Promote Good Penmanship and Celebrate Handwriting!

The Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest is the ideal opportunity for schools to celebrate the benefits of handwriting instruction and for students to showcase their manuscript and cursive skills. We’ve made some exciting changes to the contest for 2024; see What’s New for 2024 for complete details.

Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest Fast Facts

• Zaner-Bloser estimates that more than 2.5 million students have participated in the contest since its inception.
• Participants can enter by mail or online submission.
• All contest entries, both manuscript (print) and cursive, are judged according to the Zaner-Bloser Keys to Legibility: Shape, Size, Spacing, and Slant.
• The sentence all students are required to write on their entry form is chosen because it contains every letter of the alphabet: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
• All Grand National Champions and Nicholas Maxim Award Winners receive a cash prize and a special trophy!

Download the complete fast facts sheet to learn more.

Who Can Enter?
The contest is open to all students in grades K–6 (K–2 entries in manuscript and 3–6 entries in cursive). Students with disabilities are invited to compete for the Nicholas Maxim Award for Manuscript and Nicholas Maxim Award for Cursive. Named in honor of a talented past participant, these awards recognize students with cognitive, intellectual, physical, and/or developmental disabilities. (See official rules on the How to Enter page for details.)

When Does the Contest Run?
The Zaner-Bloser National Handwriting Contest kicks off each fall and runs through February 1. Winners are announced and prizes awarded each spring. Meet our 2023 winners!

Get Ready to Win

See our How to Enter page for contest tips, official rules, entry forms, and submission instructions. All entries are due February 1.