DEADLINE: JUNE 20, 2025, 5 p.m. CT
TO ENTER: Visit the NSPA membership portal under the Contests tab or use the links at the following links:
> Submit Literary Arts Magazine Entries
> Submit Newspaper/Newsmagazine Entries
> Submit Photojournalism Entries
Honoring an academic year’s top individual work in seven categories — broadcast, literary magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, online, photojournalism, social media and yearbook — the Gold Medallion Awards represent the best work published by Minnesota high school media.
ELIGIBILITY: Entries must have been published between June 22, 2024 and June 20, 2025. The contest is open only to Minnesota student media with a current NSPA membership as of the contest deadline. All Minnesota high school media belonging to NSPA are automatically members of MHSPA. Any student on the staff of an MHSPA member media outlet is eligible to enter. The entry must be published in the MHSPA-member student media.
DEADLINE: The website for award submission will be closed at 5 p.m. CT on June 20, 2025. The deadline will not be reopened.
ONLINE SUBMISSION: Links are provided for uploading entries in the following categories — broadcast, literary arts magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, online, photojournalism, social media and yearbook.
FILES/LINKS: The format required for each contest is indicated. In most categories, a URL link to a website or a PDF file of the printed page is required. Not both. For PDF files, the folio line with the publication date should be included. For Photojournalism categories, actual image files (JPG, TIF, PNG) are required. Word and Goggle documents will be rejected for all entries.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Winners will be announced at the MHSPA Convention on Oct. 1, 2024. MHSPA reserves the right to publish the entrants’ work in its print and online publications, as well as on social media.
RECOGNITION: The first through fifth place winners will receive certificates. If the entry is the work of more than one student, up to five names will be listed in alphabetical order. If more than five students are responsible, the award will be presented to “Staff.”
NUMBER OF ENTRIES: Two entries per student media outlet are allowed and indicated below. Staffs are encouraged to work together to select their highest quality work.
QUESTIONS: Contact gary@studentpress.org.
Broadcast
A. News Story
Reporting on breaking news or an issue of importance to your audience that demonstrates strong news-gathering skills while delivering concise information. Breaking sports stories may be submitted in the New Story category.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member media outlet.
Submission: Website URL link.
B. Feature Story
Personality profiles or human-interest general features. Sports features may be submitted in the Feature Story category.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member media outlet.
Submission: Website URL link.
Literary Arts Magazine
C. Cover/Spread Design
First page or inside spread featuring a dynamic nameplate and effectively displaying compelling visual and literary content.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member literary arts magazine.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
D. Visual Content
Original artistic work by students appearing in the literary magazine including paintings, sketches, digital art, graffiti, cartoons, ceramics, fashion design and 3D work. Photography should be entered in Category Q Photo Illustration.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member literary arts magazine.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
E. Literary Content
Original literary work by students appearing in the literary magazine including poetry/prose, short stories, nonfiction and essays.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member literary arts magazine.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
> Submit Literary Arts Magazine Entries
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
F. Page/Spread Design
Front page, inside page or center spread effectively displaying compelling verbal and visual content.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA newspaper/newsmagazine member.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
G. Editorial Cartoon
Typically printed on the editorial page or other opinion pages and often communicates an opinion on a subject presented in an accompanying editorial or other timely topic in the news. GIFs or multimedia editorial cartoons are allowed in this category.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA newspaper/newsmagazine or online member.
Submission: Website URL link or PDF file of printed page, do not submit both.
H. Editorial/Opinion
An editorial is a statement of the publication’s opinion supported by fact. Editorials generally do not have bylines. This category also includes columns, reviews and bylined opinion pieces.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA newspaper/newsmagazine or online member.
Submission: Website URL link or PDF file of printed page(s), do not submit both.
I. News Story
Reporting on breaking news or an issue of importance to your audience that demonstrates strong news-gathering skills and delivers concise information.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA newspaper/newsmagazine or online member.
Submission: Website URL link or PDF file of printed page(s), do not submit both.
J. Feature Story
Personality profiles or human-interest general features.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA newspaper/newsmagazine or online member.
Submission: Website URL link or PDF file of printed page(s), do not submit both.
K. Sports Story
Coverage of past or present games or a seasonal summary, may also include profiles of sports personalities or human-interest sports features.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA newspaper/newsmagazine or online member.
Submission: Website URL link or PDF file of printed page(s), do not submit both.
> Submit Newspaper/Newsmagazine Entries
Online
L. Multimedia Story Package
A news or feature package that demonstrates strong reporting skills and delivers concise and relevant information. In addition to text and images, entry must include audio, video, slideshows, interactive content (maps, timelines, etc.) or animation as part of a robust multimedia package.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school website.
Submission: Website URL link.
M. Interactive Graphic
Allows readers to navigate through an informational graphic to engage with the information. Popular formats include factoids, lists, quizzes, bar charts, line charts, pie charts, tables, ratings, timelines, step-by-step guides, diagrams and maps.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school website.
Submission: Website URL link.
Photojournalism
N. News Photo
Captures a timely visual story and displays news value and evidence of on-the-spot coverage. A caption is required.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school media outlet.
Submission: An image file (JPG, TIF, PNG) is required along with a caption; do not submit URL link or PDF file.
O. Feature Photo
Delivers a human-interest story with the emphasis on people in action in their environment including student life, academics, clubs/organizations and performing arts. A caption is required.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school media outlet.
Submission: An image file (JPG, TIF, PNG) is required along with a caption; do not submit URL link or PDF file.
P. Sports Photo
Captures the competitive action and emotion of athletes on school teams competing in games, matches and meets or in personal, non-team sports. Images may also communicate a story other than direct action on the playing field including human-interest sports stories such as profiles of sports figures. A caption is required.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school media outlet.
Submission: An image file (JPG, TIF, PNG) is required along with a caption; do not submit URL link or PDF file.
Q. Photo Illustration
An artistic and often electronically manipulated image used for illustration, often in literary arts magazines. If used in a journalistic publication such as an online site, newspaper/newsmagazine or yearbook, the image must be clearly labeled as a photo illustration. Copyright law must be respected.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school media outlet.
Submission: An image file (JPG, TIF, PNG) is required along with a caption; do not submit URL link or PDF file.
> Submit Photojournalism Entries
Social Media
R. Reporting
Coverage using social media platforms for reporting, updating and engaging with the school community. Collect all social media examples using an online content curation tool or by capturing screenshots with links to create a portfolio.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school media outlet.
Submission: Website URL link to portfolio or PDF portfolio, do not submit both.
S. Promotion
Use of social media platforms for promoting traffic to an online site, broadcast or print news publication or to promote the sale of the yearbook. Collect all social media examples using an online content curation tool or by capturing screenshots with links to create a portfolio.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member high school media outlet.
Submission: Website URL link to portfolio or PDF portfolio, do not submit both.
Yearbook
T. Spread Design
Facing pages that together display a single verbal/visual story or a package of related content. In the case of chronological coverage, the content is from a clearly labeled period of time. Spreads such as opening, closing and dividers must be entered in Category X Yearbook Theme Package.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member yearbook.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
U. Academics/Club Story
A human-interest feature story reporting on academics/clubs.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member yearbook.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
V. Sports Story
Coverage of games or a seasonal summary, may also include profiles of sports personalities or human-interest sports features.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member yearbook.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
W. Student Life Story
A human-interest feature story on all aspects of teen and school life (except academics/clubs and sports) including trends, fashion, entertainment, contemporary issues, news, community, faith, families and events.
Number of Entries: Two entries per MHSPA-member yearbook.
Submission: PDF file of printed page(s).
X. Theme Package
This package includes cover, endsheets, title page, opening, closing, divider and final/parting page presented together as a portfolio.
Number of Entries: One entry per MHSPA-member yearbook.
Submission: PDF file of the theme portfolio. If the PDF file is too large to upload, submit a URL link to the PDF file on a shared drive taking care that permissions allow judge access.