SIPA’s Best Writing Contest

Deadline for 2026 awards is January 15, 2025.

Cost: $5 per entry

Entries are limited to one student per category, but unlimited per staff and publication. For example, a student may enter the Sports Story category once, and other students from the same staff may enter the Sports Story category as well. Individual students may not submit multiple stories in one category.

For 2026, entries must have been published between December 15, 2024 and January 15, 2026

Each media staff that enters the contest must be a current SIPA member. For example, if the school newspaper is a SIPA member and that same school’s yearbook wants to enter in the writing contest, the yearbook must join SIPA as well. Memberships are by media and not by school or adviser.

Entries will be disqualified if they do not meet the established criteria.

Awards will be presented during the closing ceremony Sunday morning at the SIPA convention, and winners will be posted online after the convention. Email [email protected] with any questions.

Please review SIPA’s AI Policy.

SIPA’s Best Writing Category Descriptions

A/V

Academic – A script for a fully produced audio or audio-visual story about a course, program or students involved in an academic pursuit at your school. This entry should be a complete script, including directions for the audio and, if present, visual elements. Submit the script and a link to the produced piece.
Feature – A feature story may be written to entertain or inform. It may be tied to news but should not be a hard news story. This entry should be a complete script, including directions for the audio and, if present, visual elements. Submit the script and a link to the produced piece.
News – A story that informs the student body of events or developments that are timely, factual and important to the school community. This entry should be a complete script, including directions for the audio and, if present, visual elements. Submit the script and a link to the produced piece.
Personality Profile – A feature story about a person that seeks to answer the question, “Who is this person?” This entry should be a fully produced audio or audio-visual story. This entry should be a complete script, including directions for the audio and, if present, visual elements. Submit the script and a link to the produced piece.
Podcast – A scripted podcast with complete directions for audio and timing. This should not be a transcript of an unscripted podcast. Submit three scripts and links to the three produced episodes.
Public Service Announcement – A script for a short piece that raises awareness about an issue of public interest. This may be about a cause at your school or on behalf of a community or service agency. This entry should be a complete script, including directions for the audio and, if present, visual elements. Submit the script and a link to the produced piece.
Short film – A script for original scripted documentary film with a total run time, including credits, that does not exceed 10 minutes. These pieces should explore a variety of perspectives on an issue or situation and should employ the deeper storytelling techniques allowed by the format and length. This entry should be a complete script, including directions for the audio and visual elements. Submit the script and a link to the produced piece.
Sports – A story that informs the student body of events or developments in sports that is of interest to your school community. Sports news or sports features are accepted. This entry should be a complete script, including directions for the audio and, if present, visual elements. Submit the script and a link to the produced piece.
Portfolio – A portfolio containing four examples of writing audio or audio-visual stories by one student. This entry should be the complete scripts, including directions for the audio and, if present, visual elements. Submit the scripts and links to the produced piece.

Literary Arts Magazine

Drama- This should be a script such as would be used to produce a play or short film. It should include stage directions, dialog and other narrative devices. The script should be written so that someone unfamiliar with the piece could use it to produce the drama. Submit a PDF of the script as published in the magazine.
Essay non-fiction- This may be, but does not have to be, a persuasive essay and should include research, engaging detail and logical organization. Autobiographical essays should be entered in the personal essay category. Submit a PDF of the essay as published in the magazine.
Flash fiction- An original piece of fiction 300 words or fewer. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Interview/spotlight- A non-fiction Q&A or personality profile on a person of interest to the school, publication or student body. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Personal essay/Memoir- An autobiographical piece that holds universal truths. Uses the writer’s experience to explore a topic or theme. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Poetry formal verse – Follows established patterns of rhythm, rhyme and stanza structure, for example: sonnet, sestina, ballad, villanelle, limerick, haiku, etc. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Poetry free verse- Does not rhyme or have a regular meter. Uses vivid imagery and figurative language. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Fiction– Original and thought-provoking fiction featuring vivid writing, characterization, and clear theme. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Review- A critical appraisal of a book, play, movie, exhibition, restaurant etc. that is informative, insightful, authentic, and offers evidence to support opinions. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Satire- A piece that employs humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s faults or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Song lyrics/music composition- Original, creative lyrics for a musical composition. Can include a link to a performed piece. if an original musical composition, must include the score. Submit a PDF of the piece as published in the magazine.
Portfolio-Four examples from any of the writing categories within literary-arts magazine by a single student. Submit a PDF of the pieces as published in the magazine.

Online

Alternative Storytelling- This category recognizes innovative, web-only storytelling that uses nontraditional written formats—such as lists, rankings, or notebook-style entries—combined with a strong, original narrative. Entries must include multimedia elements and should be submitted as links to published online content. Ideal for pieces that use emerging platforms or formats not easily categorized elsewhere. Submit a link to the piece.
Blog- Pieces that appeal to reader emotion through sharing significant auto-biographical moments or insights of human conditions. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Column- Submit three bylined opinion columns published by the same student. These columns should reflect a distinct personal voice and appear regularly (throughout the year). This category includes all types of columns – except sports, entertainment or staff editorial commentary, which should be entered in their respective categories. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit links to the pieces.
Critical Review- A piece that thoughtfully evaluates the pros and cons of a pop culture topic—such as a book, movie, show, music, or restaurant. Reviews should offer clear opinions, observations, and critiques relevant to the audience with a focus on clarity, reasoning, organization, and insightfulness. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Features- A story that focuses on human interest or descriptive, informative, or how-to topics. Feature stories are designed to entertain or inform, often emphasizing narrative detail, vivid description, and strong quotes. While features may connect to news, they should not be hard news and typically lack a time-sensitive angle. Instead, they focus on storytelling that “shows, not tells.” Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Investigative Story- An in-depth, well-researched story that thoroughly explores a complex topic, using background information and credible sources. The story should inform or instruct readers by addressing the “why” and “how,” and may not focus on immediate news events. This category is ideal for comprehensive investigations or extensive research on significant issues—like school safety or the local economy—that involve surveys or detailed analysis. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
News- A timely news story that reports new facts on recent or upcoming events with relevant sources and information with a focus on clarity, organization, detail, quotes, attributions, and thoroughness. The story should inform readers without interpretation or opinion and may include advance or follow-up coverage. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Personality Feature- A feature story that highlights an individual’s life, achievements, or unique qualities. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Sports Column- A bylined opinion column that explores a sports-related issue or topic. These pieces may present a clear stance, a call to action or offer thoughtful commentary without a definitive conclusion. Judging will be based on clarity, reasoning, organization, and depth of insight. Submit three columns by the same student. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit links to the pieces.
Sports Coverage– A story that provides timely coverage of sports news, such as game previews, recaps, or tournament results. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Sports Feature– A sports feature story that explores behind-the-scenes dynamics or captures the team’s atmosphere and emotional landscape. Stories may include human interest angles, personality profiles, or interpretive features that delve into the “why” behind sports moments. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Sports News– A timely sports issue-based story that reports new facts on recent or upcoming events with relevant sources and information with a focus on clarity, organization, detail, quotes, attributions, and thoroughness. The story should inform readers without interpretation or opinion and may include advance or follow-up coverage. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the piece.
Portfolio- Four examples from any of the categories within online by a single student. Entries should include multimedia elements that enhance the reader’s overall experience. Submit a link to the pieces.

Newspaper/Newsmagazine

Caption writing- Captions should contain sufficient information about the people and action in the photograph, without stating the obvious. Submit captions for three photographs, all written by the same student. Include the photographs for context via a single PDF.
Critical review- A piece that thoughtfully evaluates the pros and cons of a pop culture topic—such as a book, movie, show, music, or restaurant. Reviews should offer clear opinions, observations, and critiques relevant to the audience with a focus on clarity, reasoning, organization, and insightfulness. Submit a PDF of the review as published in the paper.
Editorial column– Submit a PDF containing three bylined opinion columns published by the same student. These columns should reflect a distinct personal voice and appear regularly (e.g., in each issue or throughout the year). This category includes all types of columns – except sports, entertainment or staff editorial commentary, which should be entered in their respective categories.
Feature- A story that focuses on human interest or descriptive, informative, or how-to topics. Feature stories are designed to entertain or inform, often emphasizing narrative detail, vivid description, and strong quotes. While features may connect to news, they should not be hard news and typically lack a time-sensitive angle. Instead, they focus on storytelling that “shows, not tells.” Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper.
Entertainment/feature column- A column that blends personal insight, opinion, and emotional appeal—often through autobiographical moments or reflections on the human experience. These pieces may entertain, inform, or provoke thought. Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper.
Headline- Headlines should accurately capture the essence of the stories without simply repeating the lead, and should engage readers’ interest. Submit three headlines written by the same student, along with the corresponding articles, compiled in a single PDF as published in the paper.
Investigative story– An in-depth, well-researched story that thoroughly explores a complex topic, using background information and credible sources. The story should inform or instruct readers by addressing the “why” and “how,” and may not focus on immediate news events. This category is ideal for comprehensive investigations or extensive research on significant issues—like school safety or the local economy—that involve surveys or detailed analysis. Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper.
News- A timely news story that reports new facts on recent or upcoming events with relevant sources and information with a focus on clarity, organization, detail, quotes, attributions, and thoroughness. The story should be written in the inverted pyramid format and inform readers without interpretation or opinion. This may include advance or follow-up coverage. Submit a PDF of the published story.
News feature- A story that combines timely news elements with a focus on human interest, highlighting personal or emotional aspects alongside factual reporting. Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper.
Personality profile – A feature story that highlights an individual’s life, achievements, or unique qualities. Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper.
Sports coverage- A story that provides timely coverage of sports news, such as game previews, recaps, or tournament results. Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper. Entries should feature on-the-spot reporting of a single sports event, including key plays, outcomes, and relevant quotes. Judging will consider clarity, accuracy, timeliness, and depth of coverage. Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper.
Sports column- A bylined opinion column that explores a sports-related issue or topic. Submit three columns by the same student in a single PDF as published in the paper. These pieces may present a clear stance, a call to action or offer thoughtful commentary without a definitive conclusion. Judging will be based on clarity, reasoning, organization, and depth of insight.
Sports feature- A sports feature story that explores behind-the-scenes dynamics or captures the team’s atmosphere and emotional landscape. Stories may include human interest angles, personality profiles, or interpretive features that delve into the “why” behind sports moments. Submit a PDF of the story as published in the paper.
Sports news- A timely sports issue-based story that reports new facts on recent or upcoming events with relevant sources and information with a focus on clarity, organization, detail, quotes, attributions, and thoroughness. The story should be written in the inverted pyramid format and inform readers without interpretation or opinion. May include advance or follow-up coverage. Submit a PDF of the published story.
Staff editorial- An unbylined editorial that reflects the collective opinion of the publication’s staff, editors, or editorial board on a timely and relevant issue. The piece should address a matter of concern within the school, local community, or broader society. Submit a PDF of the editorial as published in the paper.
Portfolio- Include four artifacts from any of the categories within news magazine by a single student. Submit a PDF of the pieces as published in the paper.

Yearbook

Academics- A story that focuses on an academic program or class at your school. Submit a PDF as published in the book.
Alternative Storytelling- Copy that is presented in a format other than traditional narrative text and is used in place of a dominant story on the spread. Submit a PDF as published in the book.
Captions- Captions should contain sufficient information about the people and action in the photograph, without stating the obvious. Submit captions for three photographs, all written by the same student. Include the photographs for context via a single PDF.
Community- A story on the broader community outside of your school walls. This should be a story of interest to the student audience at the school. It may be about students’ work or connections in the community. However, it is not required that the story be about a student. Submit a PDF as published in the book.
Clubs/Organizations- A story that focuses on a group at your school and its interactions with the school or community. Submit a PDF as published in the book

Extended cations- Contains at least two sentences that answer all the readers’ questions without stating the obvious. Clearly identifies the people in the photo with both first and last names (sports captions should also identify names of players on opposing teams). Adhere to rule of good journalism including: active voice; usually first sentence is present tense and remaining sentences in past tense to stop action; free from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar.
Headline- Three examples of headline writing by a single student. Submit a PDF of the headlines as published in the book.
People- A story that captures the experiences, contributions or goals of a student or students. Submit a PDF as published in the book.
Sports- A story that highlights the contributions of players, coaches or fan at your school. Submit a PDF as published in the book.
Student Life- A story that focuses on students and what they do during the school day or after it ends. Submit a PDF as published in the book.
Theme- The verbal aspects of your theme. The theme itself and any copy in the book that is specifically presented to carry out the theme. Submit a PDF as published in the book.
Portfolio- Four examples from any of the categories within yearbook by a single student. Submit a PDF as published in the book.

2026 SIPA’s Best Writing Entry Instructions

Entries to SIPA’s Best Media Contest will be submitted using the BetterBNC Media Awards Platform. Below are directions for preparing and submitting entries.

Tech Notes

IMPORTANT: BetterBNC is optimized for the Google Chrome browser; and Firefox for PC and Macintosh/Apple. Please have a recent version downloaded and installed for the best contest experience.

If you have technical questions about the contest platform, there is a help and support link in the upper left corner of the contest platform page.

Go to www.betterbnc.com
Click Contestant Login
Under Select a Contest, choose 2026 SIPA’s Best Media Contest
Select your Media Organization - This should be your school and media name. If you do not see your media staff listed, please contact Amy Smedberg at [email protected].
Enter your password
Click Login

If this is your first time logging into your account: Use the temporary password: bnc (lower case). After you log in using that temporary password, the system will require you to update your password. Going forward (including future years) you will log in with the password you set. During the process of establishing your account, the BetterBNC platform will send an authorization email to the email address you provide. Be sure to check your junk, quarantine or spam folders for this email.

Submit Entries

Click Submit Entry from the Manage Entries page
Select a Division (group of Categories)
Select a Category
Enter the entry headline or title
Add entry content (may vary by category, see notes below)
Enter credits
Click “Submit Entry”

IMPORTANT: Please be sure that items are not behind a paywall or a password-protected area. Judges may disqualify your entry if work samples are inaccessible.

To upload digital file attachments (other than audio/video), click “Browse”, navigate to the desired file, and then click Open. Allowed file types are PDF, DOC/DOCX, TXT, JPG, GIF, and PNG. To upload additional attachments to a single entry, click the Browse and Attach More Files button. BetterBNC will allow up to about a 20MB file, however, we suggest keeping your files around 5MB in case the judges have a slow connection. For files larger than 20MB, you can click the RealView icon on the Submit Entry page to create a free account, upload your files, and then copy and paste the URL into the URL field on the Submit Entry page. You may also use a similar third-party website that provides hosting services (scribd.com, issuu.com, etc.)

You can also use a cloud storage site such as Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.

Pay for entries

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SIPA’s Best Writing Contest

2026 SIPA’s Best Writing Entry Instructions

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