NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Pacemaker competition recognizes
6 magazines for excellence

April 22, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO — Honoring the nation’s best, National Scholastic Press Association named six scholastic literary arts magazines as prestigious Pacemaker winners.

The literary arts magazine winners, plus the 2023 Innovation Pacemaker, 2023 Online Pacemaker and 2022 Yearbook Pacemaker winners, were announced for the first time during the closing awards ceremony of the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention on April 22, in San Francisco.

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” Executive Director Laura Widmer said. “NSPA is honored to recognize the best of the best.”

The NSPA Pacemaker, one of the oldest awards for scholastic journalism, has a rich tradition. The association started presenting the prestigious award to high school newspapers soon after the organization was founded in 1921. Throughout the years, yearbooks, magazines, online sites and broadcast programs were added to the competition. The organization is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.

“The literary arts magazines selected by the judges reflect both classic and contemporary formats,” said Gary Lundgren, associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competition. “The quality of the art, photography, poetry and prose showcased on the pages of these magazines is amazing.”

A team of three judges studied every entry and discussed its strengths. The status of each entry was agreed upon by at least two of the three judges.

Judges included a former award-winning adviser and two Minneapolis media professionals.

John Dalke, Jack Cando Design (Montana)

Laurie Hansen, Stillwater Area High School (Minnesota), retired

Tom Keekley, Olive & Company (Minnesota)

A team of three judges studied every entry, discussing its strengths. The status of each entry was agreed upon by at least two of the three judges. 

When the process was completed, 15 Literary Arts Magazine Pacemaker finalists were named, representing the top 30 percent of all entries. The six Pacemaker-winning magazines represent the top 8 percent.

Literary arts magazines from four states earned Pacemaker honors. Florida and Texas set the pace with two winners. Minnesota and North Carolina were also represented.

Reflections Literary & Arts Magazine
Gulliver Preparatory School
Miami, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Mia Carrasco, Sara Gelrud
Adviser: Monica Rodriguez

Artifex
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Parkland, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Lybah Haque, Reese Lansman
Adviser: Melissa Falkowski

Iris: Art + Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
St. Paul, Minnesota
Editors-in-chief: Eliza Farley, Poppy Ploen
Advisers: Kathryn Campbell, Andrew Inchiosa

Roars and Whispers
Providence Senior High School
Charlotte, North Carolina
Editors-in-chief: Diya Bhatt, Elizabeth Park, Lisa Zhang
Adviser: Marva Hutchinson

The Marque
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Thomas Phillip, Ekansh Tambe
Advisers: Lauren Brosovich, Lynne Schwartz

Vibrato
The Hockaday School
Dallas, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Gabrielle Rees, Abigail Ruble
Adviser: Julia Copeland