Kansas Rural Voices Youth Contest

Scholarship Sponsored by North Central Regional Planning Commission

Introduction
Each year the North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) runs the Rural Voices Youth Contest to encourage thoughtful commentary from high school seniors about life and opportunity in rural Kansas. Since its inception in 2006, the contest has awarded more than $30,000 to students across the region.

2025–2026 Theme — Rural Kansas: Tomorrow’s Possibilities
High school seniors who live in North Central Kansas (within the NCRPC’s 12-county service area: Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Ottawa, Republic, Saline, and Washington) are invited to submit an original essay or video responding to this prompt:

Prompt
Picture that you can influence the future of rural Kansas. What will your hometown — or other rural communities across the state — look like in 5, 10, or 15 years? Describe the part you intend to play in strengthening rural Kansas through your values, leadership, and ideas. Whether your vision centers on agriculture, technology, education, health care, volunteerism, entrepreneurship, or creative approaches, explain initiatives you believe could create meaningful, lasting improvements. Tell us your vision and how you will help lead the change.

Awards
- Two winners will each receive a $1,000 cash prize and be honored with the John R. Cyr Rural Voices Award (named for John R. Cyr, who served as NCRPC Executive Director for 22 years).
- Winning submissions will be posted on the NCRPC website.

Who May Enter
- One entry per student.
- Eligible entrants: high school seniors who live in or attend a public or private high school whose district falls within the NCRPC’s 12-county service area (Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Ottawa, Republic, Saline, Washington). Home-schooled students residing in the same area are also eligible.
- A student qualifies if any portion of their school district’s official boundaries lies inside the NCRPC service area.
- Not eligible: NCRPC employees and their immediate family members.

Submission Requirements — Registration Form
- A registration form must be completed and submitted by the contest deadline: February 3, 2026 (11:59 p.m.).
- The registration form is a fillable PDF and requires an original (handwritten) signature; digital signatures are not accepted.
- You may scan the signed form and email it, or print and mail it — instructions are printed on the form.
- After you submit the form, you should receive a confirmation email within 24 hours. If you do not receive confirmation, contact Lori Thielen at communications@ncrpc.org to verify receipt.

How to Enter — Written Entries
- Must address the contest theme.
- Minimum length: 1,000 words (fiction or non‑fiction accepted). The title and any works cited page do not count toward the word total. Entries under 1,000 words will not be considered.
- Formatting: 12-point font, double spaced, 1‑inch margins.
- Work must be original to the student.
- Save your essay as a PDF and email it to ruralvoices@ncrpc.org.
- Do not place your name inside the document itself; include your name only in the filename (for example: janedoe_ruralvoices.pdf).
- The registration form must also be submitted by the deadline.

How to Enter — Video Entries
- Must address the contest theme.
- Length: between 3 and 5 minutes.
- Work must be original to the student. If you include music, it must be non‑copyrighted or you must have written permission to use any copyrighted material.
- Upload your finished video to YouTube or Vimeo and email the link to ruralvoices@ncrpc.org.
- The registration form must also be submitted by the deadline.

Official Rules and Deadlines
- Contest deadline: February 3, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. All entries and registration forms must be received electronically by that time.
- Keep a copy of the email you send as proof of submission in case of technical problems. Late submissions without evidence of timely transmission will not be considered.
- The NCRPC reserves the right to withhold awards or make partial awards depending on the quality and quantity of entries received.

Sponsor and Contact Information
The Rural Voices Youth Contest is sponsored by the North Central Regional Planning Commission, which serves 12 counties and 83 cities in North Central Kansas and works to support rural communities through planning and development services.

Questions? Email communications@ncrpc.org or call 785‑738‑2218.