Deadline

March 15, 2025

Past winners

View past winners list

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.

Entry Criteria

  • Teachers/advisers may nominate students or students may nominate themselves for this award. (More than one student per entry per school is permissible.)
  • The entry must be that of a secondary school student(s) whose teacher/adviser is a JEA member at the time it was published, broadcast or created.
  • The entry must be original student work and must have been published within two years preceding the deadline. Date of publication/production must be indicated.

How to Apply

  • Please fill out this form to nominate an individual or publication for the Impact Award. Nominations are due March 15.
  • The entry will include URLs or PDF uploads of the article, series of articles (as it/they appeared in print), or multimedia that made the impact.
  • A narrative of at least 250 words explaining why the piece or series was produced and how the entry impacted the individuals, others, the school and/or community. Include, if any, media coverage that the entry generated in the community.
  • Three letters, uploaded as PDFs, attesting to the impact of the work from the adviser, a school administrator, professional journalist and/or member of the community (parent, student, resident). The impact of the work, not the author(s), should be the focus.

More Awards

Journalist of the Year Scholarships

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Sister Rita Jeanne Abicht Scholarships, named for JEA’s longtime treasurer, recognize the top high school journalists in the country.
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First Amendment Press Freedom Award

Deadline: December 15, 2024
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.
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Future Journalism Teacher Scholarships

Deadline: July 15, 2025
The Journalism Education Association sponsors up to two $1,000 scholarships for education majors who intend to teach scholastic journalism.
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