Meeting deadlines and rising to a journalistic challenge as a team: Are you ready to do both?

MIPA revamped the contests, and in the process created the MIPA Journalism Challenge. This will be a way for students to compete in a timed competition, push themselves journalistically and learn more about the craft by doing a true hands-on deadline-driven contest.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Students may enter in teams of two, three, or four people.

• Schools may enter up to two teams per category.

• Schools must be MIPA members, preferably planning to attend J-Day. If for some reason a school cannot attend, MIPA still would like to see it compete. Should a team win, the certificate will be mailed to the school.

• There is, as with all MIPA contests, no entry fee to enter. MIPA dues cover this new contest.

• Topics will be e-mailed to the MIPA listserv by noon Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015 for teachers to share with their students.

• Topics will be of a nature that students will ideally be able to use the products created for the challenge on their student publication(s) in the future. For example, the finished page they create for the newspaper or newsmagazine could end up published in the next issue. The story for TV may end up on one of the shows. The yearbook spread could end up a part of the final publication, if the book has room for it in the plan/ladder/deadlines.

• Students will have until midnight, Wednesday, March 11, 2015 to complete the task assigned in their chosen category on their own with minimal assistance from their adviser(s).

• Each category will be judged; and a First, Second and Third place will be given at J-Day on Wednesday, April 8, 2015. The First place entries will be displayed on the screen and/or aired during the Awards Ceremony.

• This is one of the few contests that will not provide written feedback due to the fast turn-around time involved with the judging.

• Students will be disqualified if copyright is violated, category requirements are not met, or it is found out that content used was not written, recorded, created, etc. during the time period of Feb. 25, 2015 to March 11, 2015. Content should be original and adhere to those dates.

CATEGORIES:

• Broadcast Challenge: Students will create a 1:15 to 2:15 TRT story with soundbites, B-roll, reporter voiceover and/or stand up over the topic. Any use of graphics is encouraged, but not required. Tag out line may include your broadcast’s show name or station identifier.

  • TOPIC: “JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE LEFT TO GIVE…”

  • Students will need to use this LINK to provide their school name, student name(s) and link to finished story on Vimeo, YouTube, SchoolTube, or other third party, public video website.

  • Once you complete the form, your entry will automatically go to the judge.

• Newspaper/NewsMagazine Challenge: Students will create a one-page final layout that includes at least: one article, one headline, one photo, one caption and one infographic over the topic. Page dimensions should fit what the school uses for its publication. Any additional photos, graphics, advertisements, etc. are encouraged, but not required.

  • TOPIC: “JUST BECAUSE IT’S LEGAL, DOES IT MAKE IT RIGHT?”

  • Students should export/save the file as a PDF document with the naming convention: SchoolName StudentsName NP.PDF.

  • Students will email the judge the PDF file of finished page to [email protected].

  • Use “Challenge – NP entry” as the subject line of your email.

• Yearbook Challenge: Students will create a two-page spread that includes at least one article, one headline, three photos and three captions over the topic provided. Page dimensions should fit what your school uses for its publication. Any additional photos, captions, graphics, etc. are encouraged, but not required.

  • TOPIC: “STUDENT LIFE: OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL WALLS”

  • Students should export/save the file as a PDF document with the naming convention: SchoolName StudentsName YB.PDF.

  • Students will email the judge the PDF file of finished page to [email protected].

  • Use “Challenge – YB entry” as the subject line of your email.