NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Pacemaker competition recognizes nine literary arts magazines for publishing excellence

April 18, 2026

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

The literary arts magazine winners, plus the 2026 Innovation Pacemaker, 2026 Online Pacemaker and 2025 Yearbook Pacemaker winners, were announced during the closing awards ceremony of the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention, on April 18.

“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. 

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. 

“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.”

Award-winning literary arts magazine advisers from three states served on the judging team. Judges did not participate in the evaluation or discussion of magazines from their own schools.

2025 Spring convention awards

2026 Innovation Pacemaker
2025 Literary Arts Magazine Pacemaker
2026 Online Pacemaker
2025 Yearbook Pacemaker

Individual Best of Show
Staff Best of Show

Pacemaker finalists

2026 Innovation Pacemaker finalists
2025 Literary Arts Magazine Pacemaker finalists
2026 Online Pacemaker finalists
2025 Yearbook Pacemaker finalists

Labyrinth
Little Rock Central High School
Little Rock, Arkansas
Editor-in-chief: Robert Fullen
Adviser: Shawna Shannon

La Pluma
Monta Vista High School
Cupertino, California
Editors-in-chief: Ashley Kwong, Alyssa Yang
Adviser: Vennessa Nava

Reflections Literary & Arts Magazine
Gulliver Preparatory School
Miami, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Gina Copetti, Valentina Mouhaffel Mattey
Adviser: Monica Rodriguez

Literati
Our Lady of Lourdes Academy
Miami, Florida
Editor-in-chief: Mia Rodriguez
Adviser: Rebecca Retana

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

Iliad Literary-Art Magazine
Clarke Central High School
Athens, Georgia
Editor-in-chief: Olivia Hendershot
Adviser: David Ragsdale

Melodrama
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editor-in-chief: Arti Jain, Emily Liu
Advisers: Abby Eisenberg, Sarah Kirksey

Perspectives
Sacred Heart Greenwich
Greenwich, New York
Editors-in-chief: Ellie Dodman, Moira Marangi, Emily Shull
Advisers: Cristina Baptista, Danielle Gennaro, Marnie McLaughlin, Bill Mottolese

Roars & Whispers
Providence Senior High School
Charlotte, North Carolina
Editors-in-chief: Akshara Gudipati, Molly Young
Adviser: Pamela Mann