JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention
The nation's largest gathering of scholastic journalists, held twice yearly by the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association, featuring hands-on workshops plus on-site student media contests across newspaper, broadcast, and yearbook.
You might also like
NSDA National Speech & Debate Tournament
Largest academic competition in the world, organized by the National Speech & Debate Association. 2026 tournament held in June in Richmond, Virginia (Altria Theater, Greater Richmond Convention Center, area high schools). To compete, students must be NSDA members with at least 25 honor-society points and qualify through district tournaments.
Adroit Journal Summer Mentorship Program
An online mentorship pairing high school writers with established authors for individualized feedback on poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction over several weeks each summer, run by the editors of The Adroit Journal.
AFSA National High School Essay Contest
An annual essay competition co-sponsored by the American Foreign Service Association and the U.S. Institute of Peace that asks high schoolers to write about diplomacy's role in resolving conflict, with a top prize including a Semester at Sea scholarship.
CHSAA Speech & Debate State Championships
Colorado High School Activities Association's annual state speech and debate tournaments (3A, 4A, 5A) covering Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum, Congressional Debate, Original Oratory, Informative Speaking, Extemporaneous, Interpretation events, and more. Compete for a state title via your high school's team.
Columbia University Creative Writing Workshop (Pre-College)
A summer pre-college workshop where high schoolers develop a portfolio of free-verse poetry, short prose, and creative nonfiction through daily craft exercises and peer critique on Columbia's campus.
Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award
One of the world's most prestigious poetry competitions for writers aged 11-17, run by the UK's Poetry Society, offering free entry, publication, and mentoring opportunities to top winners and commended poets worldwide.