(Credit: Nenpa, screenshot)

The New England Newspaper & Press Association’s Journalism Education Foundation is accepting applications for its annual awards, according to the association’s press release.

The scholarships are worth $1,000 and high school seniors and college journalism students in New England with “a GPA of 2.3 or above” can apply. According to the NENPA’s website, its scholarships serve to “encourage and support” the future journalists.

The press association identifies itself as “the professional trade organization for newspapers in the six New England states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine and Rhode Island.”  According to its website, its staff will “help members identify best practices, good examples and standards in use at newspapers throughout the region.” Also, the association has a “NENPA Media Law Hotline,’ where members can contact an attorney for media legal advice.

Applications are due March 26 and are available here. Read more about the necessary qualifications for the scholarships here.

The foundation also gives out the Morley L. Piper First Amendment award for a New England newspaper’s use of the First Amendment to report.

UPDATE: 3/7/2012 8:31 PM EST: Added information about the association.