January: What’s in the News
Contest Theme: “Use 6 sources to find multiple perspectives about what is going on in the world”
Contest Prompt:
What’s going on in the world? What’s in the news? No matter what your niche is, discover relevant stories of current events related to an interesting topic of your choice. Use 6 sources (no more, no less) to attack your topic from different angles and get a wealth of perspectives.
We do not want you copying information from one source for your article; instead, you need to craft a story about what is going on in the world from all the sources you find.
While you don’t need to tell your own story, you do need to tell other people’s stories that you discover through your research.
Once you have a current event that you want to use for your article, remember to create an interesting question that will kick off your research. Here are example niches and research questions:
Travel: How has the economy affected people’s travel plans this year?
Education: Are teachers getting paid enough?
Politics: What is President Trump’s currently doing about climate change?
AI: How is artificial intelligence affecting people’s jobs?
Teen Life: Why do so many teens feel pressure to have their future figured out already?
Sports: Are youth sports becoming too competitive?
Music: Is TikTok changing how music is created?
Crafting: Is handmade art more meaningful than mass-produced items?
Tech: At what age should kids get smartphones?
Gaming: Is gaming becoming a legitimate career path?
Deadline:
Due January 31, 2026 at 11:59pm
Guidelines:
You must be enrolled in the Teen Journal Journey program to compete in writing contests
350 words minimum (no max)
This must be a new article that has not yet been published on the Teen Journal website
No late submissions accepted
Prizes:
1st place wins $25 & gets award on their blog
2nd & 3rd place get awards on their blog
Submit:
You will submit your draft just like any submission (use button below). We will still ask you to edit it, but as long as you get your draft in by the deadline you are entered into the contest.
Winners always announced 10 days after deadline.
