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Rural Voices Youth Contest

Each year, the North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC) sponsors the Rural Voices Youth Contest to engage high school seniors in a thoughtful reflection on rural Kansas. Since the contest began in 2006, more than $30,000 in awards have been given to students in the region.

 

Each year, two winners will each receive a $1,000 cash prize and the John R. Cyr Rural Voices Award. This award is named in tribute to John R. Cyr, who served as the Executive Director of NCRPC for 22 years. Winning entries are alo published on the NCRPC website.  

Congratulations to the 2025-2026 contest winners!

  • Lainey Peschka, Ellsworth Junior/Senior High School

  • Grant Rice, Minneapolis Junior/Senior High School

2025–2026 Theme
Rural Kansas…Tomorrow's Possibilities

Imagine you have the opportunity to shape the future of rural Kansas. What could your hometown—or rural communities across the state—look like in 5, 10, or 15 years?

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Students were invited to explore:

  • Their role in shaping their community's future.

  • Ideas that could create lasting, positive change.

  • How leadership, innovation, and service can strengthen rural Kansas.

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Whether their passion is agriculture, technology, education, health care, entrepreneurship, community service, or creative innovation, students were encouraged to share how they would help shape tomorrow's possibilities.

Contest details for the 2026-2027 school year will be announced in Fall 2026, with an anticipated entry deadline of February 1, 2027.

2026-2027 Theme

Insert new theme here

Entries should address the following: 

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

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Interested in Submitting?

Ready to share your story? Find answers to common questions and everything you need to submit your entry with confidence.

  • A registration form must be completed and submitted by the contest deadline of February 3, 2026.

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    • The form is a fillable PDF and requires a signature.

    • You may scan and email the signed form or print and mail it - instructions are included on the form.

    • A confirmation email will be sent within 24 hours of submission. If you do not receive one, please contact Lori Thielen at communications@ncrpc.org to verify receipt. 

    • Must reflect the contest theme. Refer to the theme description and prompt provided above. 

    • Minimum 1,000 words. The entry can be fiction or non-fiction. Entries that do not meet the minimum word count will not be considered. Note that the title and any works cited pages (if applicable) do not count toward the word total.

    • Use 12-point font, double spacing, and 1-inch margins.

    • Must be the student's original work.

    • Save as a PDF and email to ruralvoices@ncrpc.org.

      • Do not include your name in the document itself, but do include it in the filename (e.g., firstnamelastnameruralvoices.pdf).​

    • Submit the registration form by the deadline. 

    • Must reflect the contest theme. Refer to the theme description and prompt provided above. 

    • Must be between 3-5 minutes in length.

    • Must be the student's original work. If you choose to use music, ensure that it is not copyrighted and that you have written permission for any copyrighted music.

    • Upload your video to YouTube or Vimeo and send the link to ruralvoices@ncrpc.org.

    • Submit the registration form by the deadline.

  • Contest deadline: February 3, 2026 (11:59 p.m.)

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    All entries and registration forms must be received electronically by the deadline. 

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    Tip: Keep a copy of your sent email for proof of submission in case of technical issues. Late entries without proof will not be considered. 

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    Eligibility Criteria

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    The contest allows one entry per person. 

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    Eligible: The contest is open to any high school senior who lives in and/or attends a public or private high school whose district falls within the 12-county NCRPC service area* - including the counties of Clay, Cloud, Dickinson, Ellsworth, Jewell, Lincoln, Marshall, Mitchell, Ottawa, Republic, Saline, and Washington. Home-schooled students in this same area may also enter. 

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    * A student is eligible to enter if any portion of their school district's official boundaries falls within the 12-county NCRPC service area. 

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    Not Eligible: NCRPC employees and their immediate family members may not participate.

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Rural Voices Contest logo

The Rural Voices Contest is sponsored by the North Central Regional Planning Commission (NCRPC). The NCRPC is committed to advancing rural Kansas through comprehensive planning and development services. Its primary service area includes 12 counties and 83 cities in North Central Kansas.

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For questions about the contest, email communications@ncrpc.org or call

785-738-2218.

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The NCRPC reserves the right to make no awards or partial awards based on the quality of the entries received.

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