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The Daisy Nationals always feature a lot of cool stuff for the youth competing – Daisy wants its National Championship match to be more than just a shooting competition. We want it to create memories on and off the firing line.
The Daisy Nationals Essay Contest is one of those extras, like the contests, barter bar and other aspects that make this event so special. The Essay Contest is sponsored by OJEFA, the Outdoor Journalist Education Foundation of America. OJEFA is dedicated to supporting aspiring young outdoor communicators.
2026 Daisy Nationals Essay Contest Winners
Third Place: Deklynn Gaulrapp, Codington County, South Dakota — $200
First Place: Emma Prencke, Appling County 4-H, Georgia — $500
Second Place: Eli Showalter, Reno County 4-H, Kansas — $300
The task was to write about the Daisy Nationals experience and being a part of the shooting sports as a whole, but with these youth, family is always play a big role. Here’s an excerpt from Gordon Zilverberg’s First Place (age 8-11 group) entry:
“This is my second time at the Daisy Nationals. I attended last year as an alternate for my team. My whole family came to Daisy with me this time, including my brother who was on the first-place team in 2019. I love having them cheer me on and my Dad as my coach!”
Other entries described the challenges they faced in the shooting sports and how they overcame them. Here’s Emma Prencke from her First Place (12-15 age group) entry:
“I joined BB in the fifth grade because I was afraid of guns – that’s the simple answer. I thought BB would teach me gun safety, how to shoot, and that guns are not scary. I’m not an outdoor person – I can’t stand bugs, dirt, messes or the heat. But this was indoors; much better! I learned about teamwork, testing strategies, our team’s IHOP breakfast tradition after State, and how much care these guns require.
“In the first months, I was overwhelmed by all the rules and regulations I had to learn. I’ve always been a straight-A student, so I assumed the testing would be easy, even if the center shots took time. And as it turned out, I failed my first test with flying colors! So, I started reading, and sadly the rule book does not make a good pillow, despite how many times I fell asleep reading it over the years. But as the years passed and I kept shooting, it got progressively easier. Natural gift? Nope! Every shot that ‘hit the black’ was a small miracle. I’ve made plenty of progress in my three years so far, and I guarantee my aim has improved; otherwise I wouldn’t have attended the Daisy Nationals.”
To learn more about the Outdoor Journalist Education Foundation of America, check out their Linkedin page at: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ojefa
