Before you enter

Ready to enter the 2026 JEANC Annual Contests?

Here a few documents that might help you to prepare your entries:

• Take a look at our contest category descriptions.

• Remember that all uploaded PDFs cannot exceed 4 MB, so you may need to view this link to preparing your press-ready PDFs. You can also watch our video on how to make yearbook entries into two-page spreads.

• Uploaded PDFs should be named as follows:

Files must be named CONTESTprefix&#_SchoolName_StudentLastName(s)_1.pdf for the first entry in a contest or CONTESTprefix&#_SchoolName_StudentLastName(s)_2.pdf for the second entry in the same contest by a different student.

A yearbook entry for the endsheet/divider/colophon contest for Michelle Gantos, Richard Harris and Jennifer Jung (three students) would look like this:

Y13_BalszHS_Gantos-Harris-Jung)_1.pdf
Adding “HS,” “Prep,” “Acad” or another abbreviation that better identifies your school helps out the folks who are recording and mailing out awards.

Ensure that the information entered on the uploading form matches the file being uploaded!

• Entries that are double-page spreads should be saved as such (not as two separate pages). View this image of the export settings if you are unsure how to do this. Here is a video from JEANC board member Sarah Nichols on how to do this.

• For categories that require multiple entries (e.g. Yearbook Theme Coverage), we prefer all PDFs to be combined into one file before uploading. Here is our video on how to do that.  However, if the combined file size is too large, please upload the files separately and name them publicationname_categoryname_#of#.pdf. (ex: thetimes_themecoverage_1of4.pdf)

• You may enter twice per category per publication advised, so long as the two entries are from different students. For entries with more than three students, we suggest only naming the publication. Each entry beyond the three free entries awarded to each adviser is $5, and you will need to know the total number of entries when completing the payment portion of the entry form. All entries should have been published between April 2, 2025 and April 1, 2026. (Yearbook entries do not need to be published yet. They should not have been entered in a previous Annual Contest.)

When you’re ready, go to the entry form where you will confirm your membership (or renew it or join JEANC), upload your entries and pay for the contests. You can stop, save and return at any point while submitting entries. Be sure that you save your unique URL to return, because you will be the only person who has it. Note: A unique URL is created each time you save. Using an old URL will take you back to an older version of the contests.

Remember, the contest deadline this year is April 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (for entries published between April 2, 2025 and April 1, 2026).

Good luck!