2021 Cartoon of the Year finalists
Nov. 1, 2021
National Scholastic Press Association announces the finalists in its 2021 Cartoon of the Year competition.
Winners in this and all Individual Award categories, as well as the NSPA Pacemaker Awards in Broadcast, Newspaper/Newsmagazine and Specialty Magazine, will be announced virtually at 4 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021.
Finalists are alphabetical by state.
Register for the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, presented virtually Nov. 1, 2021, to Jan. 15, 2022.
Enter the Best of Show competition for the fall virtual convention.
Register for the Philadelphia Storytelling Workshop.
NSPA’s first in-person Pacemaker Master Class will be presented Nov. 11-13, 2021, at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.
Finalists for
2021 NSPA Individual Awards
Broadcast Story of the Year
Cartoon of the Year
Design of the Year
Digital Story of the Year
Photo of the Year
Story of the Year
Social Justice Reporting
Local Climate Change Reporting
Portfolio of the Year
Best Use of Social Media
COVID-19 Coverage
Junior high/middle school
Finalists for fall 2021
NSPA Pacemaker Awards
Comics Journalism
“The media mutes Mr. President”
Kasey Liu
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California
“Stepping into the Red Zone”
Linda Lin
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California
“The invention of the model minority myth”
Mei Lin Lee-Stahr
Bear Witness
Branham High School
San Jose, California
“Virtual Snow Days”
Aidan Topolinski
The Black and White
Johnston High School
Johnston, Iowa
“Opinions on Debate”
Natalie Scholz
The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
“Unity”
E’nissa Golden
The Lodge
St. George’s Independent School
Collierville, Tennessee
“Ground-breaking”
Morgan Chow
The ReMarker
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
“Seen but not heard: How medical bias endangers Black women”
Celine Huang
Review
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“How to roll with the punches… literally”
Celine Huang
Review
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“College Admissions Process Adapts”
Cameron Tebo
The Highlander
McLean High School
McLean, Virginia
Comic Strip/Panel
“Social Media Bans Trump”
Phoebe Raborn
The Tiger
Little Rock Central High School
Little Rock, Arkansas
“Unplug yourself”
Kasey Liu
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California
“System Malfunction”
Makayla Huerta
The Wildcat
Brea Olinda High School
Brea, California
“Hybrid Feelings”
Makayla Huerta
The Wildcat
Brea Olinda High School
Brea, California
“Bluewood”
Kalyn Dawes
Redwood Bark
Redwood High School
Larkspur, California
“Banned”
Charlie Acquisto
The Octagon
Sacramento Country Day School
Sacramento, California
“What Virus?”
Vi Dao
Spark
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio
“Connected Apart”
Vi Dao
Spark
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio
“One day at the edge of a cliff …”
Srihari Yechangunja
Coppell Student Media
Coppell High School
Coppell, Texas
“Freeda of the Press”
Celine Huang
Review
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
Editorial Cartoon
“What It Feels Like When Talking to a Trump Supporter”
Makayla Huerta
The Wildcat
Brea Olinda High School
Brea, California
“Do you have a pad?”
Oishee Misra, Diya Bahl
El Estoque
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, California
“Abolish the College”
Julia Landy
The Eagle Eye
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Parkland, Florida
“Trump administration seeks to rewrite history with 1776 Commission”
Anna Rachwalski
The Southerner
Midtown High School
Atlanta, Georgia
“Stay Home”
Natalie Scholz
The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
“The two-party system has us pitted against each other”
Kyla Pelham
The Harbinger
Algonquin Regional High School
Northborough, Massachusetts
“Inform and educate before posting”
Elle Chen
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Saint Paul, Minnesota
“European Super League Will Ruin Soccer”
Emmie Foley
The Messenger
Marquette High School
Chesterfield, Missouri
“Calm After the Storm”
Mason Kellerman
The Messenger
Marquette High School
Chesterfield, Missouri
“Growing up in the ‘Age of Disappointment’”
Celine Huang
Review
St John’s School
Houston, Texas