Houston Public Media PBS KIDS Writers Contest

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the contest?
The entry deadline was Wednesday, March 18, 2020.

How will I know if you received my child's story?
We are not able to tell you at this time because of the Harris County stay-at-home order. The stories are in the offices of Houston Public Media, but have not been opened.

When will the stories be judged?
We are not able judge the stories for the foreseeable future because of the Harris County stay-at-home order.

How will I know if my story won?
The names of finalists and winners will be posted on the contest webpage when the judging concludes.

Will there be an awards ceremony for the finalists and winners?
There will not be an awards ceremony for 2020. At an unknown time in the future, finalists will receive medals/certificates in the mail and winners will receive trophies/prizes in the mail. They will be sent to home addresses if they are individual entries and to schools if they are school entries.

Will my story be returned to me?
Every child who entered will receive a personalized certificate. We will try, but are not required, to return your story to you or your school. We will do our best to make this happen. However, we can't be responsible for lost or damaged entries or postage due on mailings you sent to us. Certificates and stories will be returned to home addresses if they are individual entries and to schools if they are school entries.

Is there a national contest?
No. There is no national contest at this time.

Thank you for your patience. We are all in this together.

Resources For You

• 8.1: Our daytime programming has changed on Channel 8.1 weekdays between 6am – 6pm to provide special At-Home Learning programs for students at all grade levels
• 8.3: Children's programing is still available 24/7 on PBS Kids channel 8.3, houstonpublicmedia.org/kids, and The PBS Kids app
• 8.4: Additional At-Home Learning programs for grades 6-12 have been added weekdays from 11am-4pm on PBS WORLD channel 8.4
• PBS Learning Media for Students
• PBS Learning Media for Parents/Teachers
• PBS KIDS Daily Newsletter