2020 Cartoon of the Year finalists

Nov. 13, 2020

National Scholastic Press Association announces the finalists in its 2020 Cartoon of the Year competition —

Comics Journalism

Comic Strip / Panel

Editorial Cartoon

Winners in this and all Individual Award categories, as well as the NSPA Pacemaker Awards in broadcast, specialty magazine and newspaper/newsmagazine, will be announced online at 1 p.m. Central Saturday, Nov. 21, as part of the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, presented virtually Nov. 19-21.

To view the awards presentation, register for the convention at orlando.journalismconvention.org by 11:59 p.m. Central Nov. 13.

Finalists listed below are alphabetical by state.


Comics Journalism

Bras uplift the spirits of some but not all
Kasey Liu
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California

Skin deep
Audrey Nguyen
Bear Witness
Branham High School
San Jose, California

Quarantine Funny
Joseph Paolucci
Elevate Magazine
Regis Jesuit High School
Aurora, Colorado

What to do to pass time in quarantine
Chloe Sun
HiLite
Carmel High School
Carmel, Indiana

Undying Love
Snowy Li
Bearing News
Rock Bridge High School
Columbia, Missouri

Let It Snow
Lorelei Dohm
The Rock
Rock Bridge High School
Columbia, Missouri

Life in Truth
Alexandra Fernholz
Spark
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio

Dear “Real Man”: How does it feel like to show emotion?
Shriya Vanparia
The Sidekick
Coppell High School
Coppell, Texas


Comic Strip/Panel

Beautiful Black Hair
Phoebe Raborn
The Tiger
Little Rock Central High School
Little Rock, Arkansas

The Ultimate Pandemic Tragedy
Lexi Romanowsky
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California

Thanks, Thanksgiving
Angela Ma
The Prospector
Cupertino High School
Cupertino, California

BIP: Abandon ship
Jordan Moore
The Current
Bear River High School
Grass Valley, California

Flashbacks
Sharon Noel Somogyi
Eagle Valley Student Media
Eagle Valley High School
Gypsum, Colorado

The Nerd Herd Comic Series
Caroline Robbins
Devil’s Advocate
Stanton College Preparatory School
Jacksonville, Florida

Salty Jenny — “Hallway Herd”
Jennifer Nikolic
Southwords
Maine South High School
Park Ridge, Illinois

Productivity over “Corona Break”
Veronica Susovica
Ritenour Live
Ritenour High School
St. Louis, Missouri

Cabin fever
Sumner Wooldridge
Eagle Edition
Episcopal School of Dallas
Dallas, Texas

Freeda of the Press
Mia Fares
Review
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas


Editorial Cartoon

Cupertino’s Hierarchy of Needs
Ashley Kang
The Prospector
Cupertino High School
Cupertino, California

Gen Z speaks up
Emily Tan
Winged Post
The Harker School
San Jose, California

Flame of Liberty
Emily Tan
Winged Post
The Harker School
San Jose, California

Swamped by Safety Measures
Leah Ronkin
The Eagle Eye
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Parkland, Florida

Common kindness doesn’t end school shootings, despite what media says
Matthew Mapa
The Trinity Voice
Trinity Preparatory School
Winter Park, Florida

The social graveyard
Lilli Sams
Odyssey Media Group
Clarke Central High School
Athens, Georgia

Turkey
River Hennick
The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas

Opinion: Missouri voters should remember GOP gerrymandering
Alex Vancil
The Lancer Feed
Lafayette High School
Wildwood, Missouri

Thoughts and Prayers
Alexandra Fernholz
Spark
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio

How to Graduate in 2020
Alexandra Fernholz
Spark
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio