SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest

# SPJ/JEA High School Essay Contest Established in 1998, this national essay contest is run by the Society of Professional Journalists - the nation's broadest journalism advocacy organization - together with the Journalism Education Association. Its purpose is to focus high school students on the role of a free and independent press in a democratic society. Each year a new prompt tackles a live press-freedom question; the 2026 topic asked why misinformation and disinformation spread so easily and how journalists can counter it. ## What You'll Do - Research and write a 300-500 word essay responding to the year's prompt on the value of a free press - Format your entry (typed, double-spaced) and submit it with the $10 entry fee by the winter deadline - Compete first against a national pool judged by journalists and journalism educators - Watch for winners announced each May ## Who Should Apply Students enrolled in grades 9-12 in US public, private, and home schools. You do not need to work on a student publication - the contest rewards clear civic argument, so debaters and essayists are as well suited as student journalists. The 2026 cycle closed in February; the prompt for the next cycle typically posts in the fall. ## Outcomes Winners receive scholarship awards of $1,000 (first), $500 (second), and $300 (third), plus national recognition from the country's leading professional journalism society - a distinctive credential for future communications, political science, and journalism applicants.