My Story. My Strength.

Children and teenagers experience grief in many different ways. Sometimes grief follows the death of someone they love. Sometimes it comes after divorce or separation, having a parent who is incarcerated, losing a friendship, moving away, illness, losing a pet, a family change, or another experience that changes their world. Forever Healed, Inc. created the Young Authors Healing Initiative to give young people a creative way to tell their stories.

Who Can Participate

Young people ages 5-18 who are Virginia residents.

What Should I Write About?

Write about a personal experience of loss or significant change. Then tell us how you found strength.

What helped you keep going? Who supported you? What did you learn? What would you tell another child going through something similar?

Your story doesn’t have to be perfect. It simply needs to be yours.

Age Categories

How to Enter

Open to Virginia residents ages 5-18.

Each entry should include:

1. The young author’s first name and age
2. Parent or guardian contact information
3. The title of the story
4. The child’s story
5. A brief statement answering, “What does resilience mean to you?”
6. Optional illustrations
7. A signed parent or guardian consent form

Download the Parent/Guardian Consent Form

Adults may encourage and support children, but the story should reflect the child’s own voice and experience. For younger children, an adult may assist with writing or transcription while preserving the child’s words and ideas.

The Opportunity

Forever Healed, Inc. Helping individuals and families move from grief toward healing, restoration, and resilience.