No, really. These opportunities are geographically specific. But if you meet the requirements, give it a go!

Keep in mind that a lot of opportunities are annual events, whether it’s a call for submissions, a contest, a grant, or workshop. So if you miss this year’s deadline, think of it as getting a jump start on next year. I’ve done this and it can work out very well.

Good luck!

For high school students living within 100 miles of St. Louis:

2010 Beverly Hopkins Memorial Poetry Contest for High School Students

First prize, $50. Second prize, $35.

First, second, third prize and honorable mention winners will be invited to perform their poems at The Annual Poetry Concert, May 16, 2010. Winning poems will be published in a chapbook available at the concert.

No entry fee. Eligible poets must be high school students living within 100 miles of St. Louis.

ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED BY March 1, 2010.

For complete submission information, see the St. Louis Poetry Center web site.

For high school/college students in Georgia

Pegasus, the literary journal at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, invites submissions of poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction, and artwork for the upcoming spring 2010 issue. The submission deadline is January 31, 2010.

Pegasus is a regional journal, focused only on Georgia writers who are of high school age or who are freshman or sophomores in Georgia colleges. All other writers should query the editor, Jeff Newberry <jnewberry(at)abac.edu> (replace (at) with @), before sending any submissions. Past issues have included invited features by Mark Leidner, Janisee Ray, Patrick Phillips, and Amy Blackmarr.

Pegasus accepts electronic submissions only.

Please see the Pegasus site for full submission guidelines.