To
spotlight some of the exceptional journalism done by students across the globe,
Youth Journalism International sponsors an annual contest. Our hope is that by
calling attention to the best work in English by student reporters, cartoonists
and photographers, we can further our mission of promoting a free youth press.
It is yet another way to showcase the voices of the next generation. This
year’s student journalism contest will recognize outstanding work published
between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014.
DEADLINE:
Friday, Feb. 6, 2015 at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time
Entries
must be received via email or the postal service by 11 p.m., Eastern Standard
Time, Friday, Feb. 6, 2015. We strongly encourage emailing your entries.
No
late entries will be accepted.
Any
journalist age 19 or under in any country who was not working professionally at
the time the entry was published is eligible.
Submissions become the property
of YJI and will not be returned. Although entries must have been published
online or in print, it is not required that they appeared in a school
publication. Underground papers, blogs, online papers and other venues for
journalism are all acceptable.
So, too, are audio and video entries. They are
best entered by sending us a link if at all possible. Judges have the right to
move an entry from one category to a more appropriate category and the right
not to make an award in any particular category.
Categories
Highest
Honors:
In
each category, nominations may come from teachers, students or other third
parties. Previous first place winners are not eligible to enter the category
again, but previous finalists may enter. Self-nominations are acceptable,
though letters of support are especially encouraged in the Student Journalist
of the Year, Courage in Journalism and Journalism Educator of the Year
categories. First place winners in each category will receive a beautiful
crystal trophy. Judges may also name finalists.
STUDENT
JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
To
honor the student journalist who shows exceptional work in one or more areas of
journalism – news, feature and opinion writing, photography and art.
JOURNALISM
EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
To
honor a teacher who inspires students and brings out the very best in them.
COURAGE IN JOURNALISM AWARD
To
honor an individual youth journalist, journalism educator or a student
newspaper that showed particular courage in pursuing a story despite danger,
official roadblocks or other unusual obstacles.
JACINTA
MARIE BUNNELL AWARD FOR COMMENTARY
To
honor an individual who gave voice to an important issue in a single opinion
piece or a series of opinion pieces devoted to the same topic.
FRANK
KEEGAN “TAKE NO PRISONERS” AWARD FOR NEWS
To
honor an individual who shows tenacity in tackling one or more serious news
stories.
High
Honors:
NEWS
– Individual reporting
NEWS
– Team reporting (multiple byline)
ENTERPRISE
– (individual or multiple byline)
PROFILE
— Individual
FEATURES
– Individual
FEATURES
— Team (multiple byline)
EDITORIAL
(unsigned; award goes to publication)
MULTIMEDIA (audio or video news – provide
links or MP3s)
Multimedia
news
Multimedia
features
Multimedia
sports
OPINION
(bylined by one or more writers)
COLUMN
WRITING (individual)
FIRST
PERSON ESSAY (individual byline)
CARTOONS
REVIEWS (Individual or double byline.
Entry should note the sub-category)
Music
Theater/
Film
General
Reviews (Video
games, restaurants, anything reviewed that isn’t music, theater or film)
SPORTS
Sports
News (individual or multiple byline)
Sports
Opinion
PHOTOGRAPHY
News
Photo
Sports
Photo
Feature
Photo
Photo
Illustration
How
to enter
Entries
and fees will be accepted electronically and via postal delivery.
FEES (amounts are in U.S. dollars:)
Entry
fees for the contest are $20 each for Student Journalist of the Year,
Journalism Educator of the Year and Courage in Journalism Award, Jacinta Marie
Bunnell Award for Commentary and the Frank Keegan “Take No Prisoners” Award for
News (see details below).
In
other categories, fees are $10 for each team entry and $5 for each individual
entry. There is no limit to the number of entries one person or publication can
submit. The work has to have been published, in print or online, between
January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014.
We’ve
tried to keep entry fees low to make the contest accessible, but we understand
that even nominal fees may pose a hardship to some. We do not want fees to be a
barrier, so if they are a hardship, please enter anyway and include an
explanation of your circumstances. YJI will waive your fee and keep the
financial information confidential. Fee waivers are intended for individuals,
not schools, institutions or organizations. Only in rare circumstances will YJI
waive the fee for entries other than those submitted by individuals.
We
know of no other contest that offers the potential to waive fees. We feel
strongly that it should be an option. But it’s intended for those with real
hardships so if you can pay the entry fees, please do. In addition, those
asking for waivers are limited to two entries.
If
you wish to make an additional contribution to help defray the entry fees for
those who cannot pay, your donation will be gratefully accepted. Donations to
YJI are tax-deductible in the United States.
Entering
electronically (this is preferred, if possible):
Fill
in one online entry form for each submission at www.youthjournalism.org. [The
link to the entry form is below the rules on this page.] Pay fees online or
send a check made out to: Youth Journalism International, 33 Griswold Dr., West
Hartford, CT 06119, U.S.A.
Then,
send an email with your entry attached in a Word document or PDF of the article
or page from the publication or, best of all, a hyperlink to the published work
to yjicontest@gmail.com. If you do send a hyperlink, please make sure it takes
our judges to a public page.
For
photos or cartoons, send a hyperlink to the image, a jpeg file or scan the
image and send a PDF or Word document that clearly shows the picture, drawing
or illustration as published.
In
the subject line of the email, put the word “ENTRY” followed by the category,
followed by the name of the entry. Example: ENTRY, news individual, Students
Protest Fee Hikes.
In
the body of the email, please note the category, the name of the entry and the
name of the student or students who did the work. In the case of an entry in
the Journalism Educator of the Year category, be sure to put the teacher’s
name. Please note in the email how the fee was paid and attach a copy of the
receipt if it was paid electronically. If it was paid by check, please write
that.
Please
send one email for each entry.
Schools
or individuals making multiple entries may make a single payment and attach a
single receipt to one entry, but please make note of how the fee was paid in
each of the other entries to avoid confusion or disqualification.
Entering
via postal delivery:
Fill
in one online entry form for each submission online atwww.youthjournalism.org.
[The form is below.]
Then,
get two paper copies of the article, photo or cartoon, fill in an entry blank
for each submission and attach it to the paper copies with a paper clip or
staple.
On
a separate piece of paper attached to the entry, list the category, the name of
the entry and the name of the student(s) who did the work. In the case of an
entry in the Journalism Educator of the Year category, write the teacher’s
name.
Include
a check made out to Youth Journalism International for the fees or attach a
copy of the receipt if fees were paid electronically to avoid confusion or
disqualification.
More
information on Journalism Educator of the Year
Please
send an essay about why the teacher or adviser is the best in the world (300 to
800 words is best). It should be heartfelt. Think of it as writing a letter to
us about the educator, so an informal tone is fine.
Since your goal should be
to persuade us, it is best to provide specific examples. Supporting materials,
such as a copy of a newspaper, articles written about the educator or photos,
are also fine and helpful. Multiple letters are encouraged, but each letter
must be signed. We will give the most weight to what students have to say, but
are more than willing to look at any other items that bolster the case.
More
information on Student Journalist of the Year
Please
send a half dozen or so clips that show the student’s work. A letter explaining
the impact of the work or the circumstances surrounding a student’s journalism
is encouraged. Tell us why this student journalist is the world’s best. Other
supporting material is also welcome. Don’t hesitate to enter this category –
someone has to win it, and it could be you.
More
information on the Courage in Journalism Award
This
award is intended to honor an individual youth journalist, journalism educator,
youth publication or group reporting the news by, about or important to young
people that has shown extraordinary courage in reporting a story.
It doesn’t
mean someone had to brave bullets in a war zone, though it could, but to
showcase courage of all types. Standing up to a principal, a school board or
some other authority may fit the bill. Tell us what makes the nominee
deserving. This award is generally not aimed at professionals working in the
field of journalism, though it may be given under the right circumstances.
More
information on the Frank Keegan “Take No Prisoners” Award for News:
This
award honors an individual who showed the nose for news exemplified by longtime
newsman Frank Keegan, whose love of journalism and determination that it has a
future helped give birth to Youth Journalism International. Submit one or more
news stories that show a commitment to news. Supporting material is not
expected, but if included, it will be considered.
More
information on the Jacinta Marie Bunnell Award for Commentary:
Jacinta
Bunnell, who was severely disabled, died in 2009 at the age of 26. Among her
legacies is a commitment by those whose lives she touched to focus on that most
crucial question: “What do you think?” It is a fitting tribute to this
extraordinary young woman to honor one of the many young people who have tried
to answer that question during the past year. Submit one or more opinion or
first person pieces on the same topic. Supporting material is not expected, but
if included, it will be considered.
Questions
or concerns? Send them to yjicontest@gmail.com and we’ll do our best to
answer them.
To
fill in the form, follow this link
Use
the PayPal button below to pay for your entries. Just donate the amount
necessary to cover the cost of your contest entries.
If you want to make an additional tax-deductible donation to Youth Journalism International, a 501(c)(3) public educational charity, that would be greatly appreciated. It would be easiest to make it as a separate payment, however, so there is no confusion.
Please
be sure to include a copy of your receipt with the email submitting your
entries.
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