SPJ and JEA name winners of 2025 essay contest
The Journalism Education Association and the Society of Professional Journalists announce three scholarship winners and one honorable mention in the 2025 SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest.
More than 175 students participated in the nationwide contest, which was judged by 12 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.
“Due to the high caliber of this year’s entries, the judges have decided to include an honorable mention recognition in addition to the three scholarship winners,” JEA Events and Programs Manager Amber James said. “This honorable mention essay is one we feel deserves to be read by our communities, alongside the other three.”
Established in 1998, the contest is a project of JEA and SPJ. The topic for the 2025 contest — “What is the biggest challenge journalists face today, and how might they overcome it?”
“Thank you to all the students who submitted thoughtful responses to this year’s prompt,” James said. “The judging panel and JEA staff were impressed with the passion and skill demonstrated in the entries we received. The top essays showcase perceptive insight and forward-thinking ideas that adeptly address the challenges of modern-day journalism. I look forward to sharing this work with our audience.”
2025 SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest winners:
First Place, $1,000 Scholarship Winner: Josephine Lee, 11th grade, Bergen County Academies, Hackensack, New Jersey
Essay title: “Journalism’s Privatization Problem” — READ HERE
Second Place, $500 Scholarship Winner: Willow Mintz, 11th grade, The High School for Mathematics, Science and Engineering at City College, New York City
Essay title: “The Future is Here—Journalism Must Catch Up” — READ HERE
Third Place, $300 Scholarship Winner: Benjamin Hong, 11th grade, River Hill High School, Clarksville, Maryland
Essay title: “The Cost of Truth: How Journalism Can Overcome Its Greatest Modern Challenge” — READ HERE
Honorable Mention: Sy Jones, 11th grade, Riverdale High School, Portland, Oregon
Essay title: “Overwhelmed and Confused: The State of American Youth” — READ HERE