Book bans, social media censorship, and other reports of First Amendment violations pervade our newsfeeds in 2023. In recent months MSNBC shared a viral video where a 100-year-old widow stood up to a local school board banning books–an act that directly violates the freedoms her husband fought to protect in WWII. Limiting the freedoms listed in the First Amendment was not the intention of the founding fathers. 

SchoolJournalism has hosted the First Amendment Matters PSA contest for the past seven years. Now, more than ever, our First Amendment is under attack and needs our protection. Contestants go through two rounds of judging. The first judge looks to make sure the submissions follow the contest rules, time requirements are met, and also reviews submissions for any potential copyright infringement. 

Then three judges look deeper into the PSAs for content and how well they address the freedoms the First Amendment provides Americans. After several discussions, two PSAs kept coming up as strong entries. 

It took a few weeks, but the judges selected a Grand Prize Winner, as well as a Runner-Up. SchoolJournalism is excited to announce our honorees starting with the Grand Prize Winning PSA. 

“In a World Without Freedoms” was produced by Oksana Wojcik, Gianna Mignella, and Ryan Corley of Pocono Mountain East High School in Swiftwater, Penn. Their instructors are Heather Baldauff and Tim Eick. You can access their winning production by clicking this link: https://youtu.be/vppftxijSmA

The Grand Prize PSA winners will receive a total of $100 in Amazon Gift Card(s) for the winner(s) to use at their discretion courtesy of the East Central College, Union, Mo., Media Studies Program and a “prize box” of a variety of goods that may include but is not limited to: T-shirts, office/school supplies, etc. from the Academy of Scholastic Broadcasting, the University of Central Missouri’s School of Communication, the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada-Reno, and our main sponsor the East Central College, Union, Mo., Media Studies Program.Our Runner-Up was produced by Brooke Crotts, Isabelle Flood, and Claira Schick of Lee’s Summit North High School in Lee’s Summit, Mo. Their instructor is Terry Durnell. Their winning PSA can be accessed here: https://youtu.be/_XRiRebfcHE

The Runners-Up will also receive a “prize box” of a variety of goods that may include but is not limited to: T-shirts, office/school supplies, etc. from the Academy of Scholastic Broadcasting, the University of Central Missouri’s School of Communication, the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada-Reno, and our main sponsor the East Central College, Union, Mo., Media Studies Program.