2022 Junior High/Middle School finalists

Oct. 19, 2022

National Scholastic Press Association announces the finalists in its 2022 Junior High/Middle School competition.

Individual Award winners will be announced at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention, at the 3:30 p.m. awards ceremony on Nov. 12. 

A gallery of winners will be posted after the Nov. 12 announcement.

Finalists below are listed by state.

Register for the convention.
Enter the convention’s Best of Show contest.

Pacemaker finalists
These Pacemaker finalists will be honored and winners announced at the Nov. 12 awards ceremony.

BroadcastNewspaper/NewsmagazineSpecialty Magazine

Pacemakers in Innovation, Literary Arts Magazine, Online and Yearbook will be presented in spring 2023.

Pacemaker 100
To celebrate our 100th birthday, we’ll honor our top Pacemaker winners and recognize the Top 10 at the fall convention.


Design of the Year

Ragan Stoltz
Oro, Cactus Canyon Junior High School, Apache Junction, Arizona
Block and Back

Natalee Anforth
Oro, Cactus Canyon Junior High School, Apache Junction, Arizona
On Location

Kate Rogers
The Round-Up, Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
We Brought Our Game

Olivia Hapgood
The Round-Up, Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
22 in 22

Geneva Ogrin, Grace Pepe, Brenna Quinlan
The Prowl, Powell Middle School, Littleton, Colorado
Trends_PMS 2022

Addison Huff
The Scrapbook, Westfield Middle School, Westfield, Indiana
You Might Like to Go Far Away

Gabe Willis, Addison Huff, Kai Kidwell
The Scrapbook, Westfield Middle School, Westfield, Indiana
Strings Attached

Roshan Desai
The Crane, Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for Boys, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
First League Championship Win

Gabi Cardenas, Dillon Landry
The Panther
Ridgeview Middle School, Round Rock, Texas, Art, Ukulele Club and Books to Movie Club

Lila Stenson, Lola Tamman
The Scroll, The American School in London Middle School, London, United Kingdom
Students travel around UK, France


Story of the Year

Ragan Stoltz
Oro
Cactus Canyon Junior High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Devil in Disguise

Serenity Alvarado
Oro
Cactus Canyon Junior High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Ellie Cupido

Amelia Bramlett
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Science Matters

Lilley Ku, Dani Montgomery
The Scrapbook
Westfield Middle School
Westfield, Indiana
Above Par

Kai Kidwell, Katie Bolduc
The Scrapbook
Westfield Middle School
Westfield, Indiana
Pieces and Pastries

Atharva Modi
The Crane
Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for Boys
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Composting at Cranbrook

Kanav Kalmadi
The Crane
Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for Boys
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Including Everyone’s Needs is their Number One Ingredient

Claire Mooney
The Sequoyah Scribe
John Sevier Middle School
Kingsport, Tennessee
Major teacher staff changes strike Sevier Middle

Maddison Ball
The Sequoyah Scribe
John Sevier Middle School
Kingsport, Tennessee
Students earn minimum grade of 60%, even for missing work

Taishawna Davis
The Sequoyah Scribe
John Sevier Middle School
Kingsport, Tennessee
African American students report unwanted hair touching


Broadcast Story of the Year

Krishna Mano
The City Voice, City High Middle School, Grand Rapids, Michigan
What We Can Take Away From The Flint Water Crisis: Interview with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha

Naima Velasco, Maggie Katin
ALTV, Armand Larive Middle School, Hermiston, Oregon
Assembly tradition makes a comeback

Isabella Martinez, Mickenzie Marks
ALTV, Armand Larive Middle School, Hermiston, Oregon
Sweet Potato’s Closet

Jonah Sine
The Scroll, The American School in London Middle School, London, United Kingdom
Indoor climbing explained

Noel Blute
The Scroll, The American School in London Middle School, London, United Kingdom
Changes to Grade 8 Performing Arts program provide more opportunities

Noel Blute
The Scroll, The American School in London Middle School, London, United Kingdom
Humans of ASL: Annika Gilbert on playing the clarinet

Ollie Grad
The Scroll, The American School in London Middle School, London, United Kingdom
Review: Five Guys


Multimedia Story of the Year

No winners


Photo of the Year

Brielle McWilliams
Oro, Cactus Canyon Junior High School, Apache Junction, Arizona
Adrenaline Junkie

Shyanne Bullard
Oro, Cactus Canyon Junior High School, Apache Junction, Arizona
Battle Bruises

Lilly Landers
The Round-Up, Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Let’s Go Colts

Olivia Hapgood
The Round-Up, Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Dunked On

Olivia Hapgood
The Round-Up, Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Erupt

Amelia Bramlett
The Round-Up, Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
A Closer Look

Geneva Ogrin
The Prowl, Powell Middle School, Littleton, Colorado
GBO_9-13_7TH TRACK (717)

Shea Vohs
The Scrapbook, Westfield Middle School, Westfield, Indiana
Laughing with Lizards

Brianna Mae Malasaga
The Falcon’s Yearbook, Coral Academy of Science Middle School, Reno, Nevada
Windmill Project

Autum Decell
The Falcon’s Yearbook, Coral Academy of Science Middle School, Reno, Nevada
Bayblades