HARTFORD, Conn. — Uploading stories / text
- Email studentnews@fox61.com for the link
- Include names of all students and pronunciations
- Web copy should be written in AP Style and contain quotes, attribution for speakers. “The recall covers 20,000 lbs. of meat,” said Jim Smith, inspector for the Department of Agriculture.
- Use full names, Susan Jones not Mrs. Jones.
- Web copy should be at least 100 words, but over 250 words is best.
- Include links to companies, schools, programs if relevant.
Seeing the stories
- Stories air at approximately Friday 7:45 a.m., 5:45 p.m., 10: 45 p.m. and Saturday Morning
- Stories posted on www.fox61.com/student-news
Schedule for the year (tentative)
- Submissions start – September
- Official FOX61 Student News Launch – December 5
- FOX61 Student News Lab – Late March (tentative)
- Deadline for submissions for award consideration – Monday, May 5, 2025 (tentative)
- Nominees announced – Friday, May 23, 2025 (tentative)
- Awards program – Wednesday, June 4, 2025 (tentative)
Teaching resources
- FOX61 Student News Intro video
- Getting started
- Most recent stories https://www.fox61.com/student-news
- YouTube FOX61 Student News Lab Video library – Workshop and Labs
- 2024 FOX61 Student News Awards Ceremony
- How to make a news package https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgVwH1a9jcw
Awards categories for 2024-25
Given by FOX61
CATEGORY: FEATURE AWARD = $2,500
Given to the best feature news story
Defined as an informative story and may be more detailed “soft news” or human-interest stories new/original/personal perspectives/angles educational or entertaining and allows for different styles of writing arouses emotions does not expire allows personal observations, experiences, stories and anecdotes needs more photos/images
Time: can be chronological, also non-linear structures
Lead: “a narrative look”
Style: personal, descriptive, colorful, literary, emotional, humorous everything which is not hard news or editorials or opinion
CATEGORY: HARD NEWS AWARD = $2,500
Given to the best hard news story
Defined as: current, timely story, news information short and concise sources: interviews, press releases, briefings, documents for background information, emphasis on expert sources (facts, figures, statements by people of influence, etc.) non-chronological “order of importance”
Lead: the most important fact
Journalist: invisible, outsider, reports what other people do
Style: objective “matter-of-fact” reporting
CATEGORY: MIDDLE SCHOOL AWARD = $500
Awarded to the middle school (not the students) with the best story on any topic.
CATEGORY: COMMUNITY NEWS = $2,000
Given to the best community news story
Defined as:
stories that capture citizen priorities, concerns, and perspectives on different issues of importance to many different communities
SPONSORED (New categories may be added over the course the school year.)
BIG Y LOCALLY GROWN AWARD – (SPONSORED BY BIG Y) – $2,000
Given to the best student news story that reports on local businesses. Stories may be about local farmers, craftsmen, antique dealers, restaurants, regional specialties, and other product providers, with items made locally and sold on a smaller scale.
Local businesses are owned and operated by your neighbors. They care about and are invested in the well-being of our community and its future. Local businesses improve your family’s health and the local economy. Local businesses provide more personalized service, and you know the people behind the product; and it gives our communities its “flavor” or uniqueness.
CHESLA EDUCATION AWARD- (SPONSORED BY CHESLA) - $1,000
Given to the best student news story that reports on education.
Education is defined as the process of acquiring knowledge (receiving and giving systematic instruction), skills, values, beliefs and habits, and educational methods, teaching, training, and research. Education is a gradual process which brings positive changes in human life and behavior.
NOT JUST A GAME AWARD – (SPONSORED BY CT COUNCIL ON PROBLEM GAMBLING) - $2,500
Given to the best student news story that reports on one of the following gambling related topics: the potential risk factors for developing a problem with gambling such as accessibility and social acceptance, educating the public on the warning signs of a problem developing particularly for youth, how conversations with youth about addiction have traditionally been about alcohol, tobacco/vaping, and other drugs and rarely include discussions about gambling and gambling as a co-occurring problem, current regulations, policies, and responsible gambling efforts in our state to protect consumers, or interviews with people who have lived experience from gambling related problems to share stories of recovery.
ACES DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AWARD – (SPONSORED BY ACES) – $1,500
Given to the best student news story that -
- Focuses on people from various backgrounds, cultures, views, and experiences.
- Reports on contributions that promote respect, build community, establish cross-cultural initiatives, and advocate equity and inclusion within the community.
- Promotes student and/or school focused efforts that appreciate differences across gender, race, ethnicity, intellectual and physical abilities, and lifestyles.
- Represents a range of identities and experiences that exist in the world.
- Reports on cultural events and celebrations in our state and across the country.
SPORTS AWARD – (SPONSORED BY THE HARTFORD WOLFPACK FOUNDATION) - $2,000
Given to the best student news story that reports on sporting topics and games.
Stories about a sporting event, individual athlete, coach, or team
Sports-related issue serves as the dominant subject
Good Sportsmanship (fair and generous behavior or treatment of others, especially in a sports contest; respect, teamwork, character)
Please no highlight reels
WHY 21 AWARD (SPONSORED BY WHEELER CT CLEARING HOUSE AND THE CT DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES) – $2,500
Given to the best student news story that reports on tobacco prevention and these related topics:
Overview:
Federal and Connecticut laws state that tobacco and electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) retailers cannot sell cigarettes, tobacco products, and e-cigarette/vapor products to individuals under the age of 21 years old.
Why 21? People who use e-cigarettes and vapor products place themselves at risk for acute and chronic physical and mental health conditions, such as nicotine addiction. They also risk the possible migration to cigarette or other tobacco product use, which can have severe health consequences.
Segment Requirements:
Information on the physical and mental health risks associated with tobacco and e-cigarette use must be fact driven.
All segments must mention:
- State laws that regulate the sale of tobacco and e-cigarette/vapor products.
- Age restrictions for selling and buying tobacco and e-cigarette/vapor products and why they exist.
- Actions retailers must take to comply with state and federal laws.
- Information on the above three requirements can be found below: · Public Act No. 19-13 · House Bill No. 5506
- Reports may show images of cigarettes, tobacco products, and e-cigarettes/vapor products. They may not show images/footage of individuals using cigarettes, tobacco products, and e-cigarettes/vapor products.
- Segments on vaping may not include vaping cannabis.
Segment Ideas/Questions to Consider/Thought Starters
- What is the history of tobacco and e-cigarette/vapor product use in Connecticut and how has it evolved?
- What does it mean to be a responsible retailer? Who are the responsible retailers around the state and what strategies do they use to prevent the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and e-cigarettes/vapor products to underage individuals?
- What is nicotine? What are the negative effects of nicotine on your physical and emotional health?
- What is addiction? How is nicotine addictive? Why is nicotine considered a “gateway drug?”
- How do the lungs work/what do they do in the body? How can smoking or vaping impair the lungs?
- What is EVALI? (E-cigarette Vaping Associated Lung Injury)
- Why would individuals choose not to use cigarettes, tobacco products, or e-cigarette/vapor products?
- What is the best way to prevent addiction to nicotine?
- What cessation resources are available to students?
- What human interest stories exist on responsible retailers, how to quit smoking or vaping, or recovering from nicotine addiction?
- What is the Great American Smokeout?
- What is National Prevention Week, and how does it address cigarettes, tobacco products, or e-cigarette/vapor products?
Helpful Resources for Interviews
National Resources
- Truth Initiative
- Campaign For Tobacco-free Kids
- Parents Against Vaping
Connecticut Resources
- Connecticut State Legislators
- CT Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (DMHAS) Tobacco Prevention & Enforcement Program
- CT Department of Public Health Tobacco Control Program § Contact: Allison Sullivan at allison.Sullivan@ct.gov
- Connecticut Clearinghouse
- CT Regional Behavioral Health Action Organizations (RBHAOs)
- Yale School of Medicine Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science Contact: Tricia Dahl at tricia.dahl@yale.edu
- Southern CT State University’s Wellbeing Center Tobacco Program Coordinator: Victoria Adams at adamsv2@southernct.edu
- Southington STEPS Contact: Megan Albanese at southingtonsteps@gmail.com
- American Lung Association Connecticut Contact: Ruth Canovi at Ruth.Canovi@lung.org
Local Community Resources
- Responsible tobacco and e-cigarette/vapor product retailers in your town(s)
- Your town health department
- Your school nurses
- Doctors in your town
Break the Cycle Award sponsored by Interval House
This award is given to the story that best covers the topic of teen dating violence or modeling healthy romantic and friend relationships. This story can be about warning signs, awareness, how to seek help, survivors, events surround the topic and more. Representatives from Interval House are willing and available to speak with students and supply resources. More information on teen dating violence and establishing healthy relationships can be found here: https://intervalhousect.org/domestic-violence/teen-dating/
Please reach out to Amanda Delaura at Amanda.Delaura@intervalhousect.org to set up an interview.