The Brodsky Prize for 2025

The Brodsky Prize for 2025 is now open to applications from eligible high school students across New Hampshire. Established in 2018 by Howard and the late Jeffrey Brodsky, the prize supports excellence in student journalism and is awarded annually to high school students who demonstrate boldness, innovation, and initiative in their journalistic efforts. The prize awards $5,000 to the first-place recipient, with additional smaller prizes often awarded to runners-up and finalists. The Brodsky family and the Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications collaboratively manage the award program, which honors Jeffrey Brodsky's legacy as a former student journalist and media professional. To be eligible, applicants must live in New Hampshire and attend a public, charter, or parochial high school within the state. Students who live in neighboring states but attend school in New Hampshire are also eligible. The application deadline is April 28, 2025. Entries must include essays and work samples that reflect the applicant’s journalistic talent, creativity, and impact. The evaluation criteria for the Brodsky Prize focus on journalistic initiative, enterprise, originality, and contrarian thinking. Submissions are judged for writing quality, including grammar and spelling, as well as for fairness, accuracy, and the effectiveness with which issues are explained. Judges will assess how applicants demonstrate out-of-the-box approaches and engagement in contemporary issues through journalism. Applicants are required to submit responses to three essay prompts. The first asks for an exploration of how new media technologies may transform the future of journalism and the applicant's role in that transformation. The second asks how the student might apply a Solutions Journalism approach to their work, encouraging thoughtful engagement with problem-solving narratives. The third is a shorter essay (up to 200 words) explaining how the student would use the award to advance their journalistic pursuits. In addition to the essays, applicants must include three examples of journalistic work, two of which must have been published or broadcast via a school or local news platform. Submissions must be sent electronically through the application portal. Additional questions can be directed to [email protected], with the subject line “Brodsky Prize.” The Nackey S. Loeb School of Communications, which administers the program, can also be reached by phone at 603-627-0005. Over its seven-year history, The Brodsky Prize has awarded nearly $65,000 to New Hampshire student journalists. Past winners include students from Londonderry, Oyster River, Sanborn Regional, Manchester Central, and other high schools. The prize continues to spotlight the importance of student journalism in civic discourse and offers young writers a platform for impactful storytelling and innovation.