
Showcase your writing skills and uncover the unsung heroes in your community. Apply today and take the first step towards a scholarship and a brighter future!
We are proud to offer Lookout’s first journalism challenge for high school and college students in Santa Cruz County. Inspired by our popular “Unsung Santa Cruz” series, this challenge invites students to write a profile of a local unsung hero who is making a positive difference in the community.
Our editing team will read and review all entries. The top 10 stories will be published on Lookout and the authors of the top three stories, two high school students and one college student, will each receive a $500 scholarship for an educational purchase. This could be money towards a computer, text books, an online course, software, college applications, college visits, etc and you must share what you would plan to spend the money on in your application.
Eligibility requirements: All high school students in Santa Cruz County and UC Santa Cruz or Cabrillo students are invited to apply.
Entries will be accepted through May 12th, 2023.
How to Apply: Simply fill out this Google form with your information, including grade level and school, and submit your story. You must complete 2 interviews; One with the person highlighted and one with a person who talks about them. Your story should be 500-900 words, including at least two quotes that you got from your interviews and two supporting photos. Your story should be a profile of someone who is not well known but is making a positive difference in the community.

Lookout believes that all students deserve to know deeply about the place they live in.
Student Voices
From the Lookout Newsroom