Win $1,000 Scholarship in NINA’s ‘High School Journalist of the Year’ Competition
Previous NINA Journalism Scholarship winner. CREDIT: NINA website
Hey, Kane County! Do you know a talented high school journalist seeking a scholarship?
The Northern Illinois Newspaper Association is now accepting applications for its Northern Illinois High School Journalist Scholarship.
This spring NINA will award a $1,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior who plans to continue his or her journalism education in college. This scholarship is in partnership with the Kane County Chronicle, The Dispatch / Rock Island Argus, the Daily Herald, Rockford Register Star | rrstar.com, The Hinsdalean, The Observer Catholic Newspaper, Galena Gazette and other NINA members.
Students should send entries to Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, c/o John Etheredge, Record Newspapers, 109 West Veterans Parkway, Yorkville, IL 60506.
The deadline is March 18, 2016.
About the NINA Scholarship Competition
The Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, a professional organization with member newspapers throughout the region, is pleased to announce this year’s scholarship competition for graduating high school seniors who plan to continue their journalism education at the college level.
This spring, NINA will award one $1,000 in scholarship. Eligibility requirements and other criteria are listed on the adjoining page. We ask that you make this application form available to your student journalists.
In addition to the scholarship, the winner will receive a plaque and will be the subject of an article in our association’s online newsletter.
NINA maintains this scholarship fund to encourage high school students to continue to study journalism and to promote journalism careers. As a professional organization dedicated to advancing print and online journalism education and training in Northern Illinois, we are excited at the prospect of awarding this scholarship to a student who shows promise for a career in our profession.
For more information, contact NINA board member John Etheredge at jetheredge@shawmedia.com or 630-385-4409.
2016 Scholarship Rules
Purpose
Northern Illinois High School Journalism Scholarships recognize outstanding achievement by high school students in print and/or online journalism.
Awards
A winner will receive cash scholarships from the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, a plaque and announcement of the award in the NINA print and online newsletters. Arrangements will be made for a formal presentation of the scholarship award and plaque.
Eligibility
The scholarship award will be presented to a high school senior who demonstrates the standards of honesty, integrity, attention to detail, hard work, creativity and an understanding and commitment to quality community journalism.
Successful candidates may be editors, writers, photographers, managers, marketing or advertising representatives or graphic designers at high school newspapers or professional news publications.
All applicants should show an intent to attend college as a journalism or communications major with an emphasis on print and/or online journalism.
Students must attend high school within the Northern Illinois region. The primary counties include Boone, Bureau, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Henry, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, Marshall, McHenry, Mercer, Ogle, Putnam, Rock Island, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will and Winnebago.
Selection criteria
Applicants must submit a copy of their high school transcripts, which must include grade-point average.
They also must submit:
- A letter of recommendation from a high school counselor, newspaper adviser or professional supervisor. Additional letters of recommendation are welcome.
- A portfolio of published newspaper work. Examples include articles, display or classified advertisements, photographs or photo pages, page layouts or full copies of a newspaper showing the student’s contribution to the overall product.
- An autobiographical essay that includes a description of career goals.
- A completed nomination form (next page).
Submissions
Applications must be postmarked no later than March 18, 2016.
Send to: Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, c/o John Etheredge, Record Newspapers, 109 West Veterans Parkway, Yorkville, IL 60506
Judging
All applications will be judged by members of the NINA board of directors. The scholarship winner will be notified in May.
2016 scholarship entry form
Nomination form (please print and mail with entry by March 18, 2016)
Nominee: ______________________________________________________
Address: ______________________________________________________
(street, city, state, ZIP)
Email: ________________________________________________________
High school: ____________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________
Nomination submitted by: ___________________________________________
Title: _________________________________________________________
Telephone number (day): ___________________________________________
Email: ________________________________________________________
List all materials submitted with this entry:
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
How did you learn about this opportunity? ________________________________________
Send entries to:
Northern Illinois Newspaper Association
c/o John Etheredge
Record Newspapers
109 West Veterans Parkway
Yorkville, IL 60506
Deadline: March 18, 2016
- Editor’s Note: Kane County Connects Editor Rick Nagel is a member of the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association Board.
