$100 Awards Available for Middle School Essay Contestants

Walmart in Maplewood will award 100 different gift cards for school supplies and clothes to St. Louis-area essay winners.

Parents and middle-schoolers: How does $100 in free school supplies sound? 

 is hosting a Back-to-School Shopping Spree Contest, where parents of sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students can win $100 for school supplies and clothes. One hundred students in the St. Louis area will be awarded. 

Here's how the contest works:

• Interested students should write a 100-word essay outlining how their school can make the environment better.
• The essays must be submitted on the contest website.
• The application deadline is Tuesday, July 26.
• Walmart will match every $100 award with a $100 donation to KidSmart, a nonprofit organization in Bridgeton that provides children in need with tools for learning.

Each winner must participate in the shopping spree at 9 a.m on Friday, August 5 at the Maplewood store. More details are available on the website or by phone at 314-621-5566.