The New York Times Learning Network invites high school students and educators to participate in the New York Times Multimedia contest: Growing Up With A.I. This contest is a unique opportunity to reflect on how AI impacts learning, creativity, and daily life, while showcasing how your generation is shaping the future of technology in meaningful ways.
In this guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know to submit a standout entry. You’ll learn the rules and eligibility, how to select the medium that fits your strengths, so that your submission stands out as a thoughtful and impactful reflection on how AI shapes the world around you.
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Who Can Participate in the Contest?
The contest is open worldwide to students aged 13 to 19 who are enrolled in middle or high school, including home-schooled students. Educators may submit entries on behalf of their students or contribute their own. Each person or team can submit one entry per contest, and all work must be original and created primarily by the student(s) themselves.
Importantly, while this competition allows AI for student submissions, it is important to use your own judgment to decide how AI best fits into the contest’s requirements. For an artist’s statement, which outlines precisely the use of AI in your submission, the use of AI is strictly prohibited.
For full details, see Aralia’s article on the New York Times Multimedia Contest: Growing Up With A.I or NYT 2025–26 Student Contest Calendar.
What Kinds of Entries Are Allowed?
You may submit almost any digital medium that addresses the AI theme. Mentioned in the official article are:
- Writing: essays, journal entries, poetry (max 450 words)
- Visual art: drawings, illustrations, infographics
- Photography: photo essays (6–8 images with captions)
- Video or audio: short films or podcasts (up to 2 minutes), songs, raps, cartoons,…
- Anything you find fit for the focus question.
Each entry must include a short artist’s statement explaining how the work connects your AI usage to the final work. You should use original ideas and media. For instance, they could create a visual artwork, compose an audio story, or write a photo essay, as long as it clearly relates to the contest’s AI theme. The New York Times specifically mentions that AI tools may be used only “in accordance with official NYT guidelines,” meaning the final submission must primarily reflect your creative presentation skills.
Why Should Students Participate?
The New York Times Multimedia Contest offers far more than just the chance to win recognition. Submitting to this contest means your voice will reach a genuine, global audience of peers, educators, and professionals who are eager to understand how artificial intelligence is shaping the next generation. Winners and honorable mentions are featured on the New York Times Learning Network, with some outstanding works even making it into the print edition of The New York Times.
Beyond publication, participation is an opportunity to develop essential skills: honing your ability to tell compelling stories, practicing creative expression across multiple forms of media, and strengthening your confidence in sharing your ideas publicly. You’ll also gain valuable experience in critical thinking and digital communication, skills that are increasingly vital in a technology-driven world.
Importantly, your submission doesn’t just live in the contest. It becomes a meaningful piece for your college portfolio or applications, demonstrating initiative, creativity, and engagement with global issues. Showcasing your published work to admissions officers can set you apart, highlighting both your intellectual curiosity and your ability to contribute thoughtfully to ongoing conversations about technology and society.
Important Dates and Deadlines
The New York Times Multimedia Contest: Growing Up With A.I. runs in the fall of 2025. Entries will be accepted from September 10 through October 22, 2025. After the contest closes, winners and honorable mentions are usually notified about two months later.
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How Can Students Prepare and Succeed?
Begin by brainstorming ideas and researching how AI impacts various aspects of life, including education, creativity, social interactions, and ethics. Map out your project with a clear outline to organize your thoughts and guide your creative process.
Choose a medium that best showcases your strengths, whether it’s writing, video, audio, or visual art, and make it a format that allows your ideas to shine. AI tools can be valuable for generating inspiration, but remember that the final work should reflect your own voice, perspective, and originality.
Documenting your creative journey is also crucial. An artist’s statement or explanatory note can help judges understand your thought process, intentions, and how your piece engages with the theme. Throughout your work, strive for creativity, originality, and depth of thought, as these qualities are most likely to stand out to the judges.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of feedback. Share drafts with peers, teachers, or mentors, and take their suggestions seriously. Revising, refining, and polishing your work will ensure that your final submission is as strong and compelling as possible.
What Other Contests Can Students Explore?
If you want to explore more contests, there are plenty of options. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards give national recognition for writing and art for grades 7 to 12. PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs offers a multimedia journalism challenge for ages 13 to 18. C-SPAN StudentCam is a documentary contest for middle and high school students. YoungArts offers students aged 15 to 18 the opportunity to compete in photography, design, writing, and film. Like the NYT contest, these competitions give you a platform to share your ideas and creativity with real audiences.
Aralia’s Competition Preparation Program helps students approach contests with strategy, creativity, and confidence. Through personalized guidance from experienced and award-winning instructors, you’ll learn how to develop original ideas, craft compelling submissions, and polish your work to stand out in competitions like the New York Times Multimedia Challenge.
Ready to take your contest submissions to the next level? Join Aralia’s Competition Preparation Program today and get expert mentorship to turn your ideas into award-winning work.
Writing Competition – Fall
This class is offered in the fall every year. Students from 13 to 18 years old wanting to learn how to shape their written English into effective and publishable creative pieces will find this particular Writing Competition course very exciting. The class will be shown a range of tools to learn the nuances of controlled, purposeful writing, including: figurative language, effective structuring and specific forms that they will apply to their own pieces.
