The 2nd Annual
Spooky Story Contest
El 2do Concurso Anual de Historias de Terror
Spooky Story Contest
Contest Theme: Spooky or Halloween-themed stories
Categories for stories written in English: see below
Deadline for submissions: October 23.
We look forward to seeing your creativity on paper!
(or bring a hard copy to MDS)
Concurso de Cuentos
El tema del concurso: leyendas urbanas o historias de terror creadas.
Las categorias para cuentos escritos en español: consulte lo siguiente
La fecha límite para la entrega de los cuentos es el 23 de octubre.
Esperamos que este concurso inspire a explorar su imaginación.
(o traer una copia física a Manglares)
Award Categories
Family Category
collaboratively written by families,
for example, when parents help put young children (pre-writers)'s ideas to paper
English stories
* Age 6-9 category
* Age 10-13 category
* Age 14-18 category
* Categories suggested by sponsors
Cuentos en español
* niños de 5 a 8 años
* niños de 9 a 12 años
* Otras categorías sugeridas por nuestros patrocinadores
Judging Criteria
Creativity and Imagination
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Uniqueness of the idea: Does the story present a fresh and original concept?
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Imaginative elements: Are there imaginative elements that enhance the story, such as world-building, character development, or plot twists?
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Ability to surprise: Does the story manage to surprise or intrigue the reader?
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Originalidad de la idea: ¿Presenta la historia un concepto fresco y original?
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Elementos imaginativos: ¿Hay elementos imaginativos que enriquezcan la historia, como la construcción de mundo, el desarrollo de personajes o los giros argumentales?
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Capacidad de sorprender: ¿La historia logra sorprender o intrigar al lector?
Creatividad e Imaginación
Clarity and Coherence
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Organization: Is the story well-organized and easy to follow?
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Clarity: Is the writing clear and easy to understand?
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Coherence: Do the ideas in the story flow together logically?
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Organización: ¿La historia está bien organizada y es fácil de seguir?
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Claridad: ¿La escritura es clara y fácil de entender?
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Coherencia: ¿Las ideas de la historia fluyen juntas de manera lógica?
Claridad y Coherencia
Overall Impression
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Engagement: Does the story engage the reader and hold their interest?
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Enjoyment: Is the story enjoyable to read?
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Age-appropriateness: Is the story appropriate for the age and grade level of the child?
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Compromiso: ¿La historia involucra al lector y mantiene su interés?
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Disfrute: ¿Es agradable leer la historia?
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Adecuación a la edad: ¿La historia es apropiada para la edad y el nivel escolar del niño?
Impresión General
Story Structure and Development
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Beginning, middle, and end: Does the story have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
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Plot development: Does the plot progress logically and keep the reader interested?
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Character development: Are the characters well-developed and believable?
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Relatability: Are the characters relatable to the reader?
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Principio, medio y final: ¿La historia tiene un claro principio, medio y final?
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Desarrollo de la trama: ¿La trama progresa de manera lógica y mantiene interesado al lector?
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Desarrollo de personajes: ¿Los personajes están bien desarrollados y son creíbles?
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Relación: ¿Los personajes son relacionables para el lector?
Estructura y Desarrollo de la Historia
Writing Mechanics
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Grammar and spelling: Are there any significant errors in grammar or spelling?
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Sentence structure: Are the sentences varied and well-formed?
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Vocabulary: Does the child use appropriate vocabulary for their age and grade level?
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Gramática y ortografía: ¿Hay errores significativos en gramática u ortografía?
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Estructura de oraciones: ¿Las oraciones son variadas y bien formadas?
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Vocabulario: ¿El niño utiliza un vocabulario apropiado para su edad y nivel escolar?
Mecánica de Escritura
Additional Considerations
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Effort: Does the story show evidence of effort and thoughtfulness?
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Neatness and presentation: Is the story neatly written or typed and presented in a clear and legible manner?
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Adherence to guidelines: Does the story meet the specified word count, genre, and other requirements?
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Esfuerzo: ¿La historia muestra evidencia de esfuerzo y consideración?
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Netiqueta y presentación: ¿La historia está escrita o mecanografiada de manera ordenada y presentada de manera clara y legible?
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Cumplimiento de las pautas: ¿La historia cumple con el número de palabras especificado, el género y otros requisitos?
Consideraciones Adicionales
Sponsors (thank you!!) and the Prizes
Grand Prize:
One night at the new Wao Beach Hotel for the winning person and family
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Max 4 people/ not transferrable
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The prize is available on select dates, excluding blackout periods
Funniest Story:
Free zipline tour for a family of 4
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Max 4 people/ not transferrable
Platinum Sponsors ($100+)
Category TBA:
One free surf class for the winner
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Not transferrable
Category TBA:
One free pizza
Category TBA:
One free pizza
Category TBA:
One free hummus
Category TBA:
One free malawach chocolate dessert
Gold Sponsors ($20-100)
Silver Sponsors
Category TBA:
One gift certificate for
hamburger, fries, soda
Category TBA:
One gift certificate for
Smash burger, fries, drink
Category TBA:
One gift certificate for
Nacho platter and soft drink
Category TBA:
One gift certificate for
one sushi roll
Category TBA:
One gift certificate
Category TBA:
One gift certificate
Category TBA:
One ice cream cone
Category TBA:
One ice cream cone
Category TBA:
One free ice cream
Category TBA:
One free ice cream
Category TBA:
One dessert with hot chocolate or juice
Category TBA:
Free acai bowl
Category TBA:
Free sandwich and drink
Past Winners
Here are last year's winners and excerpts from their stories.
Instead of a judging panel, last year's winners were determined by a voting system based on a tally of total votes from students, teachers, and parents.
Best Overall Story
“WHISKERS THE CAT”
BY YAMM & YULI
(Grade 1 & Kindergarten)
"“TROLL'S BROTHER
IS FOUND (A SEQUEL)”"
By Aria, Ben, Keats, Tula
(Grade 2)
"Suddenly, the world exploded! Troll was in space. They landed on Saturn. Troll ran on Saturn's rings where he saw an alien with three eyes. He was green and ugly and pimply. The alien cried, 'Blip, blip, blick!' Troll looked up to see a million aliens running towards him. They looked very hungry. They chased Troll. He ran so fast he made fire behind him. The whole planet was on fire, and he had to go to a different planet, Pluto."
"Jack"
By Clara
(Grade 5)
"I gazed at the coins in awe. Those coins could buy my family five cattle and feed us for a month. I agreed. As soon as I drank the water I knew something was wrong. Suddenly, I felt a tingling in my body. When I looked down, my body was orange and very round and chunky. When I looked up, the old lady looked like a giant. She leaned down and patted the top of my head and smiled."
Judging Panel
Guest judges
Doris W Cheng, Associate Fiction Editor for Bellevue Literary Review and writer of fiction. She is the author of fiction chapbook, Earthling, and a finalist for the 2023 PEN/Bellwether Prize.
Chital Mehta, former Managing Editor for Human Kinetics. She is known for stories based on Asian immigrant themes. Finalist for Pinch Literary Awards 2022, and Boggs Fiction contest winner for 2022.
Regular Judges
Chris Davis, Manglares Discovery School
Chris, a seasoned educator with 26 years of experience, leads the MDS middle school program and teaches 6th and 7th grade. His passion for educational methods, particularly reading and writing workshops, will provide valuable insights to the judging process.
Sandra Ramirez, Manglares Discovery School
Sandra is a veteran educator and a passionate IB art teacher. A literary enthusiast, she possesses a deep understanding of literature. Her artistic and creative perspective allows her to identify hidden literary gems.
Aya Osuga, Manglares Discovery School
In addition to co-founding Manglares Discovery School, Aya is a published author of short stories whose work has graced the pages of renowned literary journals like McSweeneys. Her literary achievements include the Lawrence Prize, and she has honed her craft under the guidance of Pulitzer and National Book Award-winning authors at prestigious writing conferences like Bread Loaf. She hopes to bring her literary experience to the judging process.
FAQ
How scary am I allowed to make my story?
It will be read by adult judges, so feel free to unleash your creativity and explore the depths of horror. Just ensure that your story fulfills the essential elements outlined in the judging criteria. Happy writing!
Can you tell me more about the Family category?
For the family category, we encourage families to collaborate and create together, and empower our little members who are not writing independently yet. The children's ideas should be front and center, showcasing their creativity and perspective. We look forward to reading your heartfelt submissions!
Does my submission have to be scary?
Submissions don’t have to be scary stories. In fact, we highly value funny, heartwarming, or inspirational tales that bring a smile or a sense of hope. So feel free to share your unique story!