Winners Announced For The 2026 PBS KIDS Writers Contest At WVPB

[CHARLESTON, WV] — The winners of the 2026 PBS KIDS Writers Contest at West Virginia Public Broadcasting (WVPB) have been announced. Eighteen stories written and illustrated by children in grades K-5 were selected out of nearly 100 entries from across the state.

“Every year, we look forward to reading our West Virginia children authors’ stories and love seeing familiar names and classrooms,” said WVPB Director of Education Autumn Meadows. “We have students who have participated since kindergarten and are now in fourth and fifth grade! We hope to continue that tradition, and we hope it will become a new tradition for children starting next year. It’s never too early to start brainstorming!”

A celebration for the winners will be held on June 5, 2026 at the Culture Center in Charleston with author/illustrator Ashley Belote as one of the speakers.

Check wvpublic.org soon to see this year’s winning stories and select animations.

The PBS KIDS Writers Contest at WVPB is an annual competition that encourages West Virginia children in grades K-5 to explore the power of creativity by writing and illustrating their own stories.

For questions, please email WVPB Education at education@wvpublic.org.

See below for our 2026 winners:

2026 Writers Contest Winners

Kindergarten

1st place: “The Werewolf” by Ripley Drescher — Taylor County

2nd place: “The Adventures of Lava King and Water King: The Dirt King Attacks” by Gabriel Snodgress — Upshur County

3rd place: “The Jungle Adventures” by Jacklyn Loy — Marshall County

1st Grade

1st place: “The Living Things” by Cole McAvoy — Hancock County

2nd place: “The Girl Who Doesn’t Like Cheese” by Caelum Groves — Harrison County

3rd place: “The Wild Universe” by Talon Sparks — Kanawha County

2nd Grade

1st place: “Boys to Salamanders” by Bowen Groves — Harrison County

2nd place: “The Bedhead Troll” by Ava Redden — Wyoming County

3rd place: “Mountain Magic” by Maggie Stackhouse — Monongalia County

3rd Grade

1st place: “West Virginia, Monster Mama” by Rowan Bailey — Greenbrier County

2nd place: “The Lonely Gorilla” by Elias Cooper — Wood County

3rd place: “Spot the Dog Saves the Forest” by Helina Goodwin — Marion County

4th Grade

1st place: “Zara and the Book in the Tower” by Francesca Shangler — Cabell County

2nd place: “The Nature” by Addie Baumgardner — Hancock County

3rd place: “The Secret Life of Guinea Pigs” by Isaiah Umbel — Taylor County

5th Grade

1st place: “Hit Zero” by Elise Silber — Kanawha County

2nd place: “Finding the Rainbow” by Zean-Min Eulalie Thong — Kanawha County

3rd place: “The Adventure at Eastern Blue River 2: Expand Your Horizon” by Ryman Dennison — Hardy County

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