NCSMA is a community of educators who recognize that young people must realize their own value in a civil society through journalism. In a world that tells our students, “Here’s what you can take from your community,” NCSMA tells kids, “Here’s how you can give back to your community.” With its emphasis on honesty, integrity and accuracy, NCSMA helps to secure a better world by creating strong civic leaders from North Carolina’s most important resource, its young people.

— David Jackson, William A. Hough High, Cornelius