Best of the West contest information
The Best of the West complements the Annual Contest by honoring the standout publications in Northern California by evaluating their overall work throughout the year. Publications submit a specified set of issues, shows or spreads, as defined by the category they enter.
Please note that although staff submits a representative set of publications, this is not a critique, and there will be no feedback on the entries.
Because this is a separate contest, programs are not eligible to use their three free contest entries as part of Best of the West. Entries are $25.
Submission Guidelines:
All entries due by April 1, 2026.
Submission is within the form for the Annual Contest.
Newspaper/News magazine/Feature magazine:
- One issue published between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31 of the current school year
- One issue published between Jan. 1 and April 1 of the current school year
- Additional issue of choice between Aug. 1 and April 1 of the current school year
- Use this video tutorial to learn how to export a PDF of a double-page spread for news magazine or yearbook, how to crop at the trim lines and then how to include as part of a shareable folder.
Broadcast:
- One show/video produced between Aug. 1 and Dec. 31 of the current school year
- One show/video between Jan. 1 and April 1 of the current school year
- Additional show/video of choice between Aug. 1 and April 1 of the current school year
Website:
- Upload your website URL
Yearbook: for the current school year
- Cover
- Endsheet
- Title page
- Opening
- Closing
- Dividers
- 1-2 spreads from each major section
- Should be submitted as a link to Google folder or Dropbox, preferably as PDFs, not JPEG
- Use this video tutorial to learn how to export a PDF of a double-page spread for news magazine or yearbook, how to crop at the trim lines and then how to include as part of a shareable folder.