National Scholastic Press Association began in 1921, and to celebrate our centennial, we’re inviting you to join us in a service-journalism project.

There are many more than 100 ways to use your journalistic talent to serve your school, community and student body. NSPA will celebrate both its anniversary and the service journalism that you create to serve others.

Here’s how it works

1. Analyze your school and/or your community and determine areas in which you and your staff could make a difference through service journalism. It could be a specific issue like homelessness, election coverage, peer pressure, media literacy, First Amendment issues — or a manageable combination of issues that inspire you.

It may be a workshop or an event for other schools or groups, such as younger journalists who will follow in your footsteps. 

The list of possibilities is limited only by your vision and creativity. You may work on your project/s as a single journalism staff, or you may join forces with another journalism staff at your school for unified project submission. 

2. Develop a plan to implement your project. You might decide on a series of stories or a public service announcement, helping an organization with social media, or developing a curriculum for a workshop or camp. Again, it’s up to you and your staff to find the best way to implement your ideas.

3. Document the number of hours you and your staff invested in the project by using the 100 Hours of Service project form provided. The project requires a commitment of 100 hours.

Keep in mind this is a team effort — if 20 students contribute five hours, you have met the requirement.

4. To be eligible projects must run between July 1, 2022, and Oct. 14, 2022. The deadline for submission is Oct. 14, 2022.

5. Submit the information about your service project/s through our online form.

The NSPA board of directors will review the projects and applications, and it will select five schools to be awarded $100. All participants will be recognized at the JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention, Nov. 10-13, in St. Louis.

Participating in the 100 Hours of Service Journalism Is a great way to use your skills to help someone else, unite your staff through collaboration and teamwork and earn positive recognition for your staff and your school.