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Danna Ramirez, 17, Alisal High School, Salinas, Calif.: “Scorching Days and Aching Backs”Derek Jin, 17, Noble and Greenough School, Dedham, Mass.: “Change the Game”Dove Williams, 17, Ithaca High School, Ithaca, N.Y.: “ReUse: Experiments in a Circular Economy”Elaine Wang, 13, and Elsa W., American School Hong Kong, Hong Kong: “The Stories Hidden in a Car Park”Emma…

But you can use the first few paragraphs of each essay — what appears before the first photos — as mentor texts for your own introductions, and we’ll show you how, below.First though, let’s remember your broader goals. As we wrote at the top of this post, together, your introduction, photo essay and captions should…

Take six to eight photos that spotlight something interesting about your hometown — a group of people, an event, a place or a visual theme. Enter from Dec. 3, 2025, to Jan. 14, 2026.