We are excited to announce our three winners of the 2025 AllSides Student Journalism Contest. This national competition challenged students to think critically, navigate bias, and objectively present all sides of an issue. Our top submissions stood out not just for the quality of their writing, but for their commitment to presenting multiple perspectives so that readers can decide for themselves.
Congratulations to our three winners: Samara Castro (Lean Left), Carson Fusco (Center) and Mackenzie Wilkins (Lean Right) — and thank you to the educators that supported them! In addition to being featured on AllSides.com, winners will receive $500.
Here are their winning submissions:
Bias Alert | Are Unauthorized Immigrants Hurting the American Economy?
Samara Castro, Grade 12, California, Lean Left Bias
If you have been following any sort of news lately, you most likely have heard about Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) beginning their mission of “detecting and dismantling transnational criminal networks that target the American people and threaten our industries, organizations and financial systems” (U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement). However, there is a large disagreement on both sides as to whether unauthorized immigrants are actually a threat. Today, we will focus on how two opposing articles approach their stances on unauthorized immigrants in relation to the economy. By honing in on biases from both sources, we will approach an objective and comprehensive view on the issue. [Read more]
Under the Radar | Under the Radar: The Real Way Social Media Algorithms Shape Teen Politics
Carson Ramon Fusco, Grade 11, New Jersey, Center Bias
For years, public debate around social media has focused on one idea: that TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube feed teenagers political content that pushes them toward extremism. The theory is simple — and popular among both politicians and parents — but current research paints a more complicated picture. Algorithms do shape what teens see, but the effect is not the mass radicalization headline writers often suggest. Instead, teens describe something else entirely: confusion, pressure, and political exhaustion. [Read more]
Bias Alert | All Sides of North Dakota’s Abortion Ban
Mackenzie Wilkins, Grade 10, New Hampshire, Lean Right Bias
North Dakota’s abortion ban offers a clear example of how the media across all political views view and present the topic of abortion. Abortion is a common and controversial topic within the media. It is a medical procedure which intentionally terminates a human pregnancy. It is one of the topics with the clearest biases shown. These biases range from, “abortion is a fundamental human right,” to “abortion is murder.” [Read more]
AllSides for Schools Student Journalism Contest submissions were reviewed and scored by Krystal Woodworth, Marketing Communications Manager (Lean Left bias), Henry A. Brechter, editor-in-chief (Center bias) and Julie Mastrine, Director of Marketing and Media Bias Ratings (Lean Right bias)
Want to support AllSides for Schools?
The AllSides Student Journalism Contest is part of the AllSides broader mission to equip the next generation with tools to navigate bias, think critically, and engage in respectful dialogue across differences. You can help support this mission by becoming a Sustaining Member.
