The Moore County Reading Association sponsors a writing competition that is open to all students in grades K 12 in Moore County.

The theme for the 2008-2009 Young Author's Competition was "Bridges." Authors were encouraged to write in any genre including poetry or prose. The selections could be fiction or nonfiction. Students were encouraged to consider various types of bridges: physical structures, building bridges (making friends), over the bridge (a traveling adventure), a bridge to cross (facing fears or overcoming obstacles), or connecting bridges (multi-cultural experiences).

The O'Neal school submitted over 50 entries in both Lower and Middle School. Forty-seven of them are county winners representing kindergarten through eighth grades. The county winners then moved to the North Carolina Young Authors' competition sponsored by the North Carolina Reading Association.

Thirty-six students in Moore County are state winners. Nine of those winners are O'Neal students. They are: Will Blackwood (kindergarten), son of Lindsay and Sherwood Blackwood, of Southern Pines; Jenna Burns (second grade), daughter of Andrea and Brian Burns, of Pinehurst; Pait Bryan, (fourth grade), son of Wendy and Carl Bryan, of Sanford; Olivia Butters (fourth grade), daughter of Amy Butters, of Pinehurst; Margaux Winter (fourth grade), daughter of Francine and James Winter, of Southern Pines; Karis Horner (sixth grade), daughter of Lee Ann and Bill Horner, of Sanford; Madelyn Davis (eighth grade), daughter of Holly and Carty Davis, of Pinehurst; Garrett Klumpar (eighth grade), son of Page and David Klumpar, of Pinehurst; and Katherine McMurray (eighth grade), daughter of Konni and Brian McMurray, of Pinehurst.