Student awards and contests

National Student Media Contests – varies

Thousands of students compete at conventions each year in JEA’s National Student Media Contests in everything from broadcast, photography and design to sports, feature and review writing. There is a contest for each skill practiced in a 21st Century media classroom.

About the Convention Media Contests

Aspiring Young Journalist – March 10

This award encourages junior high and middle school students to continue with journalistic studies in high school. This award will acknowledge and reward the work of junior high and middle school students. One overall winner and up to five finalists, based on the amount of total entries, will be selected each year.

About the Aspiring Young Journalist Award

Student Journalist Impact Award – March 10

The purpose of the Student Journalist Impact Award is to recognize a secondary school student (or a team of students who worked on the same entry) who, through the study and practice of journalism, has made a significant difference in his/her own life, the lives of others, the school he/she attends and/or the community in which he/she resides. This award is co-sponsored by the Journalism Education Association and Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists. The award recognizes secondary school students who, through the practice of journalism, have made a significant difference in the lives of others.

About the Student Journalist Impact Award

Diversity Award – Dec. 15

The Journalism Education Association’s Diversity Award honors a scholastic journalism teacher, student media adviser or scholastic journalism group demonstrating a commitment to cultural awareness and encouraging a multicultural approach with its student media staff, media production and/or community. The honoree must be in the forefront in promoting diversity in the scholastic media arena and must have taken steps to break down walls of misunderstanding and ignorance.

About the Diversity Award

Junior High/ Middle School National Media Contest – April 15

All work must be from the current school year. Content must have been published in a school publication during the current academic year, or must be set to be published in the yearbook that covers the current academic year.

About the Junior High/ Middle School National Media Contest

First Amendment Press Freedom Award – Dec. 15

If you feel your school actively supports and honors the First Amendment through its student media, consider submitting an entry for this year’s First Amendment Press Freedom Award.

About the First Amendment Press Freedom Award

National Journalism Quiz Bowl – varies

Are you ready to test your staff’s skills and knowledge against teams from across the country? Then start prepping and putting together four-person teams for the National Journalism Quiz Bowl competition, part of the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention.

About the National Journalism Quiz Bowl

SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest – Feb. 19

The Sigma Delta Chi Foundation of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Journalism Education Association want to increase high school students’ knowledge and understanding of the importance of independent media to our lives. National winners of this essay contest receive scholarship awards.

About the High School Essay Contest

Scholastic Journalism Week Poster Contest – May 20

Scholastic Journalism Week aims to elevate the profile of scholastic journalism through celebration, information and activism. Students are invited to submit designs for commemorative poster to promote Scholastic Journalism Week. Winners of this poster contest receive monetary awards.

About the Poster Contest

Future Journalism Teacher Scholarship – July 15

The Journalism Education Association sponsors up to two $1,000 scholarships for education majors who intend to teach scholastic journalism. Each recipient must be a college junior, senior or master’s degree student in a program designed to prepare them for teaching at the secondary school level. Current secondary school journalism teachers who are in a degree program to improve their journalism teaching skills also are eligible.

About the Future Journalism Teacher Scholarship

Journalist of the Year Scholarship – varies by state

Sister Rita Jeanne Scholarships, named for JEA’s longtime treasurer, recognize the top high school journalists in the country. The contest begins at the state level. Winning portfolios from state Journalist of the Year competitions are sent to the national level. Portfolios are judged prior to the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention, and winners are announced at the convention’s concluding awards ceremony. Scholarship funds — $3,000 for the top winner and $1,000 each for four finalists — are released to the registered student’s account at their chosen college or university.

About the Journalist of the Year Scholarship

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