NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Pacemaker competition recognizes 17 literary arts magazines as Pacemaker finalists

March 31, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top scholastic literary arts magazines were recognized today by the 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 a special recognition ceremony on Friday, April 25, at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle.

Pacemaker winners will be announced for the first time at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 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 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 12 states earned Pacemaker-finalist status. Georgia and Texas set the pace with three finalists each, followed by Florida 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. 

Please join us at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention April 24-26, 2025, in Seattle.

The convention offers hundreds of instructional sessions, keynote speakers from national newsmakers, dozens of media critiques, JEA’s popular on-site media contests and the announcement of NSPA Pacemaker winners. NSPA also offers a convention Best of Show competition that celebrates current student media work.

Ingenium
Mc-Gill Toolen Catholic High School
Mobile, Alabama
Editors in chief: Maggie Heller, Maggie Kohnen
Adviser: Camille Johnston

BLAM
Brophy College Preparatory
Phoenix, Arizona
Editor in chief: Minh Luu
Advisers: Ashley Doud, Shelby Stringer

Connotations
Fayetteville High School
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Editor in chief: Maggie Crouch
Adviser: Katie Stueart

Graphite
Hagerty High School
Oviedo, Florida
Editor in chief: Josephine Lim
Adviser: Brit Taylor

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

Iliad
Clarke Central High School
Athen, Georgia
Editor in chief: Olivia Hendershot
Adviser: David Ragsdale

Silent Voices
Woodward Academy
College Park, Georgia
Editors in chief: Kyla Granville, Anna Schwartz
Advisers: Emily Heilker, Ronda Zents

Inkslinger
Darlington School
Rome, Georgia
Editor in chief: Julia Beauchamp
Adviser: Ethan Pender

Voice
Community High School
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Editors in chief: Leila Bank, Claire Lewis, Bee Whalen
Advisers: Tracy Anderson, Hannah Crabtree, Beth Portincasa

The Fine Print
East Ridge High School
Woodbury, Minnesota
Editors in chief: Nina Krejci, Caroline Zhang
Adviser: Adam Hayes

MIndprints
Jackson Preparatory Middle School
Flowood, Mississippi
Editors in chief: Reese Bruce, Rose Hathorn, Joseph McKinley, Katherine Ritchie
Adviser: Jennifer Gunn

Melodrama
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editors in chief: Riley Coates, Annie Zhao, Mimi Zhou
Advisers: Abigail Eisenberg, Sarah Kirksey

Taxonomy
Delaware Valley Regional High School
Frenchtown, New Jersey
Editor in chief: Daniel LaGuardia
Adviser: Molly Esposito

Roars & Whispers
Providence Senior High School
Charlotte, North Carolina
Editors in chief: Trixie Beck, Dave Hite, Melaina Patterson
Adviser: Pamela Mann

Odyssey
James Bowie HIgh School
Austin, Texas
Editors in chief: Sakari Jackson, Parker Ledford, Rosemarie Nevland, John Walton
Advisers: Jacob Morgan, Lindsey Shirack

Itinerary
Episcopal School of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Editor in chief: Abby Baughman
Adviser: Heather Cernoch

MIni-Marque
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Editor in chief: Grant Bowers
Adviser: Danielle Maxfield