NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Pacemaker competition recognizes 59 yearbook finalists for journalistic excellence

Dec. 17, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top scholastic yearbooks were recognized today by the National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 59 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 on 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, broadcast programs and innovation were added to the competition. 

“The yearbooks selected as Pacemaker finalists represent strong visual and verbal storytelling. The judges were highly selective, recognizing approximately 20 percent of the entries,” Associate Director Gary Lundgren said.

Two teams of three judges devoted three days to the judging and studied every entry, discussing its strengths. The status of each entry was agreed upon by at least two of the three judges. In Pacemaker competition, the yearbooks compete against each other and are not scored on a rubric. 

The high school yearbooks competed in categories based on the number of pages — 340 or more pages, 337-288 pages, 286-235 pages, 232 or fewer pages. Junior high/middle school yearbooks of all page counts complete in a category.

When the process was completed, 59 finalists were named representing the top 18 percent of all entries. In April, 22 yearbooks will earn Pacemaker awards — representing the top seven percent.

Of the 59 finalists, 11 are from junior/high and middle schools with 47 from high schools.

Yearbooks from 17 states earned Pacemaker-finalist status. Texas set the pace with 15 finalists, followed by Missouri with six and California and Colorado each with six.

Collegiate yearbook Pacemaker finalists will be announced by the Associated College Press, the NSPA collegiate organization, in January.

A “From the Yearbook Pacemaker Judges” panel discussion is planned for JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle. Judges will share what sets apart the Pacemaker-winners and showcase the yearbooks.

An online webinar is also planned for those unable to attend the Seattle convention. 

A presentation showcasing the yearbooks will be available for download for classroom use. Selected Pacemaker-winning yearbooks will also be available for download for study and inspiration.

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 national winners for Pacemaker Awards and Individual Awards. NSPA also offers a convention Best of Show competition that celebrates current student media work.

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The Prospector
Apache Junction High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Editors in chief: Tiffany Hutcheson, Ragan Stoltz
Adviser: Jason Davis

Oro
Cactus Canyon Junior High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Editors in chief: Candice Bates, Presley Tosko, Stacy Ventura Guerrero
Adviser: Jason Davis

Ingenium
Greenfield Junior High School
Gilbert, Arizona
Editors in chief: Abbey Bozovich, Ava Jackson, Izabella Shutt, Annie Smith, Jillian Sobol
Adviser: Jennifer Ann Parsons

La Cresta
Desert Ridge Junior High School
Mesa, Arizona
Editor in chief: Sienna Grant
Adviser: Jeanette Lockwood

La Vista
Mountain View High School
Mesa, Arizona
Editors in chief: Lucy Garn, Timothy Sherwood
Adviser: Landon Wrather

The River
Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School
Phoenix, Arizona
Editor in chief: Zoe Lay
Adviser: Nikki Monaco

The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Editors in chief: Harper Davidson, Emmett Jackson
Adviser: Andrew Young

Wingspan
James Enochs High School
Modesto, California
Editors in chief: Lacy Texeira, Byron Ulloa Camacho
Adviser: Tamra McCarthy

Traditions
Del Norte High School
San Diego, California
Editors in chief: Sabine Sommers
Adviser: Robin Christopher

Talon
The Harker School
San Jose, California
Editors in chief: Angelina Hu, Claire Su
Adviser: Kevin Oliver

Imperium
Iron Horse Middle School
San Ramon, California
Editors in chief: Ellie Gijbels, Hayoung Lee, Tammy Liao, Aarna Sapra
Adviser: Michelle Hamon

Cayuse
Walnut High School
Walnut, California
Editors in chief: Henri Chau, Priya Kankanala, Athena Kusserow, Elsa Qin, Kenneth Yu
Adviser: So Hee Tan

Lair
Drake Middle School
Arvada, Colorado
Editors in chief: Riley Devitt, Ella Felix, Hattie Hermsen, Kaylan Lessen, Opal Morris-Gonzales, Salamiia Nasiedkina, Charlotte Nations, Lauren Nguyen, Boston Patton
Adviser: Laurel Wicke

Summit
Smoky Hill High School
Aurora, Colorado
Editor in chief: Jaya Casteneda
Adviser: Carrie Faust

Cougar Prowl
Cresthill Middle School
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Editors in chief: Catherine Bartels, Ezra McGinnis, Lily Stene
Adviser: Gina Claus

Black & Gold
Rock Canyon High School
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Editors in chief: Chloe Farson, Alexandra Gustafson, Shea Thompson
Adviser: Kristi Rathbun

Priam
Longmont High School
Longmont, Colorado
Editors in chief: Maddy Cannon, Cole Gaddis, Fiona Glynn, Yuno Ide, Kate Thiltgen
Adviser: Annie Gorenstein-Falkenberg

Chieftain
Jupiter Community High School
Jupiter, Florida
Editors in chief: Elizabeth Cappiello, Cecelia Oneid, Ava Saunders
Adviser: Ericka Muncy

Columbian
Columbia High School
Lake City, Florida
Editors in chief: Madison White
Adviser: Michael Malcom-Bjorklund

Raider
Gulliver Preparatory
School Miami, Florida
Editors in chief: Mia Carrasco, Julia Fogel
Adviser: Monica Rodriguez

Fusion
Hagerty High School
Oviedo, Florida
Editors in chief: Shannon Hahn
Adviser: Brit Taylor

Jabberwokk
Darlington School
Rome, Georgia
Editors in chief: Aiden Parsa
Adviser: Ethan Pender

Etruscan
Glenbrook South High School
Glenview, Illinois
Editors in chief: Chloe Eimer, Aditya Shah, Allie Shelest
Adviser: Brenda Field

Red & Black
Lawrence High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Editors in chief: Maeslyn Hamlin, Maya Smith
Adviser: Barbara Tholen

Brickhouse
Shawnee Mission North High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Editor in chief: Lauren Hansen
Adviser: Becky Tate

The Hart
Bishop Miege Catholic High School
Roeland Park, Kansas
Editors in chief: Josie Herald, Grace Vanice
Adviser: Sarah McCambridge

The Lair
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Editors in chief: Danie Eaves, Marissa Buffon
Adviser: Chris Heady

Ship
Presque Isle High School
Presque Isle, Maine
Editors in chief: Adelaide Baser, Sydney Lavigne
Adviser: Marcie Young

Pawesehi
Parkway West High School
Ballwin, Missouri
Editors in chief: Abigail VanValkenburgh, Allison VanValkenburgh
Adviser: Lindsey Katz

Le Flambeau
Notre Dame de Sion High School
Kansas City, Missouri
Editors in chief: Sophia Grantham, Hannah Lange
Adviser: Valerie Crook

Reflector
Lee’s Summit High School
Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Editors in chief: Lily Ullery
Adviser: Jessica Flowers

Ayrie
Liberty North High School
Liberty, Missouri
Editors in chief: Abby Agnew, Kelsey O’Riley
Adviser: Ronna Sparks-Woodward

Rambler
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editors in chief: Jax Bespalko, MJ Bezzant, Claire Malone
Adviser: Sarah Kirksey

Spirit
Lindbergh High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editors in chief: Bethany Goodson, Audrey Scarpace, Anna Waters
Adviser: Carrie Rapp

Tesserae
Corning-Painted Post High School
Corning, New York
Editors in chief: Dorothy Piech, Gwendlyn Wieland
Adviser: Katie Paulison-Harris, Mike Simons

The Torch
Athens Drive Magnet High School
Raleigh, North Carolina
Editors in chief: Izzy Luck, Clare Roth, Aubrey Word
Adviser: Elizabeth Luna

The Cougar
Highland East Junior High School
Moore, Oklahoma
Editors in chief: Paisley Noles, Elyssa Perez, Trinity Wilson
Adviser: Erik Jackson

Lion Tracks
Cottage Grove High School
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Editors in chief: Cole Kishen
Adviser: Jayden Tucker

Green & Gold
West Linn High School
West Linn, Oregon
Editors in chief: Chiara Arendt, Elise Meikle
Adviser: Glenn Krake

Campus
Kiski Area High School
Vandergrift, Pennsylvania
Editors in chief: Peyton Martin, Caylie Tursky
Advisers: Sarah Gracey, John Swanson

Lion’s Roar
Christ Presbyterian Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
Editors in chief: Lauren Kelly, Meghan Milligan, Ellie Roper
Adviser: Heather Nagel

The Bard
Hill Country Christian School
Austin, Texas
Editors in chief: Abe Rheinheimer
Advisers: Jess Beal, John Horvath

Lone Star
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas
Editors in chief: Parker Ledford, John Walton
Adviser: Lindsey Shirack

The Creek
Caney Creek High School
Conroe, Texas
Editors in chief: Liz Fierros, Natalia Molina, Angelica Palacios
Advisers: Stephen Green, Leigh Anne Treistman

Carillon
Episcopal School of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Editors in chief: Kate Eastin, Kristin Doebele
Adviser: Ana Rosenthal

The Legend
El Dorado High School
El Paso, Texas
Editor in chief: Diego Cruz-Castruita
Adviser: Vanessa Martinez

The Frontier
Chisholm Trail High School
Fort Worth, Texas
Editor in chief: Sydney Hawkins
Adviser: Cortney Wood

The BluePrint
Bill and Cindy Haskett Junior High School
Katy, Texas
Editors in chief: Alyvia Douglas, Olivia Hicks, Alexis Jewell
Adviser: Candice Thomas

Panther Den
Liberty Hill High School
Liberty Hill, Texas
Editors in chief: Monique Achumuma, Tatum Grisel
Adviser: Jamie Zorn

The Arena
Legacy High School
Mansfield, Texas
Editors in chief: Raylee Mallett
Advisers: Rachel Dearinger, Leland Mallett

The Lion
McKinney High School
McKinney, Texas
Editors in chief: Summer Lario, Blanca Ramos
Adviser: Yary Lira

Panther
Ridgeview Middle School
Round Rock, Texas
Editors in chief: Julianne Faccone, Hannah Moreno
Adviser: Vicki Felkel

Dragon
Round Rock High School
Round Rock, Texas
Editors in chief: Alyssa Campbell, Liliana Livsey
Adviser: Sharon Kubicek

The Hawk
Pleasant Grove High School
Texarkana, Texas
Editors in chief: Brooklyn Gibson, Lauren Hornsby, Norah Jordan, Jace Ramos
Adviser: Charla Harris

The Tiger
Wills Point High School
Wills Point, Texas
Editors in chief: Ashley Canel, Kensli Lancaster
Adviser: Regina DeDominicis

The Cub
Wills Point PK-8
Wills Point, Texas
Editors in chief: Hayley Haney
Adviser: Regina DeDominicis

Crag
Turner Ashby High School
Bridgewater, Virginia
Editors in chief: Mia Flory, Kendra Gillette, Alex Reid
Adviser: Leslie Stevens

Showcase
UPrep
Seattle, Washington
Editors in chief: Kian Baghai, Eliza Barton
Adviser: Scott Collins

Pantera
Mead High School
Spokane, Washington
Editors in chief: Charles Ring
Adviser: Makena Busch