Anthony Carballeyra, 17, an Indian Land High School senior who writes poetry and short fiction, has advanced to the semifinals of Stan Lee’s Super Kid, a national online contest that raises money for the Stan Lee Foundation’s literacy programs.
Anthony began the quarterfinal round in sixth place in his group and finished first when voting closed Nov. 5, according to a press release from his family. The family said more than 21,000 children entered the contest.
Vote totals reset to zero at the start of each round, so his chances in the semifinals depend on how many people vote for him before polls close Thursday, Nov. 12.
How the Contest Works
The Stan Lee Foundation is running the contest in partnership with Colossal, a fundraising company that operates for profit, and it is open to children ages 5 through 17. Contestants are divided into groups, and the child with the most votes in each group moves on to the next round. KSLmississippitoday
Anyone can cast one free vote every 24 hours after verifying once through Facebook or a text message. Supporters may also buy additional votes at $1 apiece as tax deductible donations to the foundation, processed through the charitable grantmaker DTCare, according to the contest rules cited in the family’s press kit.
Finals run Nov. 13 through 19, and a winner will be announced by Dec. 17. The grand prize includes a $25,000 honorarium, a starring role in a special edition Stan Lee Universe comic book and VIP passes to L.A. Comic Con in 2027. Anthony plans to use the money toward a college degree in creative writing, his family said.
A Reader Who Keeps Count
Anthony has read 40 books this year on top of his assigned schoolwork, and he keeps track with a flip number counter on his bookshelf. He scored in the 93rd percentile on the SAT and tutors other students for free through a College Board program.
His family said he has assembled his first collection of poems and short fiction. The work ranges from short summer snapshots to rhymed sonnets and a Grimm fairy tale retold as gothic horror. One science fiction story, “Comet,” imagines a future where companies harvest the tails of comets and sell them back on Earth, and its narrator, an insomniac, buys some hoping to finally sleep.
A three line poem from his contest packet, “Watermelon,” reads in full: “Seeds scattered like stars / Lawns ablaze, we sat and ate / Smile stretched by rind.”
Off the Page
Away from writing, Anthony helps run his family’s doggy daycare and boarding business. He has performed improv since he was 12 and now appears with the troupe Original Copy at Acting Out Studio in south Charlotte. He trains in boxing, plays chess and is a regular on the karaoke mic when his family goes out on weekend nights.
He also grows his hair out for years at a time and donates it to organizations that make wigs for children and adults with medical hair loss.
“Anthony doesn’t need a cape to get to the finish line. He just needs one free vote from everyone who reads this,” his father, Dave Carballeyra, said in the release.
Semifinal voting closes Thursday, Nov. 12. Readers can vote at thesuperkid.org/2026/anthony-15a7 or by searching for Anthony Carballeyra on the Super Kid website. Official contest rules are posted at thesuperkid.org/rules.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
