The 17th annual Casey Medals for Meritorious Journalism is calling for entries for outstanding reporting on disadvantaged children and families. The categories include print articles and series, as well as photojournalism, multimedia and video.

Winning stories offer a fresh take on a significant issue, show enterprise in research and reporting and demonstrate masterful storytelling and impact. Judging is conducted by respected journalists and journalism educators.

+  First-place winners receive $1,000 and are honored at a ceremony in Washington, DC.
+  The contest is open to news organizations with an independent voice (members of advocacy groups and professional associations are not eligible).
+ Work must have appeared in the 2010 calendar year, from January 1 to December 31.
+  The deadline is April 15, 2011.

Work from a variety of big and small newspapers, magazines and online outlets have won in the past. For more information, go to the University of Maryland’s Journalism Center on Children & Families.