CSMA Publication Portfolio Contest – Spring 2021
“Connecting the Dots”
Journalism aims to inform, but it can also aim to connect. Show off your work that hits the following “dots” to earn recognition and a prize! Each of these coverage categories focuses on ways that journalism can help its audience go beneath the surface and strengthen connections with others.
Coverage Categories
- Investigative: issues in school or community
- Inclusive: covering a group that is overlooked
- Connecting: in-depth human features
- Clarifying: combatting bias with facts, whether toward people or topics
- Entertaining: novelty, humor, culture, arts, etc.
Your portfolio should include pieces that hit on these topics. However, you do not have to cover all five topics.
Eligibility
Middle- and high-school publications that are current CSMA-member publications for 2020-2021. Each publication may submit one portfolio.
Deadline
Thursday, March 4, 5:01 pm MT
How to Enter
Curate your portfolio: Select 3-5 pieces that your publication has published during the 2020-2021 school year (or will publish, if you are a yearbook). These can be any form of media, from written to video to photography to design. Your entries can be all one form of media, or a mix of any of them. Pieces may be created by multiple different students.
For the portfolio as a whole, include a short paragraph that describes which of the coverage categories your portfolio reflects (it could be one, or all five). Focus upon how the portfolio delves beneath the surface and/or promotes connection.
Upload the entries to Google, Issuu, or some other site, and submit the link(s) in the application form.
Prizes
$100 CSMA credit for one high school winner
$100 CSMA credit for one middle school winner
Scoring
Portfolios will be reviewed by a panel of judges and scored according to the rubric below. Scores will be averaged for each portfolio for an overall score.
Note: While it would be cool to submit portfolios with entries that hit each of these categories, it’s not required. Don’t panic. We’ll score accordingly. However, entries should address at least some of these topics.
| Rubric | 4 points | 2 points | 1 point |
| Investigative | Provides depth of coverage about an issue in the school or community | Provides basic coverage of an issue in the school or community | Not applicable to this portfolio |
| Inclusive | Provides depth of coverage about a group that is overlooked | Provides basic coverage about a group that is overlooked | Not applicable to this portfolio |
| Connecting | Provides depth of coverage in a human feature | Provides basic coverage in a human feature | Not applicable to this portfolio |
| Clarifying | Provides depth of coverage that combats bias with facts | Provides basic coverage that combats bias with facts | Not applicable to this portfolio |
| Entertaining | Provides depth of coverage that entertains with novelty, humor, culture, arts, etc. | Provides basic coverage that entertains with novelty, humor, culture, arts, etc. | Not applicable to this portfolio |
| Total score: | _________ |
Questions? Contact Elise Carlson at [email protected].
