Six Word Story Contest 2026: Winners!

We had two separate classes participate this year, including a lot of entries from all over the country!

And now, what you’ve been waiting for…here are this year’s winners.

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Contest Winners:

• 1st: She got up, left and thrived.
  – Vic Lyster (Sherwood)
• 2nd: The king’s treasure vault contained seeds.
  – Cathin Yang (Beaverton)
• 3rd: “Dead tree,” they said. Yet, blossoms.
  – Kelsey Crawford (Sherwood) 

Youth Winners:

• Winner: Table for one, shots for three.
  – Oliver S. (Beaverton, age 14)
• 2nd: I awoke, driving on the highway.
  – Indigo F. (Beaverton, age 17)
• 3rd: Dog waited. Door never opened again.
  – Hunter (Beaverton, age 13)

Remote Winners:

• Winner: Bomb specialist clips the wrong wire.
  – William Hudson (Davenport, Iowa)
• 2nd: A bee flies in: learning halts.
  – Linda Sherwood (Naples, Florida)
• 3rd: For sale. Nursing home policy. Unused.
  – Todd Epp (Harrisburg, South Dakota)

Other Honorable Mentions and Staff Favorites (in no particular order):

• Message in bottles: send more bottles.
  – Adam McGrath (Tigard)
• Last Transmission Received. “Alien… life… contacted.”
  – Brody C. (Portland)
• “Google – write a winning six-word story.”
  – Eric Johnson (Sherwood)
• Wash laundry. Forget laundry. Wash again.
  – Sara Ray (Sherwood)
• “What could go wrong?”, proven immediately.
  – Megan Graham (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
• Early bird: fed. Early worm: dead.
  – Samuel Lewis (Searcy, Arkansas)
• The spaceship landed. The Martians ran.
  – Sandy Raschke (Madras)
• Father’s love; daughter’s apology: Both undelivered.
  – Ridhima Kumari (Sherwood)
• First bite turned into last mistake.
  – Michele Rosario (Lebanon, Pennsylvania)
• Emily Jane jumped without a parachute.
  – Jennifer McGrath (Tigard)
• I was the fool among the jesters.
  – Kenyon S., Age 14 (Beaverton)
• Music can express better than words.
  – Amritha A., Age 12 (Sherwood)
• Late for appointment, alarm clock forgot.
  – Jonah M., Age 15 (Tigard)
• Be loud and principled and unafraid.
  – Rachel Hadiashar (Beaverton)
• Studied wild orchids. Bloomed with knowledge.
  – Lisa Maria Lopez (Sherwood)
• My life travels everywhere you are.
  – David Marquess (Sherwood)
• Breaking News: Mutant penguins. Paris destroyed.
  – Judah M., Age 11 (Tigard)

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The literary legend that started it all: While having dinner with fellow writers of the famous Algonquin Round Table in New York City, Hemingway bet he could write a story in just six words. They bet not. He grabbed a pen and a napkin and wrote: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.”  They paid up and Hemingway called it his best work.

Our local and youth winners receive magnetic poetry sets and gift cards to local businesses. Big thanks to this year’s judges: Craig Sheldon, Sherwood City Manager; Melanie Dobson, local author; Jo Guediri, local author; and Jules Rogers, editor of the Sherwood Sun.

Look for a celebration of the winners and honorable mentions on social media this week.