to define success and set priorities to ease anxiety; an overweight girl from New York who used piano and strangers’ encouragement to overcome the weight of others’ judgment.

Everyone faces struggles, and youth comes with confusion. We are grateful that these brave kids put their stories into words and, through overcoming hardship, explored the meaning of perseverance, patience, passion, self-management, teamwork, and ambition; how to confront failure and injustice; and how to discover and understand their own paths. Reflection is a power that helps us become ourselves.

Thanks to everyone who made this contest a success — the participants, mentors, judges, and volunteers.

At Read With You, we are dedicated to cultivating children’s love for reading and writing and the endless possibilities that love creates. Thank you for being part of this journey! We look forward to welcoming young authors and their works in the 2025 writing contest. ❤️❤️