STATEWIDE – The Wisconsin Newspaper Association 2025 College & High School Better Newspaper Contest opened on Dec. 8. The contest represents a great opportunity for college and high school students to submit their best work of 2025, win awards and compete against their peers for honors in all areas of journalism across the state.
New Collegiate BNC categories include Lifestyle Story, Club/Intramural Sports Story, Business Coverage, Technology Coverage, and Environmental Coverage.
Remaining Collegiate BNC categories include: General Excellence, Collegiate Journalist of the Year, Breaking News Reporting, Public Affairs Reporting, In-Depth Story, Arts & Entertainment Story, Sports Story, Editorial Writing, Column Writing, Freedom of Information Award, Health Coverage, News Photography, Feature Photography, Sports Photography, Infographic, Page Design, Use of Multimedia, and Website.
Entries will be accepted through Jan. 12, 2026. A $7.50 fee will be charged for each entry. Content published between Jan. 1, 2025, through Dec. 31, 2025, is eligible for the contest.
All contest site information—along with the rules and regulations—have been sent to journalism educators and advisors as well as campus newspaper editors.
The Branen Family Fund
The Branen Family Fund supports student excellence in journalism through its Branen Award and the sponsorship of the 2026 WNA Convention Branen Awards Luncheon.
This year, one $100 award will be presented to each first-place winning entry (the winning high school is responsible for distributing the funds if multiple students are credited).
The family-sponsored award honors William E. Branen, former publisher and president of the Burlington Standard Press. Branen, who became the state’s youngest editor in 1953, later served as president of what was then the Wisconsin Press Association. The Branen Family’s continued support celebrates student achievement and strengthens the future of Wisconsin journalism.
The presentation of awards will be held during the Branen Awards Luncheon as part of the 2026 Wisconsin Newspaper Association Convention on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club. To register for the convention, students and advisors can go to bit.ly/4pdZxJd
