NSPA honors top scholastic photojournalism

Photo of the Year

News Photo• Feature Photo
Sports Game/Action Photo • Sports Feature Photo
Environmental Portrait

Nov. 15, 2025

National Scholastic Press Association salutes the winners of its 2025 Photo of the Year competition.

NSPA’s Individual Awards are among the top prizes in scholastic media, and the awards are a showcase of journalistic excellence.

Winners were announced during the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Media Convention, on Nov. 15, in Nashville.

2025 Fall Convention Awards

Fall 2025 Pacemakers
Broadcast
Newspaper/Newsmagazine/ Specialty Magazine

2025 Individual Awards
Broadcast Story of the Year
Cartoon of the Year
Design of the Year
Digital Story of the Year
Photo of the Year
Story of the Year
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Fred Ross Systemic Change Student Journalism Competition
Local Climate Change Reporting
Portfolio of the Year
Best Use of Social Media

Nashville Best of Show
Individual Recognition
Staff Recognition

First Place
Jay Deegan
Central Times
Naperville Central High School
Naperville, Illinois
Harris Nomination Celebration

Second Place
Jakeman Strelitz
Featherduster
Westlake High School (TX)
Austin, Texas
Business Incubator

Third Place
Sofia Celio
The Shield
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
Voters Approve Austin ISD’s Prop A

Fourth Place
Kensie Pao
Verde
Palo Alto High School  Verde
Palo Alto, California
Raging Grannies

Fifth Place
Max Dearinger
The Rider Online
Legacy High School (Mansfield, TX)
Mansfield, Texas
Alumna Picked in WNBA Draft

Honorable Mention
Lily Chen
The Spoke
Conestoga High School
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Proposed Arena Faces Controversy

Kara Simpson
Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Memorial

Olin Nafziger
U-High Midway
University of Chicago Laboratory High School
Chicago, Illinois
DNC Celebrity Selfie

Ellis Calleri
U-Highlights
University of Chicago Laboratory High School
Chicago, Illinois
Super Splash

First Place
Macy Williams
Brickhouse
Shawnee Mission North High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Asher Walker Drumline

Second Place
Flynn Yoshinobu
Showcase
UPrep
Seattle, Washington
Believe It

Third Place
Colin Wehrle
West Side Story
Iowa City West High School
Iowa City, Iowa
Sky High in a Suit and Tie

Fourth Place
Caroline Kraft
Odyssey
Francis Howell Central High School
Cottleville, Missouri
Smile High

Fifth Place
Anders Benson
The Free Press
Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Chemical Spectrometry

Honorable Mention
Jennifer Pham
The Afterthought
Anderson High School
Austin, Texas
Eyes on the Prize

Stacey Vo
The Howl
Southwest Career and Technical Academy
Las Vegas, Nevada
LOL

Simon Vaang
U-High Midway
University of Chicago Laboratory High School
Chicago, Illinois
Chemical Concentration

Alexis Bailey
Tribal Tribune
Wando High School
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Unbelievable!

Laine Edwards
Legend
Wando High School
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Just One More Wave

First Place
Nathan Friedman
The Free Press
Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Mud Volleyball

Second Place
Jakeman Strelitz
El Paisano
Westlake High School (TX)
Austin, Texas
Spike

Third Place
Amelia Raziq
Central Focus
Francis Howell Central High School
Cottleville, Missouri
All She Does Is Win

Fourth Place
Cohen Peterson
The Afterthought
Anderson High School
Austin, Texas
Airball!

Fifth Place
Matteo Ventresca
The Panther Press
Strath Haven High School
Wallingford, Pennsylvania
Baseball Wins Fourth Straight Game

Honorable Mention
Jose Carlos Diaz
CCNN Live
Christopher Columbus High School
Miami, Florida
Soaring

Talbot Sentell
Tiger Cry
Dripping Springs High School
Dripping Springs, Texas
DZK Skatepark

Chloe Farson
Black & Gold
Rock Canyon High School
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Black & Gold Sports  

Andie Berg
Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Javelin Throw

Jakeman Strelitz
El Paisano
Westlake High School (TX)
Austin, Texas
Diving for the Ball

First Place
Lily Chen
The Spoke
Conestoga High School
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
Field Hockey Wins State Championship for First Time

Second Place
Zachary Ford
Kingwood Park Times
Kingwood Park High School
Kingwood , Texas
Postseason Party

Third Place
Riley Doherty
Reflections
Brighton High School
Brighton, Colorado
Santana

Fourth Place
Miles Beaty
The Free Press
Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Volleyball Victory

Fifth Place
Nathan Friedman
The Free Press
Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Cutting the Net

Honorable Mention
Tyler Shane
West Side Story
Iowa City West High School
Iowa City, Iowa
State Champion Celebration

Sapphira Valdez
The Talon
O.D. Tompkins High School
Katy, Texas
Coming in Hot!

Henry Benton
U-Highlights
University of Chicago Laboratory High School
Chicago, Illinois
Water Break

Jakeman Strelitz
Featherduster
Westlake High School (TX)
Austin, Texas
He scores

Jakeman Strelitz
El Paisano
Westlake High School (TX)
Austin, Texas
Caught Up in the Moment

First Place
Daniel Jacob
The Communicator
Community High School (MI)
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Coils of Strength

Second Place
Miles Beaty
The Free Press
Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Marching to the Beat

Third Place
Drake Dickey
Featherduster
Westlake High School (TX)
Austin, Texas
Luke Riezebeek

Fourth Place
Rhea Choudhary
The Sidekick
Coppell High School
Coppell, Texas
Lakeside Elementary Carnival Creating Educational Opportunities

Fifth Place
Kamryn Twitty
Odyssey
Francis Howell Central High School
Cottleville, Missouri
The Root of Things

Honorable Mention
Santi Bernal
The Comet
Austin High School
Austin, Texas
Imperfections

Vincent Hsiao
Panorama
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Triple Threat

Maya VanVleet
The Mix
Monarch High School
Louisville, Colorado
Torn Apart

Aradhya Bharti
Replay
Rouse High School
Leander, Texas
Revels in Kuchipudi

Delaney Connell
U-High Midway
University of Chicago Laboratory High School
Chicago, Illinois
Totally Hooked: Mia Lane