KSPA’s Quarterly Clips Contests offer students a chance to get feedback and earn awards for their work during the school year, whether for their school’s newspaper, news website, social media, yearbook or broadcast program. Entries will be judged using rubrics, which will be returned to schools. Feedback can help guide students as they work to build their skills. Students who place in the contest will receive certificates (emailed for schools to print) and recognition on our website and social media.

Please note, this is an updated version of the monthly contests we last offered during the 2023-24 school year. While some aspects are similar, rules around numbers of entries, categories and divisions have been updated. Among the changes, are more categories; more entries allowed per deadline for photo, design and multimedia contests; and awards given based on school size (1A/2A, 3A/4A and 5A/6A).

Schools may submit up to four entries in each of these contests

• Writing Quarterly Contest (includes 5 award categories)

• Photo Quarterly Contest (includes 5 award categories)

• Design Quarterly Contest (includes 5 award categories)

• Multimedia Quarterly Contest (includes 5 award categories)

Organize your entries

The spreadsheet linked here can help you organize student entries for each deadline. Please note, this is NOT how you’ll submit your entries — just a tool to make organizing the work a little easier. It’s also a great way to involve student editors in planning submissions.

A few guidelines

AI: Entries should not be generated using artificial intelligence tools.

Google Accounts: You must use a Google account to submit entries. Please suggest your school district not block emails from our domain (@kspaonline.org) because we will email verifications of submissions to students and teachers. In some cases, students may want to use a non-school email address in order to receive verification of their submissions. You can also verify that your entries were received by checking our live list of submissions.

Proper files/links: While we make efforts to inform schools of bad links or files, it is the responsibility of entrants to submit the correct information and use our verification emails to check submitted files. We cannot issue refunds for improperly submitted entries.

Payments: Payment for entries is due at the contest submission deadline. Entries may be disqualified if schools haven’t paid.

Get started

SUBMIT up to 16 entries at each contest deadline at this link.

PURCHASE contests entries for $5 each at this link.

WRITING QUARTERLY CONTESTS

Each school may submit up to four pieces of writing at each contest deadline. Entries can be submitted as links to stories posted on publication websites. Or, writing may be uploaded as PDF files. Raw InDesign files and Word documents cannot be judged. While schools are limited to entering four pieces of writing, they can determine the categories they want to enter that writing in and may have multiple writing submissions in a single category. Writing entries may include shared bylines — or the work of multiple students.

Writing Categories

1. Opinion (Editorials, Columns or Reviews): Editorials are unsigned writing that express a consensus leadership perspective from the staff; for instance, the staff might advocate for the school to adopt a new grading scale. Columns are signed personal writings that reflect on personal beliefs or experiences; for example, a student might write about his experience being cut from the basketball team. Reviews provide criticism and reflection on a product, service or experience; for example, a student might explain how a concert was a refreshing retreat from pop music.

2. Features: Writing that primarily focuses on issues, trends, personalities and topics. Feature writing utilizes emotional appeal (human interest) and novelty (unusual news). For instance, a student might write a profile about a student restoring an old car or detail the latest social media trend.

3. Yearbook Copy: Writing that appears in a yearbook but is not sports coverage or contained within an infographic.

4. News: Writing the focuses on timely news of consequence for the audience. For instance, this might include a story about students suspended after searches of student lockers or a piece detailing the results of recent student council election.

5. Sports (news publication or yearbook): Writing that covers sports, whether in school or out of school. The writing might include a timely game story or a broad story about an issue in the sport.

PHOTO QUARTERLY CONTESTS

Each school may submit up to four photo entries at each contest deadline. All images must be jpgs of less than 10 MB in file size. See here for instructions on limiting image file size. While schools are limited to four photo contest entries, they can determine the categories they want to enter that photography in and may have multiple submissions in a single category. Photo entries should be the work of a single student. All photo entries should include captions.

Photo Categories

1. Sports Photography: Any photographs of sports, whether in practice, preparation or games. Images might capture action or reaction, moments from on the field or moments from the sidelines. Images should be candid — not posed photos.

2. Academics Photography: Any photographs from academic activities of your students. Examples of moments these images might capture include in-class activities, field trips or academic competitions. Images should be candid — not posed photos.

3. Feature Photography: Photography that doesn’t fit in the sports or academics photography categories. This category includes school events (such as dances), extracurricular events (such as plays), news events (such as protests or parades) or glimpses of student life (such as students at jobs or community events).

4. Environmental Portrait: Any portrait that visually tells a story about the person pictured. The choice of surroundings often offer clues that emphasize something about person’s life, background, career or interests. Environmental portraits are typically posed.

5. Photo Gallery: Five to 10 photos covering a single event or topic. 

Captions Guidance

KSPA judges for photo entries will look for photojournalistic captions that use AP Style. Here are some general expectations:

• Captions need to provide basic factual information. The first sentence generally answers these questions: What are the names of the people in the photo? What are they doing? Where are they? When did this happen?

• Information should communicated in concise, active sentences, written using AP style.

• Further sentences might address the “how” and “why” of the situation. Consider gathering quotes from the people in the photo.

DESIGN QUARTERLY CONTESTS

Each school may enter up to four designs at each contest deadline. While schools are limited to entering four designs, they can determine the categories they want to enter those designs in and may have multiple submissions in a single category. Designs should be less than 10 MB in file size. See this link for tips on exporting files. Design entries may include shared bylines — or the work of multiple students.

Design Categories

1. News publication design: A page or spread in a newspaper, tabloid or news magazine designed by a student or group of students.

2. Yearbook spread design: A page or spread in a yearbook designed by a student or group of students.

3. Infographic Design: The combination of words, visuals, photographs, statistics and/or graphics to inform the reader about a topic or point of view.

4. Digital Illustration: Storytelling images used to further enhance an audience’s understanding of a topic. Images may mix photography with other digital storytelling tools.

5. Editorial Cartoon/Cartoon: Editorial cartoons may take a position or offer commentary on political or other current issues. Cartoons may explore a wide variety of themes, from silly to serious. Single panel or sequential comic art is affected. Images may be hand drawn or created using digital tools.

MULTIMEDIA QUARTERLY CONTESTS

Each school may enter up to four multimedia entries at each contest deadline. While schools are limited to entering four multimedia entries, they can determine the categories they want to enter their work in and may have multiple submissions in a single category. Multimedia entries may include shared bylines — or the work of multiple students.

Multimedia Categories

1. Video news/feature: Students can submit coverage of a video news or feature story. The video must be posted online, whether through a school website or another hosting service (for example, YouTube or Vimeo).

2. Multimedia story package: These digital posts should combine at least two story-telling tools. That includes stories, photos, video, audio, graphics and other interactive elements. Among the interactive tools students might use are the Storytelling Tools from the Knight Media Lab. In addition, JEA’s Digital Media Library is another way students can explore options.

3. Video sports news/feature: Students can submit a sports news or feature story. Videos could include but aren’t limited to game coverage or player profiles. The video must be posted online, whether through a school website or another hosting service (for example, YouTube or Vimeo).

4. Podcast: Podcasts are a primarily audio-focused medium although some podcasts now also include video. Podcasts must be posted online, whether through SoundCloud, a school website or another hosting service (for example, YouTube or Vimeo).

5. Social Media: Social media gives students a variety of options for storytelling. Posts should play to the strengths of the channels used. Posts may include video clips on Instagram or TikTok (including hype videos); story-telling posts; posts promoting other digital content; live coverage; and more.