2020-2021 PSPA Student Journalism Competition Write-Off and Carry-In Contests
Registration
This page needs updated with Google form for registration and contest dates.
Register to Compete at your Regional SJC
Choose your competition location to begin your competition registration.
Click on the location below to continue with registration.
YOUR PUBLICATION MUST BE A 2019-2020 MEMBER OF PSPA TO COMPETE IN A SCHOLASTIC JOURNALISM COMPETITION.
Choose your competition location to begin your competition registration.
Click on the location below to continue with registration.
YOUR PUBLICATION MUST BE A 2019-2020 MEMBER OF PSPA TO COMPETE IN A SCHOLASTIC JOURNALISM COMPETITION.
General Rules for All Participants
1. Only current member schools may compete. Each school may enter up to two students in each category. Each student may enter only one category (including carry-in categories 13-15.) Every PSPA Membership comes with five complimentary competition entries. Additional entries cost $12.00 each per student entering the contests.
2. No substitutions of any kind will be permitted after registering for the contests.
3. Your school does not need to have the publication designated by each category. For example, a school might not have a literary magazine, but students can still participate in the 10L and 11L categories. PSPA expects advisers to coach students to compete in the category that best reflects their strengths.
4. Students competing in the newspaper, yearbook, and web contests should follow the Associated Press Stylebook rules. Students may bring/use their own dictionary, thesaurus, stylebook, or personal handheld devices to aid in their contest efforts. No camera function of any phone may be used during these contests.
5. PSPA will supply scratch paper for the contests so that the students may brainstorm, and we encourage that whole process.
6. Students competing in the broadcast writing category (12B) may use the stopwatch function of a watch or mobile device to time their scripts as accurate timing is vital.
7. Students competing in the Editorial Cartoon contest (8E) or Literary Magazine Stand-Alone Artwork (11L) may bring any dry media art supplies (pencils, pens, markers, etc.) they would ordinarily use for creating artwork. No paints or wet media.
8. The first place winners in each category will advance to the State Finals held at Penn State University in the spring. However, only those who receive an average score of at least 3.0 at any Regional Competition may advance to the State Finals Competition. To make that clear, only scores equal to or above the listed scores in the following categories may advance to Finals:
9. Students must be checked into the write-off location by the start of each contest. Late entrants will not be allowed to compete.
10. Entrants not following contest rules and guidelines may be disqualified.
11. Each student may compete at only one qualifying Regional site per year.
1. Only current member schools may compete. Each school may enter up to two students in each category. Each student may enter only one category (including carry-in categories 13-15.) Every PSPA Membership comes with five complimentary competition entries. Additional entries cost $12.00 each per student entering the contests.
2. No substitutions of any kind will be permitted after registering for the contests.
3. Your school does not need to have the publication designated by each category. For example, a school might not have a literary magazine, but students can still participate in the 10L and 11L categories. PSPA expects advisers to coach students to compete in the category that best reflects their strengths.
4. Students competing in the newspaper, yearbook, and web contests should follow the Associated Press Stylebook rules. Students may bring/use their own dictionary, thesaurus, stylebook, or personal handheld devices to aid in their contest efforts. No camera function of any phone may be used during these contests.
5. PSPA will supply scratch paper for the contests so that the students may brainstorm, and we encourage that whole process.
6. Students competing in the broadcast writing category (12B) may use the stopwatch function of a watch or mobile device to time their scripts as accurate timing is vital.
7. Students competing in the Editorial Cartoon contest (8E) or Literary Magazine Stand-Alone Artwork (11L) may bring any dry media art supplies (pencils, pens, markers, etc.) they would ordinarily use for creating artwork. No paints or wet media.
8. The first place winners in each category will advance to the State Finals held at Penn State University in the spring. However, only those who receive an average score of at least 3.0 at any Regional Competition may advance to the State Finals Competition. To make that clear, only scores equal to or above the listed scores in the following categories may advance to Finals:
- 15BN 21 out of 28
- 15BF 21 out of 28
- 14NP 27 out of 36
- 13YP 27 out of 36
- 12B 27 out of 36
- 11L 18 out of 24
- 10L 18 out of 24
- 9E 18 out of 24
- 8E 24 out of 32
- 7N 30 out of 40
- 6N 30 out of 40
- 5N 30 out of 40
- 4Y 18 out of 24
- 3Y 30 out of 40
- 2Y 30 out of 40
- 1Y 21 out of 28
9. Students must be checked into the write-off location by the start of each contest. Late entrants will not be allowed to compete.
10. Entrants not following contest rules and guidelines may be disqualified.
11. Each student may compete at only one qualifying Regional site per year.
Additional Rules for Carry-in Participants (13YP, 14NP, 15BN, 15BF)
(These entries are submitted prior to competition day with printed copies turned in on competition day)
(These entries are submitted prior to competition day with printed copies turned in on competition day)
- Students submitting a carry-in entry must be in attendance at the Regional contest to qualify for the State Finals.
- Carry-in entries must have been taken and/or published or aired between March 1, 2018 and October 1, 2019.
- Students who enter must serve the school newspaper, yearbook, magazine, TV station, or website staff(s).
- Each carry-in competitor in the photography contests must electronically submit three photographs in their category on this registration form. The photos should reflect the requested criteria for each category. NEW THIS YEAR: Advisers no longer need to bring prints for the photo contests to the SJC event.
- All digital photo submissions for carry-in categories must be in JPEG format.
- Up to three students may contribute to each video package in contests 15BN and 15BF.
