NSPA honors winners in the inaugural Fred Ross competition

Nov. 4, 2023

National Scholastic Press Association and Foundation for Systemic Change are pleased to announce the winners of the first Fred Ross Systemic Change Student Journalism Competition.

Winners were announced during the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, Nov. 4, in Boston.

Named for Fred Ross, the renowned advocate and organizer who trained and mentored leaders such as Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta to become iconic grassroots organizers, the competition is for high school journalists whose work includes reporting on tangible, systemic strategies being employed in their communities to fully address today’s seemingly intractable challenges — whether climate change, violence and hate, polarization, LGBTQ+ issues, threatened democracy and other complex issues.

Submissions came from high school students across the country and covered topics such as union negotiations, local food insecurity, antisemitism, environmental justice and much more through mediums such as traditional print, websites, documentaries and short-form videos.

In its inaugural year, 125 entries from high school students across the country included  topics such as union negotiation, food insecurity, environmental justice and more.

This year’s winners are below, with links to their award-winning reporting.

First-, second- and third-place winners are awarded cash prizes $1,000, $500 and $200 respectively. 

To bolster the reporting competition, the foundation offers online workshops and industry-recognized advisers for student journalists who consider participating.

The 2023 competition launches today, with entries to be submitted by June 2024, in conjunction with NSPA’s Individual Awards competition. Winners will be announced at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, Nov. 7-10, 2024, in Philadelphia.

Sign-up for mentorship opportunities and submit reporting on the Foundation for Systemic Change website. 

Learn more about the competition and Fred Ross on the Foundation for Systemic Change website.