An annual writing contest from The National WWII Museum for U.S. students in grades 7 to 12, with Junior (grades 7 to 9) and Senior (grades 10 to 12) divisions. For 2026-27, students write a sonnet, villanelle or free verse poem about an everyday soldier's wartime life, tied to the exhibit Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & the Art of War. Entries need at least five sources and an annotated bibliography. Each division awards $750, $500 and $250 for the top three places.
Offered by The National WWII Museum. Competition for high school students in USA. Format: Online. Cost: Free. Grades 9–12. Deadline: 2027-01-22.
Fields: Writing, History, Humanities
Info checked November 2026.
The National WWII Museum's annual Student Writing Contest asks students across the country to respond to a prompt drawn from a WWII topic or theme.
The 2026–27 prompt is "Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & the Art of War", built around the Museum's special exhibit of the same name, on display through 18 April 2027.
Bill Mauldin was an American cartoonist and a sergeant in the 45th Infantry Division press corps. His characters Willie and Joe depicted the hardship, humour and reality of life for infantrymen on the front line, and later reached troops worldwide through Stars and Stripes.
Drawn to Combat: Bill Mauldin & the Art of War, tied to the Museum's special exhibit running through 18 April 2027.
Details checked on 2026-09-23 against the program's own page.
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