Ball State’s Annual Student Contest

The 2024 JDay+/CCIM+ Student Media Contest is closed. Winners were announced during the JDay+/CCIM+ Conference on Friday, April 26.

Information for the 2025 contest will be published in fall 2024.

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What are Ball State’s Student Contests?

Each spring, CCIM Outreach hosts a student contest honoring the outstanding work of middle and high school students. Whatever communication field you’re into, we have something for everyone from broadcast journalism to speech, media design, yearbook theme development, multimedia storytelling, creative writing, reporting, social media engagement, art and photography. While primarily a competition for school media outlets (yearbook, broadcast, news, etc.), we also offer competition categories for creative works produced outside of your student media classes in writing, photography, speech, art/design and short film!

How To Enter: A Step-by-Step Guide

  • Login.

    Following the written and video instructions below, create an “open call login” for the Better BNC contest website. This is the contest management service we use to collect submissions and judge entries. As a reminder, only digital submissions are accepted.

  • Submit.

    All entries, including yearbooks and newspapers, will be submitted online using the Better BNC platform. To create an entry, use the “Submit Entry” button on the “Manage Entries” page. From that page, you can upload files and fill out the necessary information.

  • Pay.

    After you have submitted all of your entries via the Better BNC contest site, you can pay for them using the “Calculate Entry Fees” link on the “Manage Entries” page. From there, you will be redirected to Ball State’s payment portal. All contest entries are $6 PER ENTRY.

Contest Entry Tutorial

2024 Contest is closed.

HOW TO SUBMIT DIGITAL ENTRIES TO BETTER BNC CONTEST SITE:

Our contest uses the BetterBNC platform for entry submission and contest judging.

  1. Visit the Better BNC website, and click on “2023-24 Ball State Student Media Contest” in the “Select a Contest” box.

  2. Click on “open call login” under the password entry box in the bottom right.

  3. Click on “Create your Open Call Account” under the password entry box. If you submitted contest entries last year, your user name and password will still work.

  4. Enter your information. If you are submitting on behalf of a group, ensure there is only ONE open call account.

After your account is created, entries can be submitted through the “My Contests” tab.

Student Contest Categories

Ball State’s 2024 student media contest provides abundant opportunities for students and staffs to compete for top journalism, media and communications awards — including the CARDINAL AWARD for top student news, yearbook and broadcast programs!

NEW*: Be the first to enter your 2024 yearbook for national judging! The all-digital submission process will assess the content and design of your 2024 book. Get results and celebrate your successes before the school year is over!

New Opportunity! Individual students producing communications work outside of their school’s student media program may enter our “Open Form” contest category!

Low Cost! All contests are $6 per entry. Unless noted, there is no limit to the number of entries you can submit in any category.

TOP HONORS* 2024 Cardinal Award
(overall top media competition)

  • News (online & print)

  • Yearbook

  • Broadcast

2024 News Media (online & print)

  • News Story

  • Feature Story

  • Sports Story

  • Multimedia Story

  • Review/Analysis

  • Staff Editorial

  • Illustration / Cartoon

  • Print Front Page Design

  • Print Feature / Entertainment Design

  • Print Sports Design

  • Information Graphic

  • Podcast

2024 Broadcast News

  • News / Announcements

  • Intro / Opening

  • Feature Story Package

  • News Story Package

  • Sports Play-by-Play

  • Sports Story Package

2024 Yearbook

  • Yearbook Theme

  • Yearbook Feature Story

  • Information Graphic

  • Opening Spread

  • Student Life Spread

  • Sports Spread

  • Academics Spread

  • Senior Ad Design

2024 Photojournalism (News & YB)

  • News Photo

  • Feature Photo

  • Event Photo

  • Sports Photo

  • Photo Story

  • Photo Illustration / Photoshopped Photo

2024 Social Media (all media)

  • Social Media Marketing Campaign

  • Social Media News

NEW* 2024 Open Form
(non-student media competition)

  • Creative Writing

  • Illustration / Graphics

  • Nature Photography

  • Personality Portrait

  • Speech

  • Short Film / Documentary Video

Contest Category Descriptions

  • CARDINAL AWARD: News (Online & Print)

    A series of three consecutive print publications or a link to an online news site showcasing the overall writing, editing, design and photography of the student news publication. Only one entry per publication.

  • CARDINAL AWARD: Yearbook

    Upload eight different spreads, the book cover and end sheets that demonstrates the overall writing, editing, design, theme development and photography of the student yearbook. Only one entry per publication.

  • CARDINAL AWARD: Broadcast News

    A series of three consecutive broadcasts showcasing the overall production, graphics, content and delivery of the student news broadcast. Only one entry per student news show.

  • NEWS MEDIA: News Story

    An online or print story highlighting key facts about an event or happening that would be of interest to your general audience.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Feature Story

    An online or print human interest story about a person, place, thing or event.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Sports Story

    An online or print story about a sport, sporting event, team, coach or player.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Multimedia Story

    An online or print story that uses multiple forms of media such as photos, illustrations, audio, video and the written word to tell the story.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Staff Editorial

    An online or print non-bylined story written on behalf of the entire editorial board which draws attention to an issue and offers persuasive reasoning or solutions.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Review/Analysis

    An online or print story offering the writer’s opinion or critical analysis of a place, product, policy, or event, such as a book, recital, play, restaurant, movie, legislation, etc.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Illustration/Cartoon

    An online or print illustration or cartoon made to illustrate a story, event or noteworthy topic.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Print Front Page Design

    The full front page design of a printed publication.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Print Feature/Entertainment Design

    A single-page or spread of a printed publication used for feature or entertainment stories.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Print Sports Design

    A single-page or spread of a printed publication used for sports stories.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Information Graphic

    A single information graphic in an online or printed publication used to tell a story through the use of charts, graphs, illustration, or other type of alternative story form.

  • NEWS MEDIA: Podcast

    A link to a regularly produced audio file hosted by staff members that entertains and/or informs your audience about a topic or issue.

  • YEARBOOK: Theme

    Upload four different spreads and the book cover showcasing how the theme is incorporated throughout the book by way of color, graphics, wording of titles, typefaces, and more. Only one entry per publication.

  • YEARBOOK: Feature Story

    A human interest story about a person, place, thing or event.

  • YEARBOOK: Information Graphic

    A single graphic used to tell a story through the use of charts, graphs, illustration, or other type of alternative story form.

  • YEARBOOK: Senior Ad Design

    A completed senior ad design displaying pictures and text.

  • YEARBOOK: Opening Spread

    The endsheets and/or opening pages or spreads explaining the book theme and setting the premise for the book. Only one entry per publication.

  • YEARBOOK: Student Life Spread

    A single spread highlighting the student life of the school through pictures, captions, headlines and more.

  • YEARBOOK: Sports Spread

    A single spread highlighting the school's athletic prowess through pictures, captions, headlines and more.

  • YEARBOOK: Academics Spread

    A single spread highlighting the school's academics through pictures, captions, headlines and more.

  • PHOTOJOURNALISM: Photo Story

    A collection of photos with captions that tell a cohesive story primarily through visuals.

  • PHOTOJOURNALISM: News Photo

    A single photo and caption that captures the visual essence of the news story.

  • PHOTOJOURNALISM: Feature Photo

    A single photo and caption that captures the visual essence of the feature story.

  • PHOTOJOURNALISM: Event Photo

    A single photo and caption that captures the visual essence of a school event such as homecoming, a school play, concert performance, etc.

  • PHOTOJOURNALISM: Sports Photo

    A single photo and caption that captures the visual essence of the sports story.

  • PHOTOJOURNALISM: Photo Illustration/Photoshopped Photo

    A photo that has been staged (e.g. studio shoot) or manipulated (e.g. photoshopped) in some way to illustrate an otherwise difficult topic to photograph.

  • BROADCAST: News/Announcements

    A link to a video broadcast segment providing news and announcements for the school audience.

  • BROADCAST: Intro/Opening

    A link to the short edited sequence that plays before the main broadcast identifying the broadcast station name or program. Only one entry per publication.

  • BROADCAST: Feature Story Package

    A link to a human interest story package that may include voice-over, b-roll, graphics, transitions and music.

  • BROADCAST: News Story Package

    A link to an informative story package that may include voice-over, b-roll, graphics, transitions and music to tell an important community story.

  • BROADCAST: Sports Story Package

    A link to an informative story package that may include voice-over, b-roll, graphics, transitions and music to tell a school sports story.

  • BROADCAST: Sports Play-by-Play

    A link to a segment that includes the audio and/or video play-by-play storytelling of a school sporting event.

  • OPEN FORM: Creative Writing

    A story written for personal pleasure or in an academic class outside of journalism showcasing the student’s creative writing skills, e.g. fiction, poetry, narrative non-fiction, etc.

  • OPEN FORM: Illustration/Graphics

    An illustration, graphic or drawing created for personal pleasure or in an academic class outside of journalism showcasing the student’s creative illustration/graphic skills through painting, drawing, digital imagery, photo manipulation, etc.

  • OPEN FORM: Nature Photo

    Any nature photo taken for personal pleasure or in an academic class outside of journalism showcasing the student’s creative nature photography skills, e.g. landscape, animals and plants.

  • OPEN FORM: Personality Portrait

    Any personality photo taken for personal pleasure or in an academic class outside of journalism showcasing the student’s ability to capture the essence of a person's personality, e.g. emotion, expression, hobby, etc.

  • OPEN FORM: Persuasive Speech

    A link to a persuasive speech (topic of your choice) demonstrating persuasive speech fundamentals such as establishing credibility, providing thorough research and offering counterarguements to differing viewpoints.

  • OPEN FORM: Short Film or Documentary

    A link to an original creative piece (fiction or non-fiction) created for personal pleasure or in an academic class outside of journalism that is written, directed and produced.

  • Social Media: Marketing Campaign

    A link to or upload of at least five examples of social media posts used to market/promote the student media platform as an information, entertainment, nostalgia or news resource for the school community. Only one entry per publication.

  • Social Media: News

    A link to or upload of at least five examples of social media posts used to report news, events, and happenings within the school community. Only one entry per publication.

2024 JDay+/CCIM+ Contest Winners

Click the link below to view our 2024 award recipients!

Contact us!

Have a question about the Student Contest entries? How about an idea for a new category that would better serve you and your students? Get in touch with us via email! We want to hear your feedback on our programs.

ccimoutreach@bsu.edu
(765) 285-6007

Ball State University
2000 W University Avenue
Letterman Building, Room 104
Muncie, IN 47306