The Great Minnesota Health Plan Student Writing Competition

Attention!
Minnesotans have been hearing a lot about health care coverage: delivery cost increases, higher insurance premiums and deductibles, barriers to access, and the loss of rural hospitals and care facilities. At this rate, the status quo is unsustainable. So, how can the system be reformed?
We’re asking YOU, bright young student minds, to tell your story and express your opinion. Let your voice be heard by writing a Letter to the Editor or Commentary for a Minnesota newspaper.
When your piece is published, enter the competition and earn a chance to win a $1000 prize.

Read the Competition Rules below.

Competition Rules:
1. Competitors must write and submit a letter to the editor or a commentary that convincingly supports the vision of a single-payer health plan for all Minnesota residents (such as MNhealthplan.org) to one of the newspapers listed in the Minnesota News Index (https://mnnews.com/index.php/listing-by-county) or any one of Minnesota's published foreign or indigenous language newspapers (see Competition Prizes section below).

2. Competitors must provide proof of current registration for one of the following:
- A high school in the Minnesota State High School League (https://www.mshsl.org/schools)
- An accredited college or university in Minnesota (https://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/four-year-colleges-and-universities-in-minnesota/2857)
- https://www.hbeaa.org/accrediting linked to a Minnesota state school district

3. Competitors can submit as many letters and commentaries to as many newspapers as they wish, as long as the letters or commentaries support the vision of a single-payer health plan for all Minnesota residents (such as MNhealthplan.org).

4. Competitors may submit letters or commentaries that meet the above criteria to newspapers in any Minnesota county, as long as the newspaper is in the Minnesota News Index at the time of submission.

5. Prize-eligible competitors must provide proof that they have successfully published a letter to the editor or commentary meeting the criteria described above, between February 15, 2026, and June 19, 2026.

6. Online comments posted to digital editions are appreciated but will not qualify as eligible for prizes.

7. Prize-eligible competitors must complete and submit the Great Minnesota Health Plan Writing Competition registration form below.

8. Prize-eligible competitors may only submit a single registration form. Any competitor who is found to have submitted more than one registration form will be disqualified from the competition no matter how many letters or commentaries they have successfully published during the competition period. (HINT: If you are clever enough to have multiple pieces published in multiple newspapers, you are clever enough to figure out which single published piece in which zip code will give you the highest probability of winning a prize!)

Competition Prizes:
Cash prize winners will be selected by random drawing to be conducted as follows:
- Eligible submissions will be segregated by the Minnesota congressional district for the street address and zip code of the publication (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minnesota%27s_congressional_districts)
- There will be a separate prize drawing for pieces published in one of Minnesota's great foreign or indigenous language newspapers (including but not limited to, DeBahJiMon, ZeHabesha, Somalimedia, La Prensa de Minnesota, Hmong Times, Sahan Journal). These pieces can be written/published in English or in the student's native language. Students entering for this drawing must comply with all other competition rules.
- A single winner will be selected by random drawing for each of the 8 Minnesota congressional districts.
- A single winner will be selected by random drawing from pieces published in one of Minnesota's great indigenous or foreign language newspapers (see above)
- A prize of $1000.00 in the form of a prepaid bank debit card will be sent to each winner at the mailing address submitted in the entry form
Nine Thousand Dollars in Total Prizes!!!!!
Questions?
Contact us at staff@hca-mn.org

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* 1. Name

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* 2. Date of Birth

Date

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* 4. Phone

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* 5. Address

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* 6. Provide proof that you are a matriculated Minnesota high school or college/university student as described in the Competition Rules

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* 7. Name of faculty member or administrator at your school who can verify your identity

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* 9. Provide proof of publication in one of the newspapers listed in the Minnesota News Index at the time of submission of this form as described in the Competition Rules.

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* 10. Provide the following information about your publication

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* 11. Provide the publication date for your submission in the newspaper that you entered above

Date

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* 12. If I am selected for a prize I would like for my name and my school to be made public as a prize winner for this competition (choose one below)

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* 13. Terms and conditions agreement:

Only valid entries as described in the Competition Rules will be eligible for prizes. No entry fees are required and this Competition accepts no claims of liability from entrants who do not win a prize. This Competition will not share or sell your data. Names of Competition entrants and winners will not be published unless a randomly selected winner agrees to publication. Winners will receive their prize at the street address provided in this form. Only entrants who agree to these terms and conditions will be included in the drawing for prizes.

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