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How to Apply

  1. All entries (or the majority of the articles in a series) must have been published or broadcast for the first time during the 2009 calendar year or the 2008-2009 school year.
  2. Each entry must include cover letter explaining development and impact and a URL for the entry.  Entries must be paid in full in order to be judged (note: the dollar figure is for each entry, not each article). Checks should be made payable to the Education Writers Association.
  3. All entries must be postmarked or uploaded by 11:59 pm on January 25, 2010. Winners will be notified by March 2010.
  4. Mailed entries must be sent to the following address: Chief Judge, National Awards for Education Reporting, Education Writers Association, 2122 P Street, NW, Suite 201, Washington, D.C. 20037.
  5. Entries cannot be returned. Print entries that are judged to be first-place winners may be duplicated and disseminated among members of the Education Writers Association and should be in excellent condition. At least one copy must be in a format that can be easily duplicated on 8.5 x 11 paper and can be a newspaper library printout of the story. If sending multiple entries, please be sure to secure all components of each individual entry together, including a separate entry form for each. The story URL should be supplied so we can link to the story if it places in the contest. Any entry submitted in one category may NOT be submitted in a second category except as part of a beat reporting entry.
  6. A story for an online entry may be entered in any category, but only if it appeared exclusively online. Any online entry must include printed pages of the entry as it appears online and the URL.
  7. Circulation of the publication or size of market must be included on each entry form. Circulation should be based on average weekday circulation. If a single staff works on morning and evening print editions or a story appears in both editions, the combined circulation for morning and evening shall be used. Circulation figures as recorded in the most recent edition of Editor and Publisher will be used by the judges if questions arise.
  8. Television entries must be in the form of a 1/2 cassette or DVD if mailed, or an mov or mp3 if submitted online. Radio entries must be in the form of a CD if mailed or an mp3 or wav if submitted online. A second copy of all mailed entries is required. All broadcast entries must state run times in the cover letter and must include scripts. Submissions must focus on education news. Entries that merely inform the public on a particular subject will not be considered. Television and radio entries must be unedited versions of the programs broadcast.
  9. The judges may disqualify any entry that does not adhere to the rules or that is submitted in a form that is difficult to read (exceptionally small type, exceptionally poor photocopying, broken and terminated links, etc.).
  10. The judges may switch an entry from one category to another if they determine it is wrongly classified.
  11. The judges have the right not to award prizes in a category if they determine there are no suitable awardees in that category.
  12. Officers and members of the Board of Directors of the Education Writers Association are not eligible to win cash awards in the competition.
  13. In the magazine category, please note if an article appears as part of a series, submit one entry form and payment. If you have articles that are not published as a part of one series then you must submit a separate entry form for each article. In addition, you must pay for each individual article not a part of a series.

Ready to apply? This year you can enter online or download an entry form here and mail to EWA.

Questions? Check out FAQs or call (202) 452-9830.