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“Stories Out of School” Flash Fiction Contest

Teachers have the most fascinating, difficult, and important job on the planet, and their workdays are filled with stories. Yet teachers seldom appear in fiction. This annual contest, for teachers and non-teachers, was created to inspire great stories about teachers and the rich and crazy world of schools.

2024 Contest

The judge for this year's contest was Pulitzer Prize finalist and MacArthur "genius" Karen Russell. The winning story will be published in A Public Space's print edition and the author will receive $1,000.

First Prize
"Orientation" by Jules Fitz Gerald

Runners-Up
"Feral" by Esther Mathieu
"Cutting the Path" by Matt McGee
"What Frightens You?" by Eduardo Vaca

Read the Winning Stories

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BD Wong reads the 2019 winning story from our Flash Fiction Contest.

BD Wong reading
the 2019 wining story
"A Brief Description of Mister Kuka"
by Santian Vataj
at our annual fundraiser
Show Teachers the Love!

Past Winners

Help us keep great teachers in the classroom

Teachers, our most valuable resource, are struggling. Overwhelmed and under-supported, too many teachers leave the profession too soon. The Academy’s enriching experiences and supportive community have been proven to improve those odds.

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