Columbia Scholastic Press Association

Gold Circle Awards are offered to recognize superior work by student journalists usually as individuals but sometimes as an entire staff working with either print or online media. These media are published in schools or colleges throughout the United States and in overseas schools following an American plan of education.

For the 27th annual Gold Circles, the deadline for Newspapers and Magazines is now June 15, 2009. Eligibility for these categories is November 1, 2008 through June 15, 2009.

All Newspaper and Magazine entries must be postmarked by June 15th.

The deadlines for Yearbook, Video and Online Media will be October 30, 2009. Eligibility for these categories is November 1, 2008 through October 30, 2009.  All entries must be postmarked by October 30th.

All Yearbook, Online and Video entries must be postmarked by October 30th.

Presently, 243 different categories of entry are provided with detailed information given here. Recognition is given by various certificates of award. Secondary schools are judged separately from colleges and universities so that each student’s work is evaluated against others produced in similar circumstances.Judges are experienced journalists and educators familiar with the context surrounding student journalism as produced in schools and colleges.In recent years, more than 13,000 entries have been submitted for this annual competition and about 1,000 awards were given in the various categories. The complete archive of the awards is given here. Awards are announced and presented at the Association's annual convention in March in New York City. Gold Circle Awards were first given in 1984 but follow a long tradition of CSPA awards for individual achievement by student editors.

Download Forms

Click on the PDF icon to download Gold Circle for Newspaper and Magazines form as a PDF file. Deadline is June 15, 2009.

Click on the PDF icon to download Gold Circle for Yearbooks, Video and Online Media form as a PDF file. Deadline is October 30, 2009.