2024 Yearbook Pacemakers
NSPA names ‘best of the best’
Pacemaker competition recognizes 22 yearbooks for journalistic excellence
April 26, 2025
SEATTLE — The nation’s top scholastic yearbooks were recognized today by the National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 22 winners 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.”
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 Pacemakers 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.
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.
2024 Yearbook Pacemakers
listed by state
Oro
Cactus Canyon Junior High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Editors in chief: Candice Bates, Presley Tosko, Stacy Ventura Guerrero
Adviser: Jason Davis
La Vista
Mountain View High School
Mesa, Arizona
Editors in chief: Lucy Garn, Timothy Sherwood
Adviser: Landon Wrather
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
Talon
The Harker School
San Jose, California
Editors in chief: Angelina Hu, Claire Su
Adviser: Kevin Oliver
Chieftain
Jupiter Community High School
Jupiter, Florida
Editors in chief: Elizabeth Cappiello, Cecelia Oneid, Ava Saunders
Adviser: Ericka Muncy
Red & Black
Lawrence High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Editors in chief: Maeslyn Hamlin, Maya Smith
Adviser: Barbara Tholen
The Lair
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Editors in chief: Danie Eaves, Marissa Buffon
Adviser: Chris Heady
Pawesehi
Parkway West High School
Ballwin, Missouri
Editors in chief: Abigail VanValkenburgh, Allison VanValkenburgh
Adviser: Lindsey Katz
Rambler
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editors in chief: Jax Bespalko, MJ Bezzant, Claire Malone
Adviser: Sarah Kirksey
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
Campus
Kiski Area High School
Vandergrift, Pennsylvania
Editors in chief: Peyton Martin, Caylie Tursky
Advisers: Sarah Gracey, John Swanson
The Creek
Caney Creek High School
Conroe, Texas
Editors in chief: Liz Fierros, Natalia Molina, Angelica Palacios
Advisers: Stephen Green, Leigh Anne Treistman
The Frontier
Chisholm Trail High School
Fort Worth, Texas
Editor in chief: Sydney Hawkins
Adviser: Cortney Wood
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
Pantera
Mead High School
Spokane, Washington
Editors in chief: Charles Ring
Adviser: Makena Busch