Harvey Awards/BNC Instructions
To download a copy of these instructions, please click here.
Entries to the Harvey Contest will be submitted using BetterBNC Media Awards Platform.
Below are directions for preparing and submitting entries. If you have questions, please contact Diana Hadley
IMPORTANT: BetterBNC is optimized for the Google Chrome browser and Firefox for PC and Macintosh/Apple. A recent version downloaded and installed provides the best contest experience.
The deadline for newspaper entries is Friday, July 15, 2016
The deadline for yearbook entries is Friday, September 16, 2016
To Begin
- Go to betterbnc.com.
- Click contestant login (upper left) or the appropriate Contestant Login button on the right side of the page.
- Select the appropriate contestant type.
- If you are the contact for your organization (adviser or editor), select Contestant Manager. NOTE: Once you have submitted 2 entries, you will be receive an email validating your Contestant Manager account, enabling you to create Authorized Entrant accounts to make entries on behalf of your organization.
- If you have received an email authorizing you to submit entries for your organization, select Authorized Entrant.
- Select the appropriate Contest
- Select the appropriate News Organization.
- Enter your email address. (authorized entrant only)
- The first time you log in, enter your temporary Password: bnc (If your school has used Better Newspapers before you already have a password.)
- Submit Entries
- On the Manage Entries page, click Submit Entry (left side).
- Select the appropriate Division (Division I—under 1,000 enrollment; Division II—1001-2,000 enrollment; and Division III—2001 + enrollment).
- Select the appropriate Category.
- Read the corresponding Category Note (directly below the Category selection box), describing the category’s requirements.
- Complete the Headline/Title field.
- Add entry content (may vary by category):
- To upload digital file attachments (other than audio/video), click Browse, navigate to the desired file, and select Open. Allowed file types are PDF, DOC/DOCX, TXT, JPG, GIF, and PNG. If more than one attachment is desired for this entry, click Attach More and repeat these steps. If you reach a point where you cannot add any more attachments to an entry, you may have reached the attachments limit, set by your contest administrator. Please keep file sizes under 5mb to aid judges in accessing entry content. For larger files (5mb-250mb), you can click the Real-View icon on the Submit Entry page, create your free account, upload the desired file(s), and copy/paste the hosted item’s web address into the Website URL field. You may also use a 3rd-party website that provides a similar free streaming/hosting service (Scribd.com, Dropbox.com, Issuu.com, etc.).
- To add web/audio/video content, copy and paste the content’s web address into the provided Website URL field. Add Comments (if available), but keep them brief (e.g. 100 words).
- Click Submit.
Payment:
Entries are $5.00 each.
Checks should be made payable to IHSPA/Franklin College, and can be mailed after entries are submitted to:
Diana Hadley, IHSPA
Shirk Hall, Franklin College
101 Branigin Boulevard
Franklin, IN 46131
2016 IHSPA Harvey Newspaper Categories
(New category) Best Overall Social Media Presence: To determine publications that are most active and engaging on the social media sites Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, etc. Good feeds would cover current events of the school and maintain a strong example of journalistic integrity. Submit up to three URLs or username handles.
Online Newspaper Overall Presence: Enter the URL of the online newspaper’s website.
Online Newspaper Multimedia Story: Enter the URL of a multimedia story that covers a feature, news or sports using some combination of video or photo and audio or print to tell the story.
Spot News Photo: Send PDF or JPEG of a photo that provides visual representation of a newsworthy event and the PDF of the page where it appears. The photos should not be posed. (Do not send sports photos for this category.)
Feature Photo: Send PDF or JPEG of a photo and a PDF of the page where it appears. The photo should add interest to coverage by providing a compelling visual element. Feature photos often reflect human interest.
Sports Photo: Send PDF or JPEG of a photo and the page where it appears that portrays dramatic action and/or emotion of an athletic event.
Photojournalism Portfolio: Send three PDF or JPEG photos and the pages where they appear by the same student. They should have captions that display a range of subject matter with each print telling a story. The photos must have appeared in the publication between August 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.
News Writing: Send PDF of a news story on the page on which it was published that demonstrates journalistic writing style, reporting skills and objectivity. The subject does not have to be school related, but it should have an angle that interests high school readers.
Editorial Writing: Send a PDF of an opinion article on the page on which it was published. It should not have a byline but have been written by the staff. It should focus on specifics rather than generalizations of an issue..
Column Writing: Send a PDF on the page on which it was published of a column that has a byline. It can be a review, sports topic or general observation about an issue. It can reflect the writer’s personal feelings. It should have thoughtful analysis and tangible evidence to support the position.
Sports Writing: Send a PDF on the page on which it was published of an advance, follow-up, summary or feature story related to individual, team or recreational sports. The story doesn’t have to be about a sport at the high school, but it should relate to the high school reader’s athletic interests.
Feature Writing: Send a PDF of a feature story on the page on which it was published that demonstrates creativity, variety and human interest. Angles can vary; entries can include in-depth features and personality profiles.
Advertising: Send a PDF of an ad on the page on which it was published. It can incorporate the advertiser’s professional logo but must be designed by a student to sell an idea, product, or service to a high school audience. Criteria for judging include artistic design and persuasive appeal.
Infographics: Send a PDF of a graphic on the page on which it was published that compiles information from a story that is better communicated through art, charts, graphs, photo illustrations or other forms of visual communication.
Cartoon: Send a PDF of a single panel editorial cartoon or a comic strip on the page on which it was published that helps emphasize editorial content and is appealing/entertaining to a high school reader.
Page Design: Send a PDF of a single page or two-page spread that reflects visual impact as a story package and a sense of purpose for the best design to display coverage.
Maestro Package: Send a PDF of a story package that reflects collaboration of three or more staff members (reporters, photographers, artists or page designers). Coverage should be a multi-angled approach to an event or issue.
Civic Journalism: Send PDF or PDF package that covers an issue beyond reporting to possible solution(s). A single story or multiple stories may be submitted to show ongoing concern or effort.
Community Leadership: Send PDF package that shows newspaper leadership for the school or community. Entry should include a 250-300 word statement explaining the editorial position taken by the staff and at least one letter of support from a school official or community leader.
2016 Yearbook Harvey Categories
Overall Theme: Submit three (3) different elements of theme development in addition to the yearbook cover for consideration: end sheets, opening, division pages and closing section. Criteria will include overall presentation (copy, photography and design).
Student Life: Submit three (3) representative spreads.
Coverage should exhibit students’ lives beyond the classroom.
Academics: Submit three (3) representative spreads. Coverage should capture the essence of why students are in school. Emphasis is on the creative coverage of the academic experience. Subject matter will include quality of photography, copy, headlines and captions.
Sports: Submit three (3) representative spreads. Coverage should capture the excitement of the sports season and go beyond the actual competition. Criteria will include quality of photography, copy, headlines and captions.
People/Album: Submit three (3) representative spreads. Coverage should display portraits in rectangular panels with creative features toad interest. Criteria will include quality of photography, copy, headlines and captions.
Organizations: Submit three (3) representative spreads. Coverage should emphasize school-related groups that enhance the student experience. Criteria will include coverage as well as the overall packaging of photography, copy, headlines and captions.
Writing: Submit the best story in the yearbook. Judging will be based on thoroughness of presentation, use of multiple sources, appropriateness to the school and quality of reporting and writing. Submit the page/spread where the story appears.
Spot News Photo: Submit one (1) photo and the page where it appears that displays newsworthy action. The photo should not be posed. (Do not enter sports photos in this category.)
Feature Photo: Submit one (1) photo and the page where it appears. The photo should create a mood or relate exciting visual interest about a school activity. (Do not enter sports photos in this category.)
Sports Photo: Submit one (1) action photo and the page where it appears from a school-sponsored athletic event. The photo should not be posed.
Yearbook Photojournalism Portfolio: Submit three (3) photos (and the yearbook pages where they appear by the same student. The photos should represent a variety of events or activities from the school year.
Advertising: Submit three (3) individual ads on the pages they appear. Advertisements can incorporate professional logos but must be student designs, not submissions from advertisers.
Communication Graphics: Submit 3 examples on the pages where they appear. Entries in this category may take either form: (1) Information or statistics presented with graphics to inform the reader. Graphics should include art and stats that are easily readable and understandable. (2) Student art, computer-generated or otherwise, which enhances the theme or spread.
