Let your students shine in the spring 2026 JEA National Student Media Contests. The contests offer high school students a platform to showcase journalism excellence, earn recognition and receive feedback on their work.
Scholastic journalists test their skills as they compete in 50 contest categories at the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention — 24 contests take place on-site April 17 in Minneapolis, and 26 contests are submitted online by 1 p.m. CDT March 24 with mandatory on-site critiques April 17. Each contest entry is critiqued by a team of judges, and the top entries are given Superior, Excellent or Honorable Mention ratings.
Students competing in an online contest category will create a journalistic product from the contest prompt with a specific content packet or theme. With the exception of certain photography and broadcast contests, the online contest entry should not be something previously published or planned to publish in student media.
Online contest participants can find prompts and themes linked below. On-site contest participants will receive full instructions on April 17.
Please read ALL contest descriptions carefully to ensure both adviser and student understand all the expectations. View a full list of contest categories here.
The contests are part of the spring national convention in Minneapolis and require concurrent registration for both the convention and NSMC to be eligible to compete. The journalism teacher-adviser must be a current JEA member for the students to participate in the contests. Please double-check student registration and make sure they know if they are signed up for an on-site or online contest category.
Remember, it is imperative that advisers and contestants carefully read all the rules and instructions to make sure all deadlines and requirements are met, to avoid disqualification. What is being judged is not just the entry itself, but the contestant’s ability to read and follow directions, meet deadlines, and develop the necessary skills to produce a winning entry.
NSMC registration information
Registration for the Spring 2026 JEA National Student Media Contests in Minneapolis will open Feb. 16. All students competing in NSMC on-site AND online contests must be registered by 1 p.m. CDT Tuesday, March 24.
Online contest submissions can be submitted starting Feb. 16. All online submissions must be entered by 1 p.m. CDT Tuesday, March 24 and then students must attend the mandatory on-site critique on April 17 to maintain award eligibility.
For your record keeping, advisers can use the NSMC contest tracker spreadsheet to assign students to contests and manage online entry submissions. Go to the File menu, then select “Make a Copy” to record your student assignments.
Prompts for spring 2026 NSMC online contests
Online submission materials are made available for use in preparing entries for selected JEA National Student Media Contests. Each Google Drive folder contains contest instructions and a zip file of all materials needed to complete your entry.
Note about online photo contests 28-35:
The following online photo contests do NOT have materials to download as the entries should be photos taken during this school year:
- Contest 28 Sports Action Photography
- Contest 29 Sports Feature Photography
- Contest 30 Feature Photography
- Contest 31 General/Spot News Photography
- Contest 32 Photo Story
- Contest 34 Portrait Photo
- Contest 35 First Year Photo
Contest 33 Portfolio also doesn’t have material to download as entries can include photos from the contestant’s entire high school career.
Note about online broadcast contests 36-40:
The following online broadcast contests do not have materials to download as the entries should be stories broadcast during this school year:
- Contest 36 Broadcast News Story
- Contest 37 Broadcast Sports Story
- Contest 38 Broadcast Feature Story
- Contest 39 Broadcast Commercial/PSA
Contest 40 Videography does not have materials to download as the entries should include clips from any point in the contestant’s scholastic journalism career.
Note about broadcast contest 50:
Contest 50 Convention Recap has some unique requirements. This is an on-site contest that requires some pre-convention preparation, as well as a post-convention online submission. Please see below for the prompt and materials, and be sure to carefully review all contest details and instructions.
Download all Spring 2026 NSMC online contest materials and prompts
Contest 09: Newspaper Layout
View/download Contest 09 assignment prompt and materials
Contest 10: Newsmagazine Layout
View/download Contest 10 assignment prompt and materials
Contest 16: Yearbook Layout – Theme
View/download Contest 16 assignment prompt and materials
NSMC 17: Yearbook Layout – Inside Pages
View/download Contest 17 assignment prompt and materials
NSMC 18: Yearbook Cover/Endsheets
View/download Contest 18 assignment prompt and materials
NSMC 19: Literary Magazine – Layout
View/download Contest 19 assignment prompt and materials
NSMC 23: Graphic Design – Logo
View/download Contest 23 assignment prompt and materials
NSMC 24: Graphic Design – Infographics
View/download Contest 24 assignment prompt and materials
NSMC 25: Graphic Design – Advertising
View/download Contest 25 assignment prompt and materials
NSMC 26: Graphic Design – Illustration
View/download Contest 26 assignment prompt (no additional materials)
NSMC 27: Themed Photo
Contest 27 information and requirements
Spring 2026 theme for Contest 27: Freedom
NSMC 41: Podcast
Contest 41 information and requirements
Spring 2026 topic for Contest 41: America is turning 250 years old. Explore the Declaration of Independence and report how the values stated in the foundational document touch on a contemporary issue impacting your school or your community.
NSMC 50: Convention Recap
View/download Contest 50 assignment prompt and materials
For full contest information, visit the main JEA National Student Media Contests page.
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Now seeking volunteers
Advisers, chaperones, media professionals and adult NHSJC attendees are invited to volunteer with NSMC to help judge, moderate or assist with the JEA National Student Media Contests in Minneapolis. No experience necessary. Visit this page to learn more about getting involved.
Submit volunteer interest here.
