Awards archive
Pacemakers
The Pacemakers, NSPA’s top publications prizes, are presented at the National High School Journalism Convention, each fall and spring.
The Pacemaker 100 and Top 10
To launch its centennial celebration, NSPA announced its top Pacemaker winners on May 20, 2021.
Pacemakers by convention
Spring 2026 / Minneapolis
Fall 2025 / Nashville
Spring 2025 / Seattle
Fall 2024 / Philadelphia
Spring 2024 / Kansas City, Missouri
Fall 2023 / Boston
Spring 2023 / San Francisco
Fall 2022 / St. Louis
Spring 2022 / Los Angeles
Fall 2021 / virtual
Broadcast Pacemakers
Presented each fall for the preceding year.
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996
Innovation Pacemakers
Presented each spring for the current year.
2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022
Magazine Pacemakers
Starting in 2020, Literary Magazine Pacemakers are presented each spring, and Specialty Magazine Pacemakers each fall.
Specialty Magazines: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020
Literary Arts Magazines: 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995 • 1994 • 1993
Online Pacemakers
Presented each spring for the current site.
2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 •
2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001
Newspaper/Newsmagazine Pacemakers
Presented each fall for the preceding year.
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 •2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995 • 1994 • 1993
Yearbook Pacemakers
Presented the following spring after the publication year.
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996 • 1995 • 1994 • 1993
To celebrate its centennial year, NSPA announces the top-winning publications in the history of the prestigious Pacemakers.
Contest rules, deadlines & submission
NSPA videos on Vimeo,
including awards presentations during the pandemic
Individual Awards
NSPA Individual Awards are presented at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention.
Story of the Year
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996
Digital Story of the Year
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012
Broadcast Story of the Year
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000
Photo of the Year
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000 • 1999 • 1998 • 1997 • 1996
Design of the Year
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000
Cartoon of the Year
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022
Local Climate Change Reporting
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019
Fred Ross Systemic Change Student Journalism Competition
2025 • 2024 • 2023
Portfolio of the Year
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018
Best Use of Social Media
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018
Junior High/Middle School Individual Awards
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018
Individual Award finalists
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021
Brasler Prize
The first-place winners from each Story of the Year category (News, Feature Story, Editorial/Opinion Story, Sports Story), as well as the Social Justice Reporting category, compete for the $1,000 Brasler Prize.
Best of Show
NSPA’s Best of Show is an on-site convention competition that recognizes outstanding work among publications whose staffs registered for the NSPA convention and entered the competition.
Fall National High School Journalism Convention
2021 virtual convention (Philadelphia) and
Philadelphia Storytelling Workshop
Best of Philadelphia Storytelling Awards
Spring National High School Journalism Convention
2020 “Live from Minneapolis” (Nashville) (open competition)
Hall of Fame
Publications inducted into the NSPA Hall of Fame have earned 10 All-American ratings from our publication critique service within an 11-year span.
NSPA Hall of Fame, including recent inductees
Clips & Clicks contest
Clips & Clicks, NSPA’s open competition, launched in fall 2020 and honors current work.
Open to all NSPA members, Clips & Clicks offers multiple categories for student and publication achievement, and each contest segment encompasses one semester of work.
Fall and spring competitions culminate with an annual Sweepstakes trophy.
Spring 2025 & Sweepstakes winner • Fall 2024
Spring 2024 & Sweepstakes winner • Fall 2023
Spring 2023 & Sweepstakes winner • Fall 2022
Spring 2022 & Sweepstakes winner • Fall 2021
Spring 2021 & Sweepstakes winner • Fall 2020
Leadership Award Journalism Honor Roll & Scholarships
Leadership Award in Student Journalism
To earn the NSPA Leadership Award in Student Journalism, a high school student must serve with distinction for at least two years on the staff of an NSPA-member broadcast, literary arts magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, specialty magazine, website or yearbook by the end of the current school year.
Wikoff Scholarship for Editorial Leadership
The Wally Wikoff Scholarship for Editorial Leadership is a $1,000 award that honors a high school senior on the staff of an NSPA member newspaper for exceptional leadership. The scholarship’s namesake served as NSPA’s executive director in the 1970s.
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008
NSPA Journalism Leadership Award Scholarships
Seniors who qualify for the NSPA Leadership Award in Student Journalism can enter into a competition for scholarships.
NSPA Journalism Honor Roll
The NSPA Journalism Honor Roll honors students who have achieved a 3.5 or higher grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) and have completed at least two years on staff by the end of this school year. Students in their second year on staff are eligible.
2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016
NSPA Journalism Honor Roll Scholarships
Seniors who qualify for the Honor Roll can enter into a competition for one or more $1,000 scholarships.
2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 •
2009 • 2008
OCC: Recognition for Outstanding Coronavirus Coverage
NSPA, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Society for News Design were sponsors in recognizing outstanding COVID-19 coverage by high school media. Print, online and broadcast submissions were included within three contest deadlines in April and May 2020.
Courage in Student Journalism Award
The Student Press Law Center, the Center for Scholastic Journalism at Kent State University and NSPA co-sponsor this scholastic-journalism award.
Links to press releases on past winners are on the SPLC site.