SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) - Aspiring young authors with great stories to share about agriculture are encouraged to enter the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom’s annual “Imagine this...” Story Writing Contest.

Entries are due Nov. 1.

Last year, more than 500 students submitted stories and six state-winning entries plus one honorable mention were published in the “Imagine this… Stories Inspired by Agriculture 2025” book. The fifth-grade winner last year who wrote “The Little Farm Dog” was Josephine Slattery from the Twin Rivers Charter School in nearby Yuba City.

The “Imagine this...” Story Writing Contest invites students in third- through eighth-grades from public, private, charter and home schools throughout California to submit original fiction or non-fiction stories highlighting agriculture’s positive impact. 

“Agriculture is all around us,” said Amanda Fletcher, the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom’s executive director. “We encourage students to get out their pencils and think creatively about an experience they’ve had that involves food, fiber or any topic related to agriculture.”

Regional and state winners will be announced Dec. 1. The six state winners, one from each grade level, will have their stories illustrated by high school art students and professionally published in book form.  Along with their teacher and parents, each will also receive a trip to Sacramento for an awards ceremony at the Capitol that includes medals, e-readers and classroom resources. 

Regional winners will receive plaques, books and teacher resources for their participation.  

“The ‘Imagine this…’ contest helps students and teachers see just how connected we all are to the farmers and ranchers who keep California growing,” Fletcher said. “It’s a fun way for students to explore the world around them while also meeting Common Core writing and literacy standards for grades three through eight.”

Entry forms, contest rules and tips on incorporating “Imagine this…” into the classroom can be found at LearnAboutAg.org/programs/contest. Copies of the 2025 book are also available there for $8.50.

The nonprofit California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom organization works with K-12 grade- level teachers, students and community leaders. The organization is dedicated to educating youth throughout California about the importance of agriculture in their daily lives.