Contests & Events

Wisconsin Newspaper Association Student Media Contest

The Wisconsin Newspaper Association (WNA) is happy to announce that the 2025 High School Better Newspaper Contest will open in December!  This is a great opportunity for high school students to submit their best work of 2025 and compete against their peers for honors in all areas of journalism across the state. 

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WisJEA 2025-26 Mini Contest Series

The Wisconsin Journalism Education Association is excited to kick off the 2025–26 WisJEA Mini Contest series—a yearlong opportunity to celebrate and elevate the work of Wisconsin’s high school student journalists.

Each month, student reporters, editors, photographers, videographers, and multimedia creators can submit their best work related to the month’s theme. Submissions must be student-produced journalism—text, video, photography, audio, or multimedia—accompanied by a 50–100 word description of the story behind the piece.

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KEMPA Fall Scholastic Journalism Conference

The Kettle Moraine Press Association (KEMPA) Fall Scholastic Journalism Conference will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at UW-Whitewater, offering specialized workshops for high school students interested in writing, broadcasting, and editing. The single-day event provides an opportunity for students to connect with peers and learn from professionals to enhance their journalistic skills.

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National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville

WisJEA members are invited to attend the Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, from November 13–16, 2025, which is described as the nation’s largest gathering of scholastic journalists. The four-day event offers professional-led sessions, on-site contests, opportunities for national awards, and personalized critiques from experienced journalists.

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First Amendment Press Freedom Award

The JEA First Amendment Press Freedom Award recognizes high schools that actively uphold and support the First Amendment rights of student media. This award highlights programs committed to responsible, student-led journalism and empowering students to hold communities accountable.