CATEGORIES

School Newspaper competition

This competition will allow the whole class to take part in this fun and educational project which will give students a hands-on experience of the news publishing process. Teachers can take the role of Editor-in-Chief and assign roles to students such as researchers, writers, photographers, videographers, sub editors, reporters, and designers. All articles must be written by the students and may include for instance, local news reports, interviews and articles about school events, sport events, book/film reviews, and opinion pieces on domestic and world affairs. Do let us know who your intended audience is, your class-mates, the whole school, the local community or even the whole country

All entrants must adhere to the following guidelines:

• Entry is free, and is open to all schools and classes participating in Young Journalist Ireland
• Ideally, an A3-sized, portrait-orientation interactive PDF. An interactive PDF can include embedded audio and video content.
• All entries must be created specifically for the Young Journalist Ireland competition and be suitable for displaying in a public environment.
• Software programmes such as InDesign, Illustrator, or Photoshop can be used for the design of the newspaper. Many schools also use Canva or similar. Alternatively, there are a number of free newspaper templates available online.
• Avoid including any content in your entries (e.g. text, images, brand names) to which you do not hold the copyright. If you do, you must be able to provide written permission for its use. Entries containing any unauthorised content will be disqualified. You can contact the following organisations for more detailed information and resources: https://irishwriterscentre.ie/pages/copyright-information
• Please note that students can enter their individual Features/Sports/Opinion/ Photojournalism entries in both the individual categories and the school newspaper category.
• The use of AI to write or generate any part of your school newspaper is strictly prohibited.

Feature Writing Category

Write a feature article about a topic or issue that interests you and would engage your readers.

Explore your subject in depth using your own research, interviews, observations or experiences. We are looking for original, engaging journalism that goes beyond simply presenting information or opinions.

Feature stories are different from news stories in several ways. They generally are not late-breaking news, but cover subjects that are timely. They often present another way of looking at a current event. Feature stories do not follow the inverted pyramid style of writing. They may be written in different styles – and at times use a first- or second-person approach. Feature stories are “people”- oriented. They cover topics such as social trends, health and wellness, fashion, food, “slice of life” views of situations, travel stories, consciousness-raising stories, personality profiles and “behind the headline” stories. They are more descriptive than news stories.

The use of AI to write or generate any part of your feature is strictly prohibited.

Minimum 600 words. Maximum 800 words.

Advice from the judges

With thanks to Linda Maher, Irish Daily Mail

• Anything goes: Your feature could be about sport, mental health, local history, fast fashion, school uniforms, climate change – the list is endless. Check out previous winners of the features category to get ideas or go through the features section of your favourite news website/app
• Start strong: Put the most important or interesting element of your story at the top.
• Set the scene: Bring your reader into the story by describing what you see, hear or experience.
• Use quotes: If you interview someone, use their words to help tell the story and bring it to life.
• Give context: Include the background information your reader needs and never assume they already know the story.
• Check your facts: Check, double-check and, if possible, triple-check your information.

Photojournalism

A thought-provoking, action-packed, shocking or beautiful image – you decide. For inspiration, check out the winners of the 2026 Press Photographer Association of Ireland’s annual competition

All entries must be submitted in jpeg format with a maximum image size of 3MB and a minimum of 1MB.

Advice from the judges:

• If you haven’t taken any pictures yet, think about where you can go to take a newsworthy picture. Are there any interesting events coming up in your area where you could bring your camera?
• If not, try and take interesting photos of everyday life. Press photographers have to do this all the time – for example, children enjoying a sunny day.
• See how many different types of news photo you can identify. These can often be identified by the headings on the page where they appear, for example sport, local news, business, style and so on. Try to take different types of photo yourself.
• When you find a good subject, take lots and lots of pictures, from different angles, closer in, further away etc. and only send in the best one.
• Make sure the pictures you send to the competition are JPEG files only. Don’t put them in a written document, and don’t make them too small or they may be disqualified. Ask your teacher for help with these technical details.
• The use of AI is strictly prohibited.

Opinion / Letter to the Editor

Write an opinion piece or a letter to the editor on a topic that matters to you.

A strong opinion piece is more than simply stating what you think. It presents a clear argument or point of view, supported by facts, examples and evidence.

Word count: 600–800 words.

Advice from the judges

• Have a clear point: Make sure your reader knows what you think and why.
• Back it up: Opinions are more convincing when supported by facts, examples or evidence.
• Challenge conventional thinking: Don’t be afraid to question accepted wisdom or offer a different perspective – it can help your piece stand out.
• Use your own experience: Personal experience can be powerful evidence, but remember that other people may have had very different experiences.
• Persuade your reader: A good opinion piece should make your reader think, question or see an issue differently.
• The use of AI to write or generate any part of your entry is strictly prohibited.

Sports Journalism

Write a sports story based on your own reporting, research or experience. You could write a match report, interview a rising sports star, cover a local sporting event or explore a sports-related issue that interests you.

Minimum 600 words. Maximum 800 words.

Please note: This category is not for biographies or profiles of famous sports stars based on information found online. We want to see your own journalism – your observations, interviews, research, opinions and reporting.

Advice from the judges

• Avoid clichés: Fresh, original language will make your story stand out.
• Bring it to life: Use vivid descriptions, strong quotes and colourful details to capture the action and atmosphere.
• Find your angle: Look beyond the obvious story. What makes this person, match, event or issue interesting?
• Do your own reporting: Interview someone, attend an event, observe the action or investigate a story. Don’t simply collect information about a famous player from websites.
• Know your subject: Get your facts right and make sure your story gives the reader something they wouldn’t get from a quick internet search.
• The use of AI to write or generate any part of your entry is strictly prohibited.

Student Podcast

This year, we have added a new Podcast category to our Student Journalism competition. If your students are working on an entry, here’s everything you need to know:

Equipment – the good news is that no fancy or expensive equipment is necessary – just a smart phone and a computer. We’re not judging you on how slick the production is and we don’t expect you to be an expert on recording and editing sound, but we hope you’ll try to make it as clear and engaging as possible. Check out YouTube for videos on how to make a podcast.

Entries can be between 10 minutes and 30 minutes long.

Ideas for podcasts: here are some to get started:

Report on a story happening in your community – like a local event, new business, or environmental issue.

Explore both sides of a debate about a news issue that matters to you.

Change Makers: Interview local activists or students making a difference.

Investigate viral trends or rumors among students and separate fact from fiction.

You can find more advice for teachers and students in this great guide from NPR

Good luck and enjoy the process!