Contests offer students a platform to showcase excellence and receive the recognition they deserve.

If you would like to help judge in the upcoming convention contests, please fill out the form here.

Junior High/Middle School National Media Contest

2025 Contest Dates

The 2025 contest will be open March 31 to April 14, 2025. The final deadline is April 14 at noon CT.

Contest Cost

Each entry is $10 per student, per contest entry. (If multiple students are entered for one item, it is $10 per student for that entry. For a category like Yearbook Theme, you may enter just the editor's name and pay one entry fee, but you would only receive a certificate etc. for that student.)

Advisers will be invoiced for the entirety of their submissions after the contest deadline. Awards will be mailed after judging is completed and the registration fees are paid.

Contest Entry Guidelines

  • The adviser to entrants must be a current JEA member.
  • All entries must be from students in middle school or junior high.
  • Work may NOT be from a high school publication.
  • Content must have been published in a school publication during the current contest year’s academic school year or must be set to be published in the yearbook that covers that contest year’s academic school year.
  • Items may only be entered in ONE CATEGORY.  See each category for specific instructions.

Preparing Entries ›  |  Registration and Online Entry Directions ›

Awards

The ratings are Superior, Excellent and Honorable Mention. Winners will receive certificates.

Superior ratings, which also are awarded with a medal, will be given to no more than 10 percent of the entries in any contest. Judges may give as many ratings in Excellent and Honorable Mention as appropriate.

National Student Media Contests

Spring 2025 NSMC registration will open Feb. 24 and close April 1 noon CST.

Contest prompts and themes for Spring 2025 in Seattle coming soon

Don't forget, online contest entries must be submitted by noon CST on Tuesday, April 1. No late entries will be accepted.

About NSMC

National Student Media Contests are open to all students registered for the upcoming JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention. From among the 46 competition categories, including writing, design, photo and broadcast, advisers may enter students to compete in online or on-site contests. The cost is $20 per student.

Online contest categories require entries to be sent in before the convention, no later than noon CST on April 1. Students are then required to attend an on-site critique session at the convention in order to maintain award eligibility.

On-site contest categories require participation in an on-site competition at the convention. Please verify check-in and start times in the convention program.

It is imperative that advisers and contestants carefully read all the rules to make sure all deadlines and requirements are met.

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.

Note for advisers: For your record keeping, use the NSMC contest tracker in Google Sheets to assign students to contests and manage online entry submissions. Go to the File menu, then select Make a Copy or Download to record your student assignments.

Registration and online entry directions ›

Visit the NSMC website ›

Committee & Judges

The awards committee meets at each convention to plan and coordinate all of JEA’s award programs.

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Teacher awards

Learn more ›

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Student awards

Learn more ›