About Media Expo

Important Dates

January 09, 2026 • Projects Due

February 11-25, 2026 • Project Judging Window

March 19, 2026 • Media Expo

5:00–7:00 P.M. • Gallery & Interactive Showcases

6:00 P.M. • Elementary Ceremony, PreK–5

7:00 P.M. • Secondary Ceremony, 6-12

(Secondary Ceremony will begin at the completion of the Elementary Ceremony)

Media Expo 2026 Competition

Purpose

The Worcester County Media Expo celebrates our students’ use of media and technology to meet educational goals and creatively communicate with local and global communities.

We believe that the Worcester County Media Expo will...

• inspire students to try innovative forms of technology to express their talents, knowledge, and understandings.

• foster a sense of pride and confidence in their technological skills.

• encourage collaboration between students, teachers, parents, and the community.

• allow community members the opportunity to have a greater understanding of WCPS’s continuing technology goals.

Grade Levels

Students are grouped into grade level bands. The groups are as follows for each category: PK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. Unless otherwise noted, students from all grades may enter the competition. Except for Photography, entries may be the work of an individual, a group, or a class. If students from more than one grade division work on an entry, the entry must be entered in the grade division of the oldest student participating. Entries for Photography are for individuals only.

Student Participation

Students enrolled in Worcester County Public Schools may participate in submitting projects for this event. Each school will use the following chart to determine the maximum number of projects to be submitted in each subcategory to county-level judging. If more than the allowed number of entries in a category are produced, a school-level runoff will be held in that school to determine which entries will move forward in the Worcester County Media Expo.

The Media Expo Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, March 19, 2026 . The gallery will open at 5:00 PM. The awards ceremony for Elementary entrants (PreK – 5) will begin at 6 PM, while the Secondary ceremony (grades 6-12), will begin at 7 PM (or at the completion of the Elementary ceremony). Student entrants are encouraged to be present to share entries with family and friends. The Awards Ceremony will be live streamed in addition to the in-person ceremony.(All entries are judged prior to the date of the Media Expo Awards Ceremony.)

Entry Form

All entries must be submitted using the online entry form at http://www.wcpsmediaexpo.com

Copyright

The use of copyrighted material is limited to what is allowed under the Fair Use Exception to copyright law. Copyrighted material that does not qualify as fair use must be accompanied by written permission from the copyright holder. All sources should be cited in a grade appropriate manner. Additional information about Fair Use is contained in these rules, along with some forms which may be helpful in requesting copyright permission. Entries which fail to follow these guidelines will be disqualified.

The names, logos, and entries of Worcester County Public Schools Media Expo may not be used or reproduced for any purpose. Media Expo Rules and Regulations require participants to follow copyright laws when submitting entries. Therefore, entries and content of entries are sole property and responsibility of participant(s). It is provided by Worcester County Public Schools Media Expo "as received” without intent or implied intent to discriminate.

Ethics

Please consider your subject matter carefully.All Rules and Codes of Conduct for the Worcester County Board of Education will apply to production and content.

All entries, from conception to final product, must be produced by the student(s) entering the production in the Media Expo. Entries must have been produced within the last year prior to the Media Expo and may not have been entered in a previous Media Expo.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rapidly advancing technology that mimics human intelligence to perform tasks like problem-solving, pattern recognition, and decision-making. In recent years, AI has evolved to become a powerful creative tool, capable of generating content such as art, music, and even written text. This evolution has prompted us to introduce an experimental AI-Generated Works category in our program, where students can explore the creative potential of AI. The addition of this category allows us to distinguish between unique student works and fully AI-developed projects.

A 'unique student work' represents a creative project primarily driven by the student's ideas, efforts, and artistic vision, showcasing their individuality, creativity, and skill in crafting original content. In contrast, a 'fully AI-developed' project relies predominantly on artificial intelligence algorithms, with minimal direct creative input from the student. These distinctions enable us to recognize and celebrate the various intersections of technology and individual creativity within our program.

It's important to note that 'unique student works' across all categories may incorporate the use of AI as a supplementary tool. AI tools are now integrated into numerous programs, software, and applications, offering support and enhancement. However, entries in any category other than the AI-Generated Works category should prominently reflect the creative effort and input of the student.

Students must be transparent about their use of AI tools. In their submission, they should provide a brief explanation of how AI was used and its role in the project's creation.

We encourage students and parents to embrace these exciting advancements, fostering creativity and innovation, while ensuring transparency and fairness in the program.

Awards

Gold medals will be awarded for the highest score in each category. Silver medals will be awarded for the second highest score in each category. The Media Specialists’ Award is reserved for any entry of exceptional quality or an entry which demonstrates the use of technology in a highly creative or sophisticated way to suit its purpose. The award may also be given to a student whose body of work in the Worcester County Media Expo has shown continuous growth and excellence.

EOE Statement

Worcester County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Chief of Operations and Human Relations; Worcester County Board of Education; 6270 Worcester Highway; Newark, MD 21841.

Important Dates