A LEADING AMERICAN UNIVERSITY WITH INTERNATIONAL REACH
Date:
March 17, 2016
To:
High school newspaper, yearbook, broadcasting and other media advisers
Re:
MARK OF EXCELLENCE CONTEST AT WKU
High school journalists play an important role in their communities. From developing important skills to
tackling controversial issues, the annual Mark of Excellence Competition recognizes budding journalists for
their talent and hard work.
The 2016 Kentucky Mark of Excellence Competition, sponsored by the Western Kentucky University Chapter
of the Society of Professional Journalists, rewards the outstanding efforts of high school journalists
throughout the state. We urge high school newspaper, magazine, yearbook, website and broadcasting
advisers to enter their staffers in one or more categories described in the enclosed material.
Winners will receive a certificate for their work. Please plan to attend the awards ceremony at 8:30 a.m. CST
Wednesday, April 20, in WKU’s Mass Media & Technology Hall auditorium.
Entries must be received by Wednesday, March 30, 2016.
Please read the enclosed rules carefully; any entries not received by the deadline, or that do not meet the
requirements will be disqualified without notice. Fill out the application completely, and remember to check
the appropriate enrollment for your school. Note that staffer of the year contest has three categories:
“Newspaper Staffer,” “Yearbook Staffer” and “Broadcasting Team Member.”
Please e-mail me when you ship your entries. WKU is a large campus—knowing your ship/mail date will help
ensure that I receive your contest entries. I will let you know by e-mail when I have received your entries.
The correct shipping address is:
Charlotte Turtle
Mark of Excellence Awards
c/o Student Publications
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11084
Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-1084
If you have any questions please contact me by phone or e-mail. Additional application forms will be posted
at www.wku.edu/khsmp.
Good Luck!
Charlotte Turtle
Mark of Excellence Contest Coordinator
[email protected] (270) 745-3055
The Spirit Makes the Master
School of Journalism and Broadcasting | Western Kentucky University | 1906 College Heights Blvd. # 11070 | Bowling Green, KY 42101-1070
phone: 270.745.4144 |fax: 270.745.5835 | web: www.wku.edu/journalism
Equal Education and Employment Opportunities • Printing paid from state funds, KRS 57.375, 2006 • Hearing Impaired Only: 270.745.5389
The Society of Professional Journalists
Western Kentucky University Chapter
Presents:
The Newspaper, Yearbook, Online and Broadcasting
2016 Kentucky High School Mark of Excellence Competition
General Rules
Entrants must be student members of a Kentucky high school newspaper, magazine, website or
broadcasting staff during the 2015-2016 school year or the spring semester of 2015. All examples
of the entrant’s work must have been published or aired anytime during March 2015 – February
2016.
All entries from one school need to be sent in the same package and must be received no
later than Wednesday, March 30, 2016.
No materials will be returned, and the WKU chapter of the Society for Professional Journalists and
the Kentucky High School Media Institute reserve the right to publish any and all materials for
educational or public relations purposes.
WKU journalism faculty, scholastic journalism professionals and journalism students using scoring
guides will judge entries. Advisers will receive judging guides with comments after the awards
ceremony or by mail. Certificates and comments not picked up at the awards ceremony will be
mailed to the winning schools within two weeks after the awards ceremony.
The enclosed applications must be completed, signed and returned with the package of entries
from the school by the deadline date.
All decisions are final and entries that do not meet the requirements will be disqualified.
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2016 Categories
Newspaper/Magazine*
Broadcasting
I.
Best News Writer
Best Feature Writer (includes sports feature)
Best Editorial Writer
Best Review or Column Writer
Best Sports Writer
II.
Best News/Feature Photographer
Best Sports Photographer
Best Editorial Cartoonist
Best Newspaper Page Designer
III.
Best Front Page Layout Design
Best Newspaper Advertising
Best High School Newspaper
IV.
Most Valuable Newspaper Staffer
I.
Best High School Broadcast/Newscast
II.
Best News Videography
Best Music Video
Best Narrative Film
Best News Story
Best Sports Story
Best Feature Story
III.
Most Valuable Broadcast Team Member
*submissions may include content from both print and online
publications as they first appeared to the reader or viewer
Yearbook
I.
Most Valuable Yearbook Staffer
Online
I.
Best Multimedia Production
Best High School News Website
Awards
There are four divisions for high schools based on school enrollment: A, AA, AAA and AAAA. First,
second, and third places will be awarded in each category and division. If there are insufficient
entries in each division, they will be grouped together. First place will be awarded for Most
Valuable Staff Members in Newspaper/Magazine, Yearbook and Broadcasting. Honorable mention
will be given at judges’ discretion.
WKU School of Journalism & Broadcasting faculty and students will judge entries. At least four
entries must be received in each category for judging to take place, so there is a possibility that an
entry will be rejected because there are not enough entries from other schools in a specific
category. All decisions are final, and entries that do not meet requirements will be disqualified.
3
Newspaper Special Rules
Each school may enter only one student or team in each category.
Category I entries:
•
•
•
A notebook or simple folder containing three to five examples of the entrant’s work must be
submitted in each category. Neatness can only help an entrant!
Copy must be submitted as it appeared in publication, either cut out from the publication and
mounted on typing paper or photocopied directly from the publication.
The entrant’s name and school should appear on all pages and covers of entries.
Category II:
Best News/Feature Photographer and Best Sports Photographer:
•
•
Three to five prints must be submitted—JPEGS or PDFs may also be submitted on CD. Be sure
they are clearly labeled. Please include cutline/caption information so judges have a clear
understanding of what is happening in the picture.
Tear sheets must be submitted and included--that is, pages of the actual newspaper--showing each
of these prints as they were published.
Best Editorial Cartoonist:
•
•
•
A simple scrapbook containing three to five examples of the entrant’s work must be submitted.
Cartoons must be submitted as they appeared in the publication--cut out from the publication and
mounted on scrapbook or typing paper.
Include related stories that accompanied each cartoon in the publication, or a short, typewritten
explanation of the issue the cartoon addresses, should such an explanation seem necessary by the
entrant.
Best Newspaper Page Designer:
•
•
A simple scrapbook containing three to five examples of the entrant’s work must be submitted.
Variety in the types of page designs can only help an entrant.
Page designs must be submitted as they appeared in the publication--cut out from the newspaper
and mounted on scrapbook or typing paper.
Category III:
Best Front Page Layout Design
•
THREE tear sheets of the front page of your choice must be submitted just as they were handed to
the student body of the high school.
Best Newspaper Advertising:
•
THREE tear sheets (three pages) must be submitted. This will show judges the placement and
presentation of the ads, and the pages can come from different issues of the publication. Ads need
to be designed by the students – not submitted by the client.
Best High School Newspaper:
•
THREE consecutive issues of the publication must be submitted just as they were handed to the
student body of the high school. Exceptions will be made for spring-only publications or publications
that print less than three times a year.
Category IV:
Most Valuable Newspaper Staffer
•
•
•
Three to five examples of the entrant’s work must be neatly packaged.
The entrant must be a 2016 graduating senior with a grade-point average in the top 20 percent
of his or her graduating class.
An application and nomination letter from the media adviser must accompany each submission for
The Most Valuable Newspaper Staff Member.
4
Broadcasting Special Rules
Each school may enter only one student or team in each category.
Category I entries:
Entries in this category will be judged on the overall work of a staff or team.
Best High School Television Broadcast/Newscast:
•
•
•
•
•
Two broadcasts must be submitted just as they were aired to student body or public.
Provide airdate, method of telecast and audience.
Entries must be submitted on separate DVDs. Label each DVD with category, title of show and
school name.
A script or transcript is strongly recommended, but not required.
Newscasts will be judged on the following:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Lead story selection
Based on lead story, story “flow” to end of first block
Based on first story in “B” block, “pace” to the end of second block
Story Writing (including grammar and spelling)
Tease and Bump writing
Use of graphics (including written content; size)
Anchor positioning
Category II entries:
Label each DVD with category and school name. Entries in these categories will be judged on the
overall work of a staff or team.
Best News Story:
•
Reports must have a hard news focus, regardless of subject. Entries must be based on coverage of
breaking or developing news stories related to campus, community, national or international issues,
sports, business, investigative, science, weather or other current newsworthy matters. Reports must
have a hard news focus, regardless of subject.
Best Feature Story:
•
Entries must be non-deadline news, non-deadline reporting of personalities, events or issues
•
Submit a story about a sports topic. Subjects may include, but are not limited to, breaking news or
features. Entry may not exceed a total of 4 minutes. Play-by-Play of a sporting event is not eligible.
The original broadcast must not be altered. Work must have been broadcast by a campus, public or
commercial television station or franchised cable television system. Work aired on an Internet TV
station or by Podcast is also eligible.
Best Sports Story:
•
Best News Videography
• News Videography will be judged on the following:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Lighting (dark, light, white balance)
Shot sequence (establisher, medium-close-up; 180-degree rule)
Shot steadiness (shaky; pans and zooms)
Video Editing, flash frames/jump-cuts; use of outsource video; edits in camera movement shots
(editing while in pan or zoom mode)
Referencing in narrative (if applicable in a package); video matching reporter
Audio-NAT sound (clarity, good background use of music/sound-effects)
Use of sound-bites (if applicable for photo essay's or packages)
Overall impact; compelling/boring video has conclusion; precise/vague message
Best Music Video
• The music video category will be judged on the following criteria:
o
o
o
o
o
o
Is the music original (if so, quality of the recording)
How well does the overall MV convey the intent of the music/lyrics.
Concept originality
Production value: shooting, lighting, use of color (visual aesthetic, camera craft, effective composition)
Post Production: editing, special effects, integration of sound & picture (cutting to the music, or in a
way that enhances the music)
Entertainment level for the viewer (storytelling? cohesive theme?)
Best Short Narrative:
•
•
Maximum length 5-minutes.
The Narrative Short Film category encompasses all works of scripted, fictitious cinema, and must be
no longer than five minutes. Unlike documentaries or news packages, narrative works are not a
direct recording of genuine, unstaged events.
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Broadcast Category III entries:
Most Valuable Broadcast Team Member
•
•
•
Submit one DVD containing three to five examples of the entrant’s work.
The entrant must be a 2016 graduating senior with a grade-point average in the top 20 percent
of his or her graduating class.
An application and nomination letter from the media adviser must accompany each submission for
The Most Valuable Broadcasting Team Member.
Yearbook Special Rules
Each school may enter only one student, team or publication in each category.
Category I:
Most Valuable Yearbook Staffer
•
•
•
Three to five examples of the entrant’s work must be neatly packaged.
The entrant must be a 2016 graduating senior with a grade point average in the top
20 percent of his or her graduating class.
An application and nomination letter from the media adviser must accompany each
submission for The Most Valuable Yearbook Staff Member.
Online Special Rules
Each school may enter only one student, team or publication in each category.
Category I:
Entries in this category will be judged on the overall work of a staff or team.
Best Multimedia Production:
•
•
•
•
Entries must be submitted on separate DVDs. Label each DVD with category and school
name.
File should be submitted as a compressed web QuickTime file. A URL can also be
submitted as a backup precaution.
All entries must be under 8 minutes.
Multimedia refers to a combination of different content forms used to produce the piece. A
production that meets the judging criteria should include a combination of text, audio, still
images, animation, video and interactivity content forms.
Best High School News Website:
•
•
•
A news website refers to a website with the primary purpose of reporting news and events.
Please submit the website URL for judges to view.
Websites will be judged based on overall presentation and content.
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Application (circle one)
Most Valuable Newspaper Staff Member
Most Valuable Yearbook Staff Member
Most Valuable Broadcast Team Member
Name
_
Age
Address
Phone ______________________
School Name
School Address
______________________
_ Phone _______________________
___________________________________________________________
Please write your total school enrollment in the correct category:
(A) 200-400
(AA) 201-750
(AAA) 751-999
(AAAA) 1,000+
Staff/Team Position(s)
_____________________________________________________________
Responsibilities
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Grade point average
______________
Class Rank ___________
Number of students in graduating class
___________
Other High School Activities
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Attach letter of recommendation from adviser. Additional letters from a principal or counselor are
optional, as well as a resume.
Student’s signature
___________________________________________
Please mail completed application and entries to:
Charlotte Turtle
Mark of Excellence Awards
c/o Student Publications
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11084
Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-1084
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Newspaper Contest Application
Name of Newspaper
School
Editor’s Name
__.
Address
City
.
___ State
Zip
.
Please write your total school enrollment in the correct category:
(A) 200-400
.
Adviser
Adviser E-mail Address
(AA) 201-750
(AAA) 751-999
(AAAA) 1,000+
School phone
.
Home/ Cell phone
.
Local newspaper’s name, address and phone number
.
___________________________________________________________________________________
__
.
Please check the categories that you are entering and write the name of the
nominee next to the listing:
Best News Writer ___________________________________________________________________
Best Feature Writer _________________________________________________________________
.
Best Editorial Writer _________________________________________________________________
Best Column/Review Writer ____________________________________________________________
Best Sports Writer ___________________________________________________________________
.
Best News/Feature Photographer ______________________________________________________
____Best Sports Photographer
___
.
____Best Editorial Cartoonist ______________________________________________________________
____Best Newspaper Page Designer ________________________________________________________
____ Best Front Page Layout Design ________________________________________________________
Best Newspaper Advertising ___________________________________________________________
____ Best High School Newspaper __________________________________________________________
____ Most Valuable Newspaper Staff Member ________________________________________________.
Total number of entries: _________________ Adviser’s Signature ________________________________
.
Please mail completed application and entries to:
Charlotte Turtle
Mark of Excellence Awards
c/o Student Publications
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11084
Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-1084
8
Broadcasting Contest Application
Name of Station_________________________________________________________________________
School
.
Address ______________________________________________
City
State
.
Please write your total school enrollment in the correct category:
(A) 200-400
.
(AA) 201-750
(AAA) 751-999
Zip
(AAAA) 1,000+
Adviser
School phone ___________________________.
Adviser e-mail Address
.
Home/ Cell phone _______________________
Local newspaper’s name, address and phone number
. ___________________________________________________________________________________
__
.
Please check the categories that you are entering. Write the name of the nominee
next to the listing, the airdate and what station or cable system the program was
telecast.
_____ Best High School Broadcast/Newscast _________________________________________________
Best News Videography
_
Best Music Video ___________________________________________________________________
_____Best Narrative Film
Best News Story
________
_
_____ Best Sports Story
_
_____ Best Feature Story
_
_____Most Valuable Broadcast Team Member
_
Total number of entries: _________________ Adviser’s Signature ________________________________
.
Please mail completed application and entries to:
Charlotte Turtle
Mark of Excellence Awards
c/o Student Publications
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11084
Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-1084
9
Online Contest Application
Name of Website
Editor’s Name
School
.
.
Address
City
.
State
Zip
Please write your total school enrollment in the correct category:
(A) 200-400
.
(AA) 201-750
(AAA) 751-999
Adviser
.
(AAAA) 1,000+
School phone
Adviser E-mail Address
.
Home/ Cell phone
Local newspaper’s name, address and phone number
.
. ___________________________________________________________________________________
__
.
Please check the categories that you are entering:
Best Multimedia Production ___________________________________________________________
URL: ___________________________________________________________________________
Best High School News Website _______________________________________________________
URL: ___________________________________________________________________________
Total number of entries: _________________ Adviser’s Signature ________________________________
.
Please mail completed application and entries to:
Charlotte Turtle
Mark of Excellence Awards
c/o Student Publications
1906 College Heights Blvd. #11084
Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-1084
10