NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Prestigious competition recognizes
17 literary arts magazines as Pacemaker finalists

March 1, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top scholastic literary arts magazines were recognized today by National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 17 finalists in its annual Pacemaker competition.

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

Pacemaker finalists will be honored and will receive plaques during the opening ceremony of the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4, in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Pacemaker winners will be announced for the first time at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 6, at the convention’s awards ceremony.

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 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, discussing its strengths. The status of each entry was agreed upon by at least two of the three judges. When the process was completed, 17 finalists were named representing the top 35 percent of all entries. 

Literary arts magazines from 10 states earned Pacemaker-finalist status. Florida set the pace with five finalists, followed by Illinois, Missouri and Texas each with two finalists. To reflect trends in scholastic publishing, a specialty magazine category was added to the Pacemaker competition in 2018 to recognize niche magazines devoted to in-depth reporting on a single topic. Five 2023 Specialty Magazines Pacemaker winners were announced in November.

La Pluma
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, California
Editor-in-chief: Annika Lee
Adviser: Vennessa Nava

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

Literati
Our Lady of Lourdes Academy
Miami, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Paola Lista, Danielle Noriega
Adviser: Rebecca Retana

Graphite
Hagerty High School
Oviedo, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Caitlyn Hale, Janell Lim
Adviser: Brit Taylor

Artifex
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Parkland, Florida
Editor-in-chief: Aisha Hashmi
Adviser: Melissa Falkowski

Seeds in the Black Earth
Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
West Palm Beach, Florida
Editor-in-chief: Phoenix Medley
Adviser: Brittany Rigdon

Iliad Literary-Art Magazine
Clarke Central High School
Athens, Georgia
Editor-in-chief: Kaija Gilbertson Hall
Adviser: David Ragsdale

Phantasm
Saint Ignatius College Prep
Chicago, Illinois
Editor-in-chief: Margot Edwards
Advisers: Katie Haviland, Teegan Ness

Menagerie
Lyons Township High School
La Grange, Illinois
Editors-in-chief: Natalie Hess, Lindsey Wilson
Advisers: Angela Gutierrez, Joseph Maffey, Mary Rohlicek

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

Mindprints
Jackson Preparatory Middle School
Flowood, Mississippi
Editor-in-chief: Catherine Hawkins
Adviser: Kimberly Reedy

The Hickman Review
Hickman High School
Columbia, Missouri
Editor-in-chief: Hannah Tsai
Adviser: MacKenzie Everett-Kennedy

Melodrama
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editor-in-chief: Olivia Hu
Adviser: Sarah Kirksey

Roars and Whispers
Providence Senior High School
Charlotte, North Carolina
Editors-in-chief: Ruby Davis, Audrey Henderson, Jonathan Obele
Adviser: Marva Hutchinson

Itinerary
The Episcopal School of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Editor-in-chief: Sophia Ukeni
Adviser: Heather Cernoch

Vibrato
The Hockaday School
Dallas, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Sonali Konda, Lillian Rubarts
Adviser: Julia Copeland

The Tartan
McLean High School
McLean, Virginia
Editor-in-chief: Sophia Pandit
Advisers: Lindsay Benedict, Seth LeBlanc