The Journalism Education Association and the Society of Professional Journalists are pleased to announce the three scholarship winners of the 2026 SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest.
145 high school students participated in this year’s nationwide contest, which was judged by 11 journalism educators from around the country. The top three winners will each receive a scholarship prize: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place and $300 for third place.
Established in 1998, the contest is a joint project of JEA and SPJ. The aim is to increase high school students’ knowledge and understanding of the importance of media literacy and independent, ethical media.
The topic for the 2026 contest — “Why is misinformation or disinformation (fake news) so easily spread, and how can journalists aim to counter it?”
“Our judges and staff were pleased with the high caliber of entries this year,” JEA Events and Programs Manager Amber James said. “This year’s winners demonstrate strong writing, astute insight and thoughtful consideration of the prompt. We are excited to share their work with our community.”
2026 SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest winners:
First Place, $1,000 Scholarship Winner: Olivia Shin, 11th grade, Maria Carrillo High School, Santa Rosa, California
Essay title: “Instagram told me so: An analysis of fake news” — READ HERE
Second Place, $500 Scholarship Winner: Natalia Todorovich, 11th grade, Hopkins School, New Haven, Connecticut
Essay title: “From Plato’s cave to social media: Navigating a world of misinformation” — READ HERE
Third Place, $300 Scholarship Winner: Celina Chen, 10th grade, Newark Academy, Livingston, New Jersey
Essay title: “From sensationalism to misinformation: Journalism’s challenge in the age of social media” — READ HERE