19 January 2026
Dear members,
The Croatian Association of Teachers of English (HUPE) proudly announces the 6th National Writing Competition – HUPE in Storyland for the 2025–2026 school year. The competition promotes creative writing in English, encourages literary expression, and celebrates student talent across Croatia. It is open from 8 December 2025 until 23 January 2026 to all active HUPE members and their students from Croatia. The winners will be announced on 21 March 2026 at the HUPE Day online conference. This year the rules, levels, deadlines and the procedure for submitting the stories are somewhat different; therefore, we ask you to carefully read all the guidelines below before participating and presenting the competition to your students. Thank you.
If you have any additional questions about the competition after reading the guidelines, please, contact our competition coordinator and HUPE newsletter editor, Ivana Kasunić, at hupe.newsletter@gmail.com, as well as your branch presidents via their official emails that can be found here.
Official Rules and Guidelines
Who can participate?
Participation is open exclusively to upper-primary and secondary school students attending schools in Croatia whose mentors are active HUPE members with valid membership at the moment of submission. If you are not a member and would like to become one, please, first register on our website and then visit the ‘Become HUPE member’ section for further instructions on online payment. Students compete individually. Each student can participate with only one story in their grade-appropriate category. Mentors submit stories in an online form through their HUPE website user profiles. A mentor may submit stories from multiple students and schools depending on their place of work.
Categories
There are three categories in the competition. Please, be careful and make sure you select the category you are applying for, as additional changes won’t be possible.
- Primary school – 5th and 6th grades
- Primary school – 7th and 8th grades
- Secondary school – all grades
Topics
Students must choose one of the following topics and story prompts which are obligatory for all categories. Only stories written on one of these three topics will be accepted while all the others will be automatically disqualified.
- One small act of kindness
- A smile that made a difference
- The day that changed everything
Levels
This year's competition consists of two different levels:
- Regional/Branch level
- National level
Mentors submit stories according to the branch they belong to. Each HUPE branch organizes the first round of the competition. The stories are read and evaluated by the Branch Evaluation Committee consisting of a minimum of three members: the president of the branch (chair of the committee) and two additional HUPE branch presidents from other branches (large branches may include more members). If submitted properly, the stories, their authors and their data are completely anonymous, and the committee is only provided with the title of the story and the story itself. Their task is to read and evaluate all stories submitted in their region and, based on the evaluation criteria and the scores, select a maximum of top three stories from each category to advance to the national level.
The list of Branch Evaluation Committee members at the regional/branch level: Silvija Pećanac Bačić (Dubrovnik), Karla Golja Milevoj (Istria), Tomislav Mravunac (Karlovac), Barbara Hanjilec (Zagorje), Petra Blajić (Zagreb), Adrijana Roždijevac (Osijek), Doris Mesaroš (Rijeka), Ivana Borozni (Slavonski Brod), Anita Lasić (Split), Željka Novak Božić (Varaždin), and Ana Džaja (Zadar).
The top stories from all branches are evaluated by the National Evaluation Committee, whose task is to rank the stories and determine the top three national winners in each category. The National Evaluation Committee members at the national level are the seven members of the HUPE Executive Board: Sanja Paić (president), Mirjana Zubak Mičetić (vice president), Tihana Svoren Kolarec (international coordinator), Maja Labaš Horvat (public relations), Ivana Kasunić (newsletter editor), Marija Grah (secretary), and Sanja Pratljačić (treasurer).
Evaluation criteria and word limits by categories
The topic must be one of the three official themes.The rubrics with the criteria below are obligatory for all contestants depending on their categories and will be used by the committee members when assessing the stories. All stories must strictly follow the required word count; stories that fall below the minimum or exceed the maximum will be automatically disqualified.
1) Primary School – 5th and 6th grades
Word count: minimum 500 – maximum 1000 words
Criteria |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Vocabulary |
The vocabulary is not varied or is routinely inappropriate for the story. |
Uses a good range of vocabulary that is often too simple. |
Uses a good range vocabulary that is occasionally a little too simple. |
Uses a varied vocabulary appropriate for the story. |
Organization & Structure |
Ideas and scenes seem to be randomly arranged. |
The story is a little hard to follow. The transitions are sometimes not clear. |
The story is pretty well organized. One idea or scene may seem out of place. Clear transitions are used. |
The story is very well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions. |
|
Language Use (Sentence structure, word choice, grammar, spelling, punctuation) |
Many errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, which makes comprehension difficult. |
Frequent errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, which creates some difficulty in comprehension. |
Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with few errors. |
Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with very few errors. |
Creativity |
There is little evidence of creativity in the story. The author does not seem to have used much imagination. |
The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions, but they distract from the story. The author has tried to use his imagination. |
The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has used his imagination. |
The story contains many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has really used his imagination. |
2) Primary School – 7th and 8th grades
Word count: minimum 1000 – maximum 2000 words
Criteria |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Vocabulary |
The vocabulary is not varied or is routinely inappropriate for the story. |
Uses a good range of vocabulary that is often too simple. |
Uses a good range vocabulary that is occasionally a little too simple. |
Uses a varied vocabulary appropriate for the story. |
Organization & Structure |
Ideas and scenes seem to be randomly arranged. |
The story is a little hard to follow. The transitions are sometimes not clear. |
The story is pretty well organized. One idea or scene may seem out of place. Clear transitions are used. |
The story is very well organized. One idea or scene follows another in a logical sequence with clear transitions. |
|
Language Use (Sentence structure, word choice, grammar, spelling, punctuation) |
Many errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, which makes comprehension difficult. |
Frequent errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, which creates some difficulty in comprehension. |
Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with few errors. |
Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with very few errors. |
Creativity |
There is little evidence of creativity in the story. The author does not seem to have used much imagination. |
The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions, but they distract from the story. The author has tried to use his imagination. |
The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has used his imagination. |
The story contains many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has really used his imagination. |
3) Secondary School – all grades
Word count: minimum 1500 – maximum 3000 words
Criteria |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Plot, Setting, Details, & Development |
Little to no plot line Uses little to no details |
Provides minimally developed plot line Attempts to use details and/or suspense, dialogue, and action, but with minimal effectiveness |
Develops a standard plot line Less-developed setting Uses a range of literary devices (such as suspense, dialogue, and action). Advances the plot, and keeps the reader informed or entertained |
Skillfully develops plot line Clear setting Uses a wide range of literary devices (such as suspense, dialogue, and by action). Skilfully advances the plot, and keeps the reader continually informed or entertained |
Characters |
Characters are underdeveloped and don’t have an adequate background, personality, or motivation. They don’t feel like real people at all. |
Some attempt was made to create a background, personality, and motivations, but the characters don’t feel real. The characterization is weak. |
Characters fall just short of feeling real and three-dimensional. They are missing something essential: a fully developed background, identifiable motivations, or consistent personality. |
Characters feel like real people. There’s a sense of history and background. They have clear personalities and the reader understands their motivations. |
|
Organization & Structure (Paragraphs, Transitions) |
Little to No Structure: Little to no sequencing of ideas Isolated events |
Weak Structure: Sequencing of ideas in text body and/or resolution need revision Some isolated events with weak sequencing |
Effective Structure: Engaging hook Logical sequencing of ideas based on purpose Resolution |
Skillful Structure: Strong, engaging hook Logical and effective sequencing of ideas (structure) based on purpose Clear resolution |
|
Originality (Expression of the topic in a creative way) |
No experimentation nor enhancement of concepts. No adherence to the topic. |
Very little experimentation to enhance concepts. Does not exhibit creativity. |
Sufficient experimentation with language and usage to enhance concepts. Applies basic creative skills to relay ideas. |
Distinctive experimentation with language and usage to enhance concepts. Applies higher order thinking and creative skills to relay complex ideas. |
|
Language Use & Conventions (Sentence structure, word choice, grammar, spelling, punctuation) |
Little or no use of elements of conventions. Many errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, which makes comprehension difficult. |
Some use of elements of conventions. Contains frequent errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation, which creates some difficulty in comprehension. |
Appropriate use of elements of conventions. Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with few errors. |
Effective and creative use of elements of conventions to enhance meaning Uses correct grammar, spelling, punctuation throughout with very few errors. |
Submission procedure
- In order to take part in the competition and submit the stories, the mentor must sign into their HUPE membership account on the official HUPE website and have a valid membership during the competition period. They may log in on multiple devices simultaneously if several students write stories at once. The stories cannot be submitted any other way but through the online form in the mentor’s profile on the HUPE website.
- Once logged into their user account, under ‘Competition’ mentor chooses ‘Send your story’. When the new page opens as an online form, the branch is selected automatically based on the membership. Mentors or students must select the correct category and fill in the student’s full name and school, as well as come up with a unique code of their choice, which will serve as their unique ID (former password) that they should remember.
- After filling in the basic information, students proceed to write the title of the story and then the whole story itself. Students must type their stories directly into the online form as pasting the text is disabled. They should also pay attention to the word count for each of the categories as they cannot submit the story if it contains fewer than the minimum or more than maximum words assigned for the selected category. The exact number of written words is shown at the bottom of the online form. In case of a lost connection or an accidental refresh during writing, the text of the story is saved as a draft but only for a short time.
- After completing the story, the student or mentor must give permission for the story to be published on the HUPE website after the compilation’s competition, and then select ‘Submit story.’ If the story is submitted correctly, this message should be displayed on the screen: ‘Your story has been successfully sent.’
- The submission of stories remains anonymous, as in previous years; therefore, it is very important that the students do not write their names or schools in the fields provided for typing the story and story title. If that occurs, those stories will be automatically disqualified. Even though the stories are submitted through the mentor’s user account, the mentor’s and student’s personal information (name and surname, school, email) is automatically hidden and stored on the website server while only a generated story ID, the story title and the story itself are automatically forwarded to the branch presidents for an anonymous evaluation.
Timeline & deadlines
For the submission deadline mentioned, the final day is inclusive, and stories must be submitted by 23:59 (midnight) on that date in order to be accepted.
Story submission period: 8 December 2025 – 23 January 2026
Publication of regional/branch results (stories advancing to national level): 2 March 2026
Announcement of national winners: 21 March 2026 at HUPE Day (Zoom)
Prizes & certificates
Prizes for students: A gadget of student’s choice for the first three places in all the categories at the national level.
Prizes for mentors: Free HUPE conference fee for the first three places in all the categories at the national level.
Certificates: National winners (first three places) of all the categories and their mentors will receive certificates of accomplishment with the ranking. All other participants competing at regional/branch and national levels will receive certificates of participation. The certificates will be available after the completion of the competition on the HUPE website (My Certificates in user profiles)
Important notes
Only stories fully compliant with all the rules and guidelines will be read and evaluated. HUPE reserves the right to disqualify any entry that does not comply with the competition rules and guidelines, including stories that do not follow one of the required topics, or reveal the identity of the student, mentor, or school.
Entries may also be excluded if they contain inappropriate or unacceptable content, such as profanity, offensive or discriminatory language, disturbing themes, explicit or graphic descriptions, depictions of violence (including murder, suicide, or self-harm), or any material deemed unsuitable for children or young readers.
All submissions will undergo AI-generation detection and plagiarism screening, and any entry reasonably suspected or confirmed to have been generated or assisted by AI tools, or containing plagiarised content will be immediately disqualified without exception. Mentors are responsible for supervising student writing and ensuring academic honesty. HUPE’s decision in these matters is final.
Thank you for taking part in the HUPE writing competition and good luck!
