Local Letters for Global Change: Pulitzer Center Writing Contest 2026

About the opportunity

The 2026 Local Letters for Global Change writing contest, hosted by the Pulitzer Center, invites current K-12 students globally to write a letter to a local decisionmaker addressing a global issue, connecting it to their local community, and advocating for an effective solution. Students practice global citizenship, civic action, and persuasive writing by engaging with underreported issues through Pulitzer Center news stories. Entries can cover one of five focus areas: Climate and Environment, Global Health, Human Rights, Information and Artificial Intelligence, or Peace and Conflict.

Funding and benefits

• First Place Winners (1 per focus issue category): $300 to support global community engagement in the classroom (distributed to the teacher) plus publication of the student's letter, photo, and bio on the Pulitzer Center website.
• Finalists (up to 4 per focus issue category): $75 to support classroom global community engagement (distributed to the teacher) plus publication of the letter, photo, and bio on the Pulitzer Center website.
• Town Hall Participation: All contest entrants are invited to participate in a virtual Pulitzer Center town hall event in November 2026 to share their solutions with students globally.

Who can apply?

• Open to all current K-12 students (elementary, middle, and high school) across the globe.
• Letters may be submitted in English, Spanish, or both.
• Letters must focus on a topic within one of the Pulitzer Center's five focus issues: Climate and Environment, Global Health, Human Rights, Information and Artificial Intelligence, or Peace and Conflict.
• Letters must cite evidence from at least one Pulitzer Center news story.
• Letters must be written by human students (AI may only be used for research, basic proofreading, or translation, and must be fully disclosed).

Required documents

• A one-page letter written to a local decisionmaker answering the five required prompt questions.
• Online entry form details, including basic student contact information and teacher contact information.
• Disclosure statement detailing whether AI tools were used and how they were applied.

When to apply

• Contest Opening Date: August 5, 2026.
• Educator and Student Workshops: Virtual preparation workshops held between August 5, 2026, and October 23, 2026.
• Submission Deadline: Friday, November 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST.
• Virtual Town Hall Event: November 2026.

How to apply

• Select an eligible news story from the Suggested Stories tab or www.pulitzercenter.org/stories under one of the five focus issue categories.
• Write a one-page letter to a local decisionmaker answering all five contest questions: identify the issue, explain its global importance with cited Pulitzer Center evidence, connect it to your community/personal context, explain the recipient's power/responsibility, and propose an evidence-backed solution.
• Submit your letter through the official online entry form before November 1, 2026, at 11:59 pm EST, pasting your text and filling in required student, teacher, and AI disclosure information.
• Optionally mail or email a copy of your completed letter directly to the decisionmaker.

Additional information

• Letters are evaluated by human judges using an official rubric; AI is not used in evaluating entries.
• Addressed decisionmakers can be elected officials (e.g., school board members, city council members, governors) or non-elected leaders (e.g., school principals, corporate executives).
• Educators working with 5+ teachers or 50+ students can request free virtual workshops with the Pulitzer Center team by emailing hberk@pulitzercenter.org.