Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Urban Partnership are sponsoring two writing contests for writers in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area.

Two contests, one for short stories and one for essays, are open to high school students. Contestants for the essay contest must write 500 words answering the question, “Who or what has influenced, motivated or inspired you and how has it shaped your outlook on life?” Short story contestants don’t have to follow a word count or topic.

The winner of each contest recieves $250 and publication in the print edition of Bethesda Magazine, while second and third place winners receive $100 and $50, respectively. All winning entries will be published online at the Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Urban Partnership websites.

Lisa Shroder,  Bethesda Magazine managing editor, and Mike Scalise, program coordinator at the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, will judge the contest. A third judge has yet to be chosen.

The deadline for all submissions is Feb. 17. Winners will be announced by April 1 and will be honored during the Bethesda Literary Festival, which runs from April 20 to 22.

Senior Juelia Fong received an honorable mention in last year’s essay contest.

Official contest rules and submission forms are at http://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/writing-contests. All of last year’s winning entries are available at http://www.bethesda.org/bethesda/2011-bethesda-literary-festival-writing-contest-winners.