MINNEAPOLIS – The National Scholastic Press Association is thrilled to announce the 2015 finalists in the Yearbook Pacemaker competition. Overall, what separated the finalists books from the rest was clean designs, strong photography and comprehensive coverage of local and national trends. The selected publications also had clever and solid themes that developed both visually and verbally throughout the book.
A team of judges comprised of experienced journalism professionals and educators chose finalists from five categories that totaled 367 entries. From these entries, 89 were selected as finalists. NSPA congratulates all finalists in this step towards winning scholastic journalism’s most prestigious award, the Pacemaker.
Pacemaker winners will be announced at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention, April 14-17, 2016 in Los Angeles, CA.
Junior High/Middle School

Ingenium, Greenfield Jr. HS, Gilbert, Ariz.
Ava Altenbern, Madden Dana, Hanna Ocker, Alexana Wilcoxson, editors
Jennifer Ann Parsons, adviser

Surfer, Coronado MS, Coronado, Calif.
Ynez Kerley, Savanna Schwartz, Nathan Dorow, editors
Amy Steward, adviser

Farrier, Mirman School, Los Angeles, Calif.
Ava Dobbs, Chloe Freitas, Elena Saviaro, editors
Wendy Samson, adviser

OIS Scenario, Orinda Intermediate School, Orinda, Calif.
Suah Oh, Anna Wong, editors
Susan Weiss, adviser

El Cazador, Huntington MS, San Marino, Calif.
Andrew Cronk, Sherry Ma, Phoenix Glen, editors
José Caire/Andrew Clark/Sherry Ma, advisers

Prowler, Pioneer MS, Tustin, Calif.
Justin Gambill, Katherine Malloy, Lauren Grubbs, Rachel Williams, editors
Lori A Spiak, adviser

The Crusader, Castle Rock MS, Castle Rock, Colo.
Paisley Coffelt, Kylie Phelps, editors
Jennifer Cancino, adviser

The Prowl, Powell MS, Littleton, Colo.
Zachary Caylor, Maren Porter, Hayden Peirce, editors
Yvette Manculich, adviser

The Cobra, Coleman MS, Tampa, Fla.
Courtney Chalmers, Olivia Abdoney, editors
Christina Porcelli, adviser

The Masterpiece, Bak MS of the Arts, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Michael Bole, Zoey Robinson, editors
Jessica Samons, adviser

The Scrapbook, Westfield MS, Westfield, Ind.
Grace Bieghler, Trevor Mave, Alicia Silhavy, Michaela Krawczyk, editors
Allison Staub, adviser

Stampede, Maize South MS, Wichita, Kan.
Katie Brown, Jeffrey Parson, Cammie Davis, editors
Mary Patrick, adviser

Specifics, Seven Lakes Jr. HS, Katy, Texas
Chloe Farlow, Alix Garcia, Austin Hill, editors
Katie Frazier, adviser
232 or fewer pages

Nugget, Cupertino HS, Cupertino, Calif.
Delphine Zhu, Greg Pommier, Sohru Thakkar, editors
Jennifer Townsend, adviser

Rampages, Casa Roble HS, Orangevale, Calif.
Alyssa Canevari, Ysabel Chavez, Savannah Engle, editors
Dan Austin, adviser

Wings, Arrowhead Christian Academy, Redlands, Calif.
Kristen DeVore, Ari Fuyumuro, Jenna Rolf, editors
Crystal Kazmierski, adviser

The Dragon, Johnston HS, Johnston, Iowa
Alex Reiher, Gabbie Ledesma, Megan Buckallew, editors
Leslie Shipp, adviser

Le Flambeau, Notre Dame de Sion Prep School, Kansas City, Mo.
Lexi Churchill, editor
Alison Long, adviser

Pelican, Pelham Memorial HS, Pelham, N.Y.
Caroline Humphrey, Nicole Como, Diana Mylonas, editors
Gail Orfei, adviser

Daedalus, Northeastern HS, Manchester, Pa.
Katlyn Rode, Sarah Michalak, editors
Beth Ann Brown, adviser

The Quest, John Champe HS, Aldie, Va.
Catherine Hutchison, Rachel Clark, editors
Suzanne Abdelrazaq, adviser

Nuntius, Altavista Combined School, Altavista, Va.
Caroline Mattox, editor
Betsy Brittingham, adviser

Crag, Turner Ashby HS, Bridgewater, Va.
Natalie Blanton, Abbie Joseph, Chloe Robinson, Katelin Simmers, editors
Leslie Stevens, adviser
233-288 pages

La Vista, Mountain View HS, Mesa, Ariz.
Jackilyn Lund, Sage Wheeler, editors
Landon Wrather, adviser

Decamhian, Del Campo HS, Fair Oaks, Calif.
Myranda Dean, Naomi Kisel, Ashlee Heuston, editors
Jim Jordan, adviser

Details, Whitney HS, Rocklin, Calif.
Anessa Desouza, Jill Holt, Robyn Rosenfeld, editors
Sarah Nichols, adviser

Log, Columbus North HS, Columbus, Ind.
Amelia Herrick, Anna Horak, Betsy Kiel, Katie Spoon, Hannah Vittorio, editors
Ryan Gunterman, adviser

Westwind, West Henderson HS, Hendersonville, N.C.
Haley Staton, Maggie King, editors
Brenda W. Gorsuch, adviser

The Lonestar, Vista Ridge HS, Cedar Park, Texas
Katie Na, Alanna Saucedo, editors
Jamie Ray, adviser

Buffalo, Haltom HS, Haltom City, Texas
Giovanna Villalpando, Sarah Robinson, editors
Emily Arnold, adviser

The Hawk, Pleasant Grove HS, Texarkana, Texas
Chelsea Cole, Holly Stouffer, Lexi Zachry, Meredith Payne, editors
Charla Harris, adviser

Cavalier Classic, Carroll County HS, Hillsville, Va.
Katherine Spencer, Brandon Blevins, Dylan Bobbitt, editors
Shannon Dalton, adviser

Saga, Loudoun Valley HS, Purcellville, Va.
Jenna Lowrance, Gabi Wolfe, Emily Anderson, Sydney Pitvorec, Marysia Serafin, Bridge Van Steelant, editors
Martha Akers, adviser
289-336 pages

Wingspan, James C. Enochs HS, Modesto, Calif.
James Tyner, Farrah Llanes, editors
Tamra McCarthy, adviser

Titanian, San Marino HS, San Marino, Calif.
William Wilson, Cammy Kuo, editors
José A. Caire, adviser

Summit, Smoky Hill HS, Aurora, Colo.
Hannah Mitsch, Dagne Milasiute, Melanie Vasina, editors
Carrie Faust, adviser

Epic, Legend HS, Parker, Colo.
Becca Garbrick, Caitlin Callahan, editors
Anastasia Harrison, adviser

Renaissance, Suncoast HS, Riviera Beach, Fla.
My An Le, Jordan Paulus, editors
Stephanie Bryan Russo, adviser

The Lion, McKinney HS, McKinney, Texas
Norma Salinas, Colin Mitchell, Lauren Anderson, Amelia Kinsinger, editors
Lori Oglesbee, adviser

Planonian, Plano Sr. HS, Plano, Texas
Julie Broderick, Lexi Jenson, Caroline Duke, editors
Terry Quinn, adviser

Techniques, Thomas Jefferson HS for Science & Technology, Alexandria, Va.
Nandini Radhakrishnan, Ruhee Shah, Naini Shiswawala, Eileen Zheng, editors
Erinn Harris, adviser

Lair, Lake Braddock HS, Burke, Va.
Gabriella Troncoso, Rachel Ungerleider, editors
Kathryn Helmke, adviser

The Guardian, Westfield HS, Chantilly, Va.
Nick Alexander-Goldsmith, Elis Kim, Crystal Park, Heather Ren, editors
Anthony Whitten, adviser

Above & Beyond, Robinson Secondary School, Fairfax, Va.
Sam Sturiale, Asha Chadha, Daly Hong, editors
Pat Hinman, adviser

The Clan, McLean HS, McLean, Va.
Sajanee Chithrahjan, Habiba Feroze, Bianca Rossell, Yande Thiaw, editors
Meghan Percival, adviser
337 or more pages

Hornet, Bryant HS, Bryant, Ark.
Lesley Bellinger, Ingrid Helgestad, Abby Resendiz, editors
Margaret Sorrows, adviser

Ursus, Granite Bay HS, Granite Bay, Calif.
Ambreen Siddiqui, Kristen Goldman, editors
Bernadette Cranmer, adviser

Golden Images, Chaparral HS, Parker, Colo.
Maddie Malhotra, Kenzie Brockman, Josh Bulawa, editors
Jeremy Kamm, adviser

The Stampede, J.W. Mitchell HS, New Port Richey, Fla.
Meredith McNulty, Rylea Candelora, Chelsea Candelora, editors
Susan McNulty, advisers

Legend, William R. Boone HS, Orlando, Fla.
Morgan Rowland, Matt Casler, editors
Renée Burke, adviser

Etruscan, Glenbrook South HS, Glenview, Ill.
Regina Anderson, Cat Frey, Mark Risinger, editors
Brenda Field, adviser

Hauberk, Shawnee Mission East HS, Prairie Village, Kan.
Afton Apodaca, Jordan Kiehl, editors
Chester Dow Tate, adviser

Lair, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, Kan.
Savannah Kelly, Kaleigh Schreiber, editors
Susan Massy, adviser

Tesserae, Corning-Painted Post HS, Corning, N.Y.
Marissa Clay, Jenna Morrisey, Jacqueline Pascar, editors
Mike Simons/Katie Paulison-Harris, advisers

Lone Star, James Bowie HS, Austin, Texas
Sunnie Lee, Kaylen Combs, Lina Barakat, editors
Deanna Dellana, adviser

El Paisano, Westlake HS, Austin, Texas
Jesse Olguin, Jenna Jones, Morgan Saucier, Kathleen Bashur, editors
Cindy Todd, adviser

Carillon, Bellaire HS, Bellaire, Texas
Courtney Williams, Rena Li, Kurt Warren, Marie Olavere, editors
Micaela Segal, adviser