2016 State Contest

In 2014, the KSPA added two new contests in the State round of competition. These contests were not included in the Regional Contests. For this reason, any KSPA member school student(s) may compete in these contests, regardless of whether they placed or even participated in the February round of regional contests. The prompts for these contests can be found in the heading for Digital Submission Prompts below. The two contests are . . .

Contest W: MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING: (one team of up to four students per KSPA member school)

Students may enter as individuals or in a team of no more than four students to create a multimedia story package based on the prompt. All entries will be submitted by creating a publicly accessible web page and submitting the URL. Students will produce original work and will use only lawfully acquired copyrighted material.

Note: Because the web page for this contest will likely be part of your school’s online news site, this contest cannot be completely anonymous. Judges will be able to see the school identity for each entry by virtue of being on the school’s online news site. For that reason, students should credit the team members who worked on coverage in the entry with photo credits, bylines, etc. as they would normally.

In the package, students must have three or more types of media. Students are required to have one type of media from each of the lists below:

• Type #1: Written story:
  • original story or transcript of audio/video package
• Type #2: Visuals:
  • Infographic, video or multiple photos
• Type #3: Other Media:
  • such as . . . video (if not used to satisfy Type #2), multiple photos (if not used to satisfy #2), audio, audio/photo slideshow, infographic, ThingLink, Storify, embedded maps, use of social media or other online coverage

Contest X: ONLINE PHOTO GALLERY: (up to two entries by two individual students)

Each student will submit 5-8 original photos based on the prompt provided below. All photos should be related to the topic and should visually tell a story. Each photo should include a complete caption and the entire gallery should be submitted via URL. This contest will challenge photographers to tell a story with their photos involving people and their environment. This contest is about quality, not quantity.

Note: Because the web page for this contest will likely be part of your school’s online news site, this contest can not be completely anonymous. Judges will be able to see the school identity for each entry by virtue of being on the school’s online news site. For that reason, students should provide themselves with a photographer credit as they would for a typical online photo gallery.

Depending on feedback and interest level from member schools, the board may continue to offer these contest at the State contest, expand them to the Regional contest round or eliminate them in future years.

Questions about registration, payment or substitutions?

• Kerry Navinskey, KSPA assistant, 1435 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence KS 66045, (785) 864-0605, staff@kspaonline.org
• Eric Thomas, KSPA executive director, 1435 Jayhawk Boulevard, Lawrence KS 66045, (785) 864-0605, staff@kspaonline.org

KSPA competitions are divided into three classifications for room assignments and judging:

• 1A and 2A schools
• 3A and 4A schools
• 5A and 6A schools

KSPA awards a Sweepstakes prize for the school earning the most points with their entries at the State Contest. First place earns 5 points. Second place earns 4 points. Third place earns 3 points. Honorable Mention entries earn 1 point each. A Sweepstakes winner is named for 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A each. The Sweepstakes-winning school earns a trophy. A certificate in each division will be awarded to the Sweepstakes’ runners-up. Announcement of the schools earning Sweepstakes will be made on the day of the State Contest via Twitter at @kspastaff.

Room locations may change based on the number of students registered.

• Registration: 8:15 to 8:45 a.m. 
  • Fifth floor lobby of KU Memorial Union

• Opening Session: 8:45 to 9:15 a.m.
  • Woodruff Auditorium in KU Memorial Union
  • Welcome remarks, All-Kansas award presentations and contest instructions

• Session 1: 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

  • Contest A: Editing (Ballroom for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)
  • Contest B: Sports Writing (Ballroom for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)
  • Contest C: Editorial Cartoon (Parlor ABC for 1A/2A, 5A/6A // English Room for 3A/4A)
  • Contest D: Yearbook Copy Writing (First Floor — J Room for for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)
  • Contest E: Feature Writing (Big 12 Room for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)

• Session 2: 11:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.

  • Contest F: News Writing (Ballroom for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)
  • Contest G: Cutline Writing (Ballroom for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)
  • Contest H: Editorial Writing (First Floor — J Room for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)
  • Contest J: Yearbook Sports Writing (Big 12 Room for 1A/2A, 3A/4A, 5A/6A)

Nine on-site contests — the same as those in the Regional Contest — will be offered:

Session 1: 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

• Contest A: Copyediting
• Contest B: Sports Writing
• Contest C: Editorial Cartoon
• Contest D: Yearbook Copy
• Contest E: Feature Writing

Session 2: 11:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.

• Contest F: News Writing
• Contest G: Cutline Writing
• Contest H: Editorial Writing
• Contest J: Yearbook Sports Writing

Twelve digital submission contests will be offered. The deadline for online submission is Monday, May 2 at noon. See all of the prompts here and individual digital submission instructions are available below:

• Contest K: Academics Photography
• Contest M: Advertising
• Contest N: Headline Writing & Design
• Contest P: Infographics
• Contest Q: News Page Design
• Contest R: Photo Illustration
• Contest S: Sports Photography
• Contest T: Student Life Photography
• Contest U: Yearbook Layout
• Contest V: Yearbook Theme & Graphics (can be team of up to two)
• Contest W: Multimedia Storytelling (can be team of up to four)
• Contest X: Online Photo Gallery

Two contests (Multimedia Storytelling and Online Photo Gallery) will be at the state level only. See the heading for “State-Only Contests” above for more details.

Digital Submission contests must be uploaded using the online submission process that KSPA has designed. This system will allow upload of jpg (JPEG) files for photography contests and pdf (Adobe Acrobat) files for design categories. Almost every type of photography or design software should be capable of creating files for submission. In the event that you don’t have the software, KSPA has included instructions of how to use an online service to prepare jpg image files.

Want to see the sheets that judges will use to find the award winners and give you feedback? We have placed them online so that you can see the criteria, or maybe even use them in your classroom. If you download them to your computer, they will become interactive forms with clickable buttons and feedback boxes for comments.

• BY BUS: If your group comes by bus, you may unload in front of the Kansas Union. The bus may be parked at the Lied Center (Lot 300) on west campus or Memorial Stadium parking lot at the intersection of 11th and Mississippi (assuming there is no sporting event). Buses should be attended when parked.
• BY CAR: The blue zones are metered until noon on Saturdays; the red and yellow zones are not metered at all. The Mississippi Street Garage (just north of the Kansas Union) has entrances on both Mississippi St. and Oread Ave. adjacent to the Union. Parking is $1.75 for the first hour, $1.50 per hour for each subsequent hour. This link introduces you to parking options near the Union.

All entries must be registered and paid for by KSPA-member advisers by the deadlines listed on this page. Entries in Contests A-V must have qualified for State through the Regional Contest with an award of 1st place, 2nd place, 3rd place or Honorable Mention in the Regional Contests. Contests W and X are open to all students at KSPA member schools, regardless of awards or participation in Regionals. 

Students may only participate in five contest categories.

The fee for each entry remains $10. An administrative fee of $10 will be added to each registration instance. Each time that a school completes the registration form, this fee must be included.

Once a school has registered for the contest, no refunds can be issued. Schools may register for additional entries but cannot reduce the number of entries. (Each additional submission of registration information will include an additional registration fee.) All payments are due to the KSPA office before certificates or judging feedback will be returned to the school.

Students will be expected to pay for their own lunch and lodging if they elect to remain overnight. Affordable lunch options may be purchased in the Market in the Kansas Union.

• Payment may be made online by credit card at the time of registration.
• For payment by check, please make checks payable to “KSPA” and send the check to KSPA, 1435 Jayhawk Blvd., Room 318, Lawrence, KS 66045.
• Student certificates and judging feedback will not be returned until payment in full is received to the KSPA office.
• No refunds will be granted once registrations are filed. 

At the adviser brunch, which will begin at 9:30 a.m., we will recognize the Engel Award winner and other KSPA award winners. Please pay for the $16 brunch meal using the registration form link above. The KSPA business meeting will follow. Advisers may attend the business meeting without attending the brunch.

The KSPA director is authorized to enforce the rules approved by the executive committee. If any adviser violates the rules, his or her students will be disqualified and the principal of the school involved will be notified. Advisers are prohibited from entering rooms where entries are being judged. Advisers are not to give advice or suggestions on carry-in contests. Student questions should be directed to the KSPA Executive Director Eric Thomas at staff@kspaonline.org.

Any entries in the digital submission contest that are submitted to the incorrect contest or category without arranging correction with the KSPA office (staff@kspaonline.org) before the digital submission deadline will be disqualified.

Similarly, contestants who do not abide by the prompts’ requirement may be disqualified without refund as well.

Awards and judging feedback will be mailed to students who place first, second, third or honorable mention in the contest. Schools must have paid State contest fees in order to receive awards and feedback. Entries will be returned the week following contest with the exception of those entries that placed first. The first-place entries will be saved for the KSPA publication “Simply Better,” and emailed to members in the fall.

Judges will be university journalism faculty members, former high school advisers no longer employed by a school district, qualified journalism students and professional journalists. Judges are encouraged to make comments on the grading rubrics whenever time permits. Judges volunteer their services without pay: please understand that remarks may vary in detail and length.

Students must remain on the contest premises where they are competing throughout the day. Advisers must accompany students to the contest site. KSPA will not provide any scheduled activities for digital submission entrants. As a result, unless these students are also competing on the site, they need not attend the contest.

High school journalists with special needs will be given an equal opportunity to participate in all contests sponsored or sanctioned by KSPA and the University of Kansas, which acts as host for the KSPA contest. If you or any of your students need to be so accommodated, please let the KSPA office know at staff@kspaonline.org or (785) 864-0605. 

KSPA does not provide food for students participating in the contest. Students should bring cash or credit/debit card to make purchases. The fourth floor of the union features the Roasterie Coffee Shop and The Hawk Shop Convenience Store. Panda Express is on the third floor along with The Market food court with the following options:

• Sushi
• Sandwiches and salad bar
• Pizza Hut
• Boulevard Grill (Burgers & Fries)
• Serrano’s Latin Cuisine
• Sweet Baby Jay’s Bakery & Desserts
• The Press (Paninis)

T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST

• Please see this link for details on entering the KSPA State Contest T-shirt Design Contest. You could win $50 and a free t-shirt with your design on it. Deadline: noon on Monday, April 4. You can submit your designs here. 

T-SHIRT PURCHASES

• Purchase of the state t-shirts will be made available through the website Booster after the completion of the design contest. The company will complete your transaction and ship the shirts to your school or individual address. The proceeds from t-shirt sales helps to support KSPA activities. Deadline: April 13, 2016 (link to be posted after t-shirt contest)

• Cutline Writing: Students will write cutlines for five photos provided at the contest site. Students may write in pen or pencil. Paper will be provided at the contest site. Students may use dictionary, thesaurus and AP Stylebooks. Personal listening devices, recording devices and personal computers are prohibited during the contest.
• Writing Contests: (Yearbook copy, yearbook sports, feature, news, sports and editorial writing contests). Students will write a story based on information provided on a fact sheet. Students may write in pen or pencil. Paper will be provided. Students may use dictionary, thesaurus and AP Stylebooks. Personal listening devices, recording devices and personal computers are prohibited during the contest.
• Editorial Cartoon Contest: Students will design a cartoon relevant to the topic provided on the fact sheet. The final entry should be submitted in black ink. Do not place your signature anywhere on the entry. Paper will be provided. Students may use dictionary, thesaurus and AP Stylebooks. Personal listening devices, recording devices and personal computers are prohibited during the contest.
• Copyediting Contest: Students will complete two different tasks in this contest (a previous example can be found here). First, students will respond to 25 different multiple choice questions with possible errors in AP style, accuracy, libel, attribution, grammar, spelling and redundancy. Students will respond with the best answer, which could be “no change” to the existing sentence. Students will also read a sample story. In response to the sample story, the student will provide feedback, coaching, notes of caution and encouragement to the writer. Students may use dictionary, thesaurus and AP style manuals. Personal listening devices, recording devices and personal computers are prohibited during the contest.

To review the winning entries in every visual contest held at the 2015 KSPA State Contest in May 2015, click here.

To review the winning entries in every contest held at the 2014 KSPA State Contest in May 2014, choose from the files below:

• Largest file size :: (NO PREVIEW available, must download) best for printing and reading clarity, but slower download (115 MB)
• Smaller file size :: better for fast download, but graphics may not print well (4.1 MB)

KSPA welcomes exhibitors who are interested in marketing to high school journalism advisers and their students. To read more about this opportunity for exposure and chance to support KSPA, please click here.