2020 Pacemaker Awards in Yearbook

April 10, 2021

National Scholastic Press Association salutes the winners of its Pacemaker Awards for 2020 yearbooks.

The NSPA Pacemaker Award is scholastic journalism’s preeminent award.

These 2020 yearbook winners, plus 2020 literary magazine and 2021 online Pacemaker winners, were announced virtually during the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention, April 10, 2021.

WATCH the April 10, 2021, awards presentation.

Spring 2021 Pacemaker Awards
Literary magazineOnlineYearbook

Spring 2021 Pacemaker Award finalists
Literary magazineOnlineYearbook

Fall 2020 Pacemaker Awards
Broadcast • 
Newspaper/Newsmagazine/
Specialty Magazine

Spring 2021 Best of Show
JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention

NSPA Awards page

NSPA Awards archive


Junior high/middle school

Winners listed by state

Oro
Cactus Canyon Junior High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Editor: Tiffany Hutcheson
Adviser: Jason Davis

The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Editors: Brighton Smith, Makenzie Warren, Linley Yates
Adviser: Andrew Young

The Prowl
Powell Middle School
Littleton, Colorado
Editors: Madison Holbrook, Logan Wilson
Adviser: Yvette Manculich

Eagle Eye View
Sierra Middle School
Parker, Colorado
Editor: William Beller
Adviser: Jed Palmer

The Vespa
Kealing Middle School
Austin, Texas
Editor: Lanie Sepheri
Adviser: Kristen Scott

Tiger Tracks
Katy Junior High School
Katy, Texas
Editors: Mamie Grace McClelland, Elyse Neves
Adviser: Candice Marie Thomas


High school

Winners listed by state

The Pilot
Redondo Union High School
Redondo Beach, California
Editors: Samantha Aldover, Vanessa Rebintisch, Samantha Slatcher
Adviser: Mitch Ziegler

Cayuse
Walnut High School
Walnut, California
Editors: Isaac Le, Samantha Lee, Isabella Leung
Adviser: So Hee Tan

Black & Gold
Rock Canyon High School
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Editors: Kinley Rex, Emma Shea
Adviser: Kristi Rathbun

Odyssey
University High School
Orange City, Florida
Editors: Jordan McKendrick, Natasha Sweet, Brooke Williams
Adviser: Courtney Hanks

The Marquee
Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
West Palm Beach, Florida
Editors: Kyle Ahern, Joel Soto
Advisers: Carly Gates, Brittany Rigdon

The Lair
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Editors: Mollie Elfrink, Ethan Schreiber
Adviser: Susan Massy

Pawesehi
Parkway West High School
Ballwin, Missouri
Editors: Caroline Briscoe, Anika Zepada
Adviser: Debra Klevens

Tesserae
Corning-Painted Post High School
Corning, New York
Editors: Kristin Hauptman, Elizabeth Hogrefe, Mia Perry
Advisers: Katie Paulison-Harris, Mike Simons

Westwind
West Henderson High School
Hendersonville, North Carolina
Editor: Maci Jo Clark
Adviser: Jason Livingston

The Torch
Athens Drive Magnet High School
Raleigh, North Carolina
Editors: Jacob McCarthy Adams, Sarah Thomas
Adviser: Elizabeth Luna

Munhinotu
Gresham High School
Gresham, Oregon
Editor: Claire Stigen
Adviser: Bradley Cook

Lone Star
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas
Editors: Logan Dorsey, Ryan Kinney, Emma Wake
Adviser: Lindsey Shirack

The Bard
Hill Country Christian School
Austin, Texas
Editor: Lauren Innis
Adviser: John Horvath

The Lonestar
Vista Ridge High School
Cedar Park, Texas
Editor: Mackenzi Steczkowski
Adviser: Jamie Ray

Kodiak
Bridgeland High School
Cypress, Texas
Editor: Makayla Nguyen
Adviser: Samantha Berry

The Legend
El Dorado High School
El Paso, Texas
Editor: Lia Rodriguez
Adviser: Vanessa Martinez

Hoofbeats
Burges High School
El Paso, Texas
Editor: Annabella Mireles
Adviser: Pat Monroe

The Lair
Leander High School
Leander, Texas
Editors: Hannah Dowding, Olivia Rutherfurd
Adviser: Lindsie Alley

The Arena
Legacy High School
Mansfield, Texas
Editor: Savannah Gery
Advisers: Rachel Dearinger, Leland Mallett

The Lion
McKinney High School
McKinney, Texas
Editors: Sydney Anderson, Leah Boatman, Sydney Caldwell, Abigail McAdams, Kayla Thompson
Adviser: Alyssa Boehringer

The Hawk
Pleasant Grove High School
Texarkana, Texas
Editors: Kathryn Davis, Presley Hargrove, Rachel Hemphill, Olivia Rochelle
Adviser: Charla Harris

The Apollo
Colonial Forge High School
Stafford, Virginia
Editor: Kaitlyn Fulmore
Adviser: Tiffany Kopcak