NSPA announces 2019 Individual Award finalists

Sept. 19, 2019

MINNEAPOLIS — Competition was intense in the expanded 2019 Individual Awards competition sponsored by the National Scholastic Press Association.

“In every category, the number and the quality of the entries increased from last year,” Gary Lundgren, associate director and contest coordinator, said.

This year marks the second year for the new and updated individual- award categories.

“The new and updated categories, especially the digital journalism competition, reflect the ever-changing world of scholastic journalism,” Lundgren said. “In 2019, an increased familiarity with the new categories resulted in an increase in submissions.”

In 2018, the number of categories increased from six to 10 with the introduction of new competitions — Digital Story of the Year, Social Justice Reporting, Portfolio of the Year and Best Use of Social Media. In all, the number of finalists recognized expanded from 280 to 425.

All the Individual Award finalists will be recognized and winners announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, Nov. 21-24, 2019, in Washington, D.C., during the NSPA awards ceremony on Saturday afternoon. First- through fifth-place winners will be announced in each category and will receive plaques. Five honorable mention winners will receive certificates.

Over the next few weeks, finalists will be announced in all of the 2019 individual-award categories. Links below will go active as finalists are announced —

Best Use of Social Media

Broadcast of the Year

Cartoon of the Year

Design of the Year

Digital Story of the Year

Local Climate Change Reporting

Photo of the Year

Portfolio of the Year

Social Justice Reporting

Story of the Year

Middle School/Junior High