PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS:

  • Contestants must be paid attendees at the convention.
  • For Contests 36-39, only one member of the team is required to be present at the convention.*
  • Junior high/middle school students may enter any contest.
  • A student may enter only one category.
  • Each school is limited to one entry per category.
  • The journalism teacher/adviser must be a current JEA member for the students to participate in the contests.
  • Advisers requesting special accommodations for students with disabilities must do so by the registration deadline and bring documentation (IEP/504) to the convention.
  • All contests require students to bring their own supplies.
  • No late entries will be accepted.

Entry fee: $20 per student *In team contests, each student on the team must be registered and paid.

Payment is due by the Friday of the convention. Payment may be submitted through the online contest system or checks may be hand carried to the convention.

Contest Rules and Policies

(APPLIES TO ALL CONTESTS)

Writing Contests: One student per school may enter each contest

  • 01. Newswriting
  • 02. Editorial Writing
  • 03. Feature Writing
  • 04. Sports Writing
  • 05. Review Writing
  • 06. Editorial Cartooning
  • 07. Commentary Writing
  • 08. News Editing/Headline Writing/Current Events

News Design Contests: One student per school may enter each contest

  • 09. Newspaper Layout (online submission)
  • 10. Newsmagazine Layout (online submission)

Press Law and Ethics: One student per school may enter

  • 11. Press Law and Ethics

Yearbook Contests: One student per school may enter each contest

  • 12. Yearbook Copy Caption: Sports
  • 13. Yearbook Copy Caption: Academics
  • 14. Yearbook Copy Caption: Clubs
  • 15. Yearbook Copy Caption: Student Life
  • 16. Yearbook Layout: Theme  (online submission)
  • 17. Yearbook Layout: Inside Pages (online submission)
  • 18. Yearbook Cover/Endsheets (online submission)

Literary Magazine Contests: One student per school may enter each contest

  • 19. Literary Magazine: Layout (online submission)
  • 20. Literary Magazine: Poetry
  • 21. Literary Magazine: Illustration
  • 22. Literary Magazine: Photography

Graphic Design Contests: One student per school may enter each contest

  • 23. Graphic Design: Logo (online submission)
  • 24. Graphic Design: Infographics (online submission)
  • 25. Graphic Design: Advertising (online submission)
  • 26. Graphic Design: Photo illustration (online submission)

Photography Contests: One student per school may enter each contest

  • 27. Themed Photo (online submission)
  • 28. Sports Action Photography (online submission)
  • 29. Sports Feature Photography (online submission)
  • 30. Feature Photography (online submission)
  • 31. General or Spot News Photography (online submission)
  • 32. Photo Story (online submission)
  • 33. Portfolio (online submission)
  • 34. Portrait Photo (online submission)
  • 35. First-Year Photo (online submission)

Multimedia and Broadcast Contests: Some contests allow team entries

  • 36. Broadcast News Story (online submission; enter as individual or pair)
  • 37. Broadcast Sports Story (online submission; enter as individual or pair)
  • 38. Broadcast Feature Story (online submission; enter as individual or pair)
  • 39. Broadcast Commercial/PSA (online submission; enter as individual or pair)
  • 40. Videography (online submission: enter as individual only)
  • 41. Podcast (online submission: enter as an individual or pair)
  • 42. Video Package Editing (enter as individual only)
  • 43. Online News Package (enter as individual or as team of 2 or 3)
  • 44. Broadcast Anchor (enter as individual only)
  • 45. Broadcast Newswriting (enter as individual only)
  • 46. Broadcast Package (enter as a pair)

CONTEST RULES & POLICIES

Special note about online submissions

  • If, as the deadline approaches, a student realizes he/she will not be able to meet the upload deadline, the student may switch to an on-site category as long as no one else in the school is in that category. Advisers may go into the contest registration area and make the switch. This must be done by the deadline.
  • Students who do not upload their online contest entries by the deadline will be disqualified. No refunds will be given unless the adviser calls and withdraws the student no later than 14 days before the first day of the convention. The student will not be able to switch to another contest at this time.
  • JEA staff is available to assist with any technical difficulties encountered while getting entries submitted to the media contest website, and to consult with advisers and students to advise them in getting their entry prepared for upload. All work on the entry must be done by the student.

Convention and competition

  • Advisers must check in and pick up the Contestant ID labels at the contest desk during regular convention registration hours between 1-7 p.m. Thursday or before 10:30 a.m. Friday.  Any student who loses their  Contestant ID must get a replacement before their contest begins. Replacements are available at the contest desk when it is open or until 3 p.m. Friday in the JEA Contest Office.
  • Name substitutions and spelling changes may be made during registration hours until 10:30 a.m. Friday at the contest desk. Categories may not be changed.
  • Contestant ID labels must be presented in order to compete. Students who arrive at their contest after the start time will not get additional time and may be disqualified.
  • Visitors are not allowed in the contest rooms.
  • Results are final when contest judging closes.
  • If any contestant’s name, school name or identifying mark is mentioned or implied, the entry will be disqualified with few exceptions: photo and graphic design entries in which a school identification appears incidentally as part of a picture; broadcast categories where names of contestants may be used. Online News Package is also exempt.
  • Students are responsible for bringing all contest supplies required for the competition including paper and writing utensils. No materials will be supplied by JEA. Each contest has specific rules concerning the items allowed, so it is imperative that students carefully read the rules for their specific contest ahead of time.
  • No talking to other contestants is allowed other than in critique sessions. The lead judge can answer any questions.
  • Each contest has a lead judge who will run the contest session, distribute prompts and collect all material. Students who continue to work after time is up may be disqualified.
  • Online submission contests require contestants to attend an on-site critique sessions. Students must be present for the entire session or entries will be disqualified.
  • All entries must follow all federal laws regarding copyright.

Judging and awards

  • Each entry is critiqued by a minimum of two judges. Judges will not evaluate entries from their own schools.
  • Judges will provide written comments on the entry critique sheet or in the NSMC system. The critique sheets and comments in the critique sessions are not the only basis for how the entry is judged for the final awards. Judges take all the entries into consideration when assigning final awards. High marks and positive comments do not necessarily mean an award will be given.
  • If an entry indicates the student is a danger to themself or others, the contest chair is obligated to inform the JEA executive director and a representative of the school. If such an entry is found to be a hoax, the entry will be disqualified, the JEA executive director will be notified, and the school may face other disciplinary action.
  • The JEA contest chair and JEA executive director and/or assistant director will make all final decisions regarding contests.
  • Winners receive a certificate and are recognized at the JEA awards ceremony. The ratings are Superior, Excellent and Honorable Mention. Superiors, which also are awarded with a medal, are generally given to no more than 10% of the entries in any category. Judges may give as many ratings in Excellent and Honorable Mention as they choose.
  • Entries may be broadcast, displayed or published in JEA publications or on its affiliated websites. Entries also may be shared with the site or speakers who provided subject material. Winners’ names and schools will be published on the JEA website.
  • Onsite entries are available for pick up at the awards ceremony. Online entry critiques will be posted within 24 hours after the awards ceremony has concluded. Unclaimed packets with entries and awards will be mailed to the school.