Tiny Memoir Contest Winners

Teenagers were invited to write 100-word memoirs about meaningful moments in their lives. Judges received 14,232 tiny-memoir submissions and narrowed them to a group of finalists.

Seventy-three finalists were chosen: 17 winners, 19 runners-up and 37 honorable mentions. The winning pieces capture moments big and small — a Halloween accident that mangled a fingertip, an unopened Christmas gift kept after a funeral, a ledger of household notes, catching a baby shark, running for student government and playing Minecraft from a hospital bed.

These essays tell a complete tale in just a few sentences, ranging from poignant to humorous, and captured judges’ attention and hearts.

Read the 17 winning memoirs below, then leave a comment telling the young authors how their stories struck you. Congratulations to the finalists, and thank you to everyone who participated.

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