- Submission Deadline: 3 p.m. Oct. 1
- Prompts Available:
2025 Write-Off Competition Information
MIPA is launching a new writing contest this fall featuring three categories. This contest is designed as a learning tool for journalism advisers and students to use early in the school year. Winners will be announced in mid-October. Students selected for recognition will receive a MIPA badge and an electronic, printable certificate.
Categories
To access the competition prompts, advisers must be logged into MIPA’s website and have an active MIPA membership for their program. Renew or Join
Human Interest Feature
Write a 400-word feature story using the reporting and background information provided in the competition prompt.
Sports News
Write a 400-word sports news story using the reporting and background information provided in the competition prompt.
Staff Editorial
Write a 400-word editorial, representing the position of a newspaper staff, about the situation described in the competition prompt.
Write-Off Rules
- Entries must be submitted by the contest deadline using the entry submission form.
- Cost:
- This contest is only open to students who participate in MIPA member student media programs. Renew or Join
- Each entry must be the work of an individual student.
- Each program may submit 2 entries in each category.
- Entries must be submitted to the entry form as a PDF. Entries that cannot be accessed by the judges will be disqualified.
- Do NOT include the name of the student entrant or any other identifying information in the entry document.
- Entries should be submitted under the supervision of an adviser, who is responsible for verifying contest rules are followed and for paying any entry fees.
- Entries may be published by MIPA in print, online or via social media.
- Entries that violate MIPA’s Copyright & Plagiarism Policy will be disqualified.
- The use of generative artificial intelligence is prohibited.
- Advisers are responsible for checking the authenticity of any entries submitted by their program to this contest.
- Consistent with MIPA’s efforts to enhance student learning, foster honesty, and maintain integrity in journalism, reviewers may use services that scan entries for plagiarism or the use of AI. Such tools cannot determine with certainty whether plagiarism has occurred or AI has been used. Instead, reviewers must make a complete assessment and judge the originality of the submitted work.
- Winners will be recognized with a MIPA Badge and a printable digital award certificate.
- Students must provide a non-school email on the entry form to which MIPA badges are issued. (Many school districts block MIPA and other outside users from contacting students via their school email.)
Entry Form
Are you ready to submit an entry for this contest?
Submit Your Entry