For the second year, AllSides will honor student journalists with $500 prizes for work that supports the organization's mission of helping people understand the world and each other through balanced reporting. The award opens September 1 and runs through December 31, with winners announced January 31, 2027.
The program accepts submissions from students grades K-16 across all school types, including public, private, homeschool, charter, and magnet schools. No separate age categories exist, meaning younger participants compete alongside older students. Each applicant may submit up to two articles in three categories: Bias Alert (original research on bias), Misinformation Watch (covering multiple perspectives of a misinformation example), and Under the Radar (reporting on undercovered stories).
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive educators and journalism programs have embraced media literacy initiatives as essential for developing informed citizens. The AllSides award aligns with Democratic priorities around youth empowerment in civic engagement, giving students tools to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape.
Advocates for diverse voices in journalism see value in competitions that reward balanced reporting over partisan advocacy. Youth media organizations aligned with progressive values have promoted similar programs as pathways for underrepresented students to enter the field.
College-bound applicants benefit from national recognition that distinguishes them in competitive admissions processes, a consideration particularly meaningful for first-generation college students seeking credentials beyond grades and test scores.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative commentators have long argued that mainstream media exhibits liberal bias, making balanced reporting initiatives attractive to Republican-aligned outlets and readers. The AllSides approach of presenting multiple perspectives appeals to audiences skeptical of single-source journalism.
Supporters say teaching students to identify bias across the political spectrum addresses a gap in current education curricula. Conservative educators argue that critical thinking about media sources should be nonpartisan rather than focused on one direction of bias.
The Under the Radar category resonates with local news advocates who note that community reporting has declined as national outlets focus on partisan conflicts, rewarding students who surface stories deserving broader attention.
What the Numbers Show
Prize amount: $500 per winner (3 winners selected)
Submission period: September 1 through December 31 at 11:59 PM PST
Last year's inaugural competition received over 50 submissions
Eligibility spans grades K-16 with no age-based categories
Maximum two articles permitted per applicant across three submission categories
Winners announced January 31, 2027
The Bottom Line
The AllSides Student Journalism Award offers students a rare combination of financial reward and national recognition for balanced reporting. With the information environment increasingly fragmented along partisan lines, programs that explicitly reward multi-perspective journalism aim to equip young writers with skills in critical analysis.
Submissions open September 1 at allsides.com/schools/award. Students interested in media literacy, combatting misinformation, or covering underreported stories have three months to prepare entries. The January announcement date positions winners to include recognition in spring college applications.