2021 Portfolio of the Year finalists

Nov. 1, 2021

National Scholastic Press Association announces the finalists in its 2021 Portfolio 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.


Artist of the Year

Alanna Jimenez

El Corazón
El Camino Real Charter High School
Woodland Hills, California

Complete entry

Melissa Liu

The Messenger
Northview High School
Johns Creek, Georgia

Complete entry

Kailey Gee

West Side Story
Iowa City West High School
Iowa City, Iowa

Complete entry

Natalie Scholz

The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas

Complete entry

Jay Chao

Silver Chips
Montgomery Blair High School
Silver Spring, Maryland

Complete entry

Brittany Jiang

Earthwinds
Jackson Preparatory School
Flowood, Mississippi

Complete entry

Erin Lawson

Tribal Tribune
Wando High School
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Complete entry

Rae Gray

The Dispatch
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry

Celine Huang

Review
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas

Complete entry


Broadcast Journalist of the Year

Kiana George

Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California

Complete entry

Samuel Elliott

EVTV
Eagle Valley High School
Gypsum, Colorado

Complete entry

Katie Simons

Inklings News
Staples High School
Westport, Connecticut

Complete entry

Christopher Gomez

CCNN Live
Christopher Columbus High School
Miami, Florida

Complete entry

Lanie Wolf

OneMa1ze Broadcasting
Maize Career Academy
Maize, Kansas

Complete entry

Devan Varma

The City Voice
City High Middle School
Grand Rapids, Michigan

Complete entry

Madison Adam

MBeat
Marion High School
Omaha, Nebraska

Complete entry

Anica Hankey

Hill Top News
Rock Hill High School
Frisco, Texas

Complete entry

Anna Beth Smith

Lovejoy News Network
Lovejoy High School
Lucas, Texas

Complete entry

Sean Nguyen

tjTODAY on YouTube

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Alexandria, Virginia

Complete entry


Designer of the Year

David Dablo

El Corazón
El Camino Real Charter High School
Woodland Hills, California

Complete entry

Jespyn Bishop

Reflections
Brighton High School
Brighton, Colorado

Complete entry

Melissa Liu

The Messenger
Northview High School
Johns Creek, Georgia

Complete entry

Madison Genoways

Network
Marion High School
Omaha, Nebraska

Complete entry

Ryan Kinney

Lone Star
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry

Faith Lawrence

The Dispatch
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry

Jamie Mahowald

The ReMarker
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas

Complete entry

Sydney Caldwell

The Lion
McKinney High School
McKinney, Texas

Complete entry

Taylor Olson

The Highlander
McLean High School
McLean, Virginia

Complete entry


Marketer of the Year

Mira Bhatt

Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California

Complete entry

Devin Gupta

El Estoque
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, California

Complete entry


Multimedia Journalist of the Year

Kaylene Lin

Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School
Belmont, California

Complete entry

Jayanti Jha

El Estoque
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, California

Complete entry

Sade Young

The Muse

Alexander W. Dreyfoos
School of the Arts

West Palm Beach, Florida

Complete entry

Grace Peng

The Messenger
Northview High School
Johns Creek, Georgia

Complete entry

Alice Scott

The Shield Online
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry

Natalie Cullen

The Dispatch
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry


Photojournalist of the Year

Jespyn Bishop

Reflections
Brighton High School
Brighton, Colorado

Complete entry

Owen Aanestad

West Side Story
Iowa City West High School
Iowa City, Iowa

Complete entry

Mitri Krishna

The Express
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Overland Park, Kansas

Complete entry

Sarah Golder

The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas

Complete entry

Nikolas Liepins

The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
St. Paul, Minnesota

Complete entry

Sophia Allen

Le Flambeau
Notre Dame de Sion High School
Kansas City, Missouri

Complete entry

Aric Shah

El Paisano
Westlake High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry

Kennedy Weatherby

The Knight
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry

Jerry Zhao

Focus Magazine
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas

Complete entry

Maya Ortiz

Kingwood Park Times
Kingwood Park High School
Kingwood, Texas

Complete entry


Writer of the Year

Anushka De

El Estoque
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, California

Complete entry

William Tong

Central Times
Naperville Central High School
Naperville, Illinois

Complete entry

Rose Kanaley

The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas

Complete entry

Ava Huelskamp

Spark
Lakota East High School
Liberty Twp, Ohio

Complete entry

Mary-Michael O’Hara

Legend
Wando High School
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Complete entry

Cade Spencer

The Dispatch
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas

Complete entry

Sally Parampottil

The Sidekick
Coppell High School
Coppell, Texas

Complete entry



Cristian Pereira

Focus Magazine
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas

Complete entry

Kathleen Ortiz

Kingwood Park Times
Kingwood Park High School
Kingwood, Texas

Complete entry

Gabriella Winans

Eagle Nation Online
Prosper High School
Prosper, Texas

Complete entry