Every year, the New York Times organizes Student Contest where teenagers around the world on various issues and ideas through essays, editorials, political cartoons, photography, videos, poetry, podcasts or culture reviews. The contest is an essential part of their mission of “teaching and learning with The New York Times.”

All the work of the students is evaluated by Times journalists, outside educators from partner organizations, or professional practitioners in a related field.

2018-19 Student Contests:

My Generation Photo Contest: In this contest, teenagers take photographs that depict various aspects of teenage life which they think may be misunderstood, overlooked or largely unknown, and, in a short artist’s statement, tell them why.

Review Contest: In this contest, you have to review a book, movie, restaurant, album, theatrical production, video game, dance, TV show, art exhibition or any other kind of work The Times critiques.

Editorial Cartoon Contest: Here you will draw an editorial cartoon on a topic you care about.

Connect What You’re Studying in School With the World Today: Here students are invited to address those questions by matching something they are studying in school to anything they like that was published in The Times in 2018 or 2019, and tell them why they made the connection.

Vocabulary Video Contest: Here you will produce a 15-second video about the meaning of one of their Word of the day.

Editorial Contest: Write an editorial on an issue that matters to you.

Found Poetry Contest: Create a poem composed from words and phrases found in Times articles.

Podcast Challenge: Make an original podcast, of five minutes or less, to inform and entertain listeners.

Summer Reading Contest: They ask, “What interested you most in The Times this week? Why?”