NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Pacemaker competition recognizes 58 yearbook finalists for journalistic excellence

Dec. 18, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top scholastic yearbooks were recognized today by the National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 58 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 Pacemakers announced during the awards ceremony on Saturday, April 18, at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention in Minneapolis. 

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,” 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 — 108-239 pages, 240-291 pages, 292-339 pages and 340-576 pages. Junior high/middle school yearbooks of all page counts complete in a category.

When the process was completed, 58 finalists were named representing the top 17 percent of all entries. In April, 18 yearbooks will earn Pacemaker awards — representing the top five percent.

Of the 58 finalists, eight are from junior/high and middle schools with 50 from high schools.

Yearbooks from 16 states earned Pacemaker-finalist status. Texas set the pace with 11 finalists, followed by Florida with 10, Missouri with seven and Arizona and California each with five.

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 Minneapolis. Judges will share what sets apart the Pacemaker finalists and showcase the yearbooks.

Please join us at the JEA/NSPA Spring National High School Journalism Convention April 16-18, 2026, in Minneapolis.

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.

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Ingenium
Greenfield Junior High School
Gilbert, Arizona
Editors in chief: Tayler Hagen, Morgan Lake, Brooke Murphy
Adviser: Jennifer Ann Parsons

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

La Vista
Mountain View High School
Mesa, Arizona
Editors in chief: Hayden Bishop, Mia Sweador
Adviser: Landon Wrather

The River
Akimel A-AL Middle School
Phoenix, Arizona
Editors in chief: Kaila Kasa, Marley Rooks
Adviser: Nikki Monaco

Sunset
Corona del Sol High School
Tempe, Arizona
Editors in chief: Hannah Garcia, Sophia Medina
Adviser: Kathy Nicolson

Hornet
Bryant High School
Bryant, Arkansas
Editors in chief: Kaylee Anderson, Hannah Heston, Siya Rohant, Caroline Sanders
Advisers: Colton Croy, Justin Turner

The Round Up
Woodland Junior High School
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Editor in chief: Parker Sisney
Adviser: Andrew Young

Cardinal & Gold
Oxnard High School
Oxnard, California
Editors in chief: Kenneth Lee, Natalie Munguia-Hernandez, Jayleana Ramirez
Adviser: Kristina Roberts

Details
Whitney High School
Rocklin, California
Editors in chief: Emerson Kibby, Desiree Montejano, Isabella Tomasini
Adviser: Sarah Nichols

The Den
Bernardo Heights Middle School
San Diego, California
Editors in chief: Staff
Adviser: Angel Chapman

Dreamscape
Orange County School of the Arts
Santa Ana, California
Editors in chief: Sophia Chau, Hailey Cho, Caroline Kim, Jeongwon Elaine Lim, Sophie Liu, Hailey Perng, Jesper Seet, Ashley Shin, Emily Wen
Adviser: Courtney Harper

Cayuse
Walnut High School
Walnut, California
Editors in chief: Weier Bao, Raelynn Chaturabul, Henri Chau, Auristela Chen, Angelina Loh, Xiomara Lopez, Lindsey Okuno, Ryan Tsai
Adviser: So Hee Tan

Summit
Smoky Hill High School
Aurora, Colorado
Editors in chief: Madisyn Lynninger, Rebeca Spencer
Adviser: Carrie Faust

The Raider
Gulliver Preparatory Middle School
Coral Gables, Florida
Editor in chief: Sofia Caprio
Adviser: Catie Schwartzman

Chieftain
Jupiter Community High School
Jupiter, Florida
Editors in chief: Renata De Los Heros Colmenares, Scout Edwards, Bella Venanzi
Adviser: Ericka Muncy

Stepping Stone
Melbourne High School
Melbourne, Florida
Editors in chief: Riley Blum, Sarah Cameruci
Adviser: Jamie Reynolds

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

Interlachen
Montverde Academy
Montverde, Florida
Editor in chief: Lyder Reksten
Adviser: Savannah Miller

Crusader
River Ridge Middle School
New Port Richey, Florida
Editors in chief: Lia Alston, Kendall Butler, Julie Deg, Kylie Rickert
Adviser: Chrissy Baumaister

Fusion
Hagerty High School
Oviedo, Florida
Editors in chief: Lacee Ginga, Francesca Salas
Adviser: Brit Taylor

The Edge
West Broward High School
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Editors in chief: Thea Larragoite, Erica Zuber
Adviser: Brooke Acosta

Panther
H.B. Plant High School
Tampa, Florida
Editors in chief: Riley Nichols, Maria Palios
Adviser: Christina Porcelli

The Stampede
J.W. Mitchell High School
Trinity, Florida
Editors in chief: Jayna Jacklin, Mackenzie Rendall
Adviser: Susan McNulty

Silvertip
Rocky Mountain High School
Meridian, Idaho
Editors in chief: Cayden Fite, Logan Sailors
Adviser: Marie McCulloch

The Beacon
Bettendorf High School
Bettendorf, Iowa
Editor in chief: Bella Howard
Adviser: John Staber

Talon
Lawrence Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Editor in chief: Richard Li
Adviser: Jared Shuff

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

Heritage
Shawnee Mission South High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Editors in chief: Leila Henderson, Molly McCracken, Delani Young
Adviser: Tucker Love

Hauberk
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
Editors in chief: Samantha Atkins, Francie Garrison, Camilla Simmons
Adviser: Dow Tate

SHIP
Presque Isle High School
Presque Isle, Maine
Editors in chief: Neja Jayasundara, Madelyn Waugh, Marion Young
Adviser: Marcie Young

Pawesehi
Parkway West High School
Ballwin, Missouri
Editors in chief: Maddy Bach, Claire Francis, Danica Gatchel, Ava Griswold, Gabbie Kerber
Adviser: Lindsey Katz

Talon
Liberty High School
Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
Editor in chief: Lilly Brown
Adviser: Jonathan Hall

The Spectator
Liberty High School
Liberty, Missouri
Editor in chief: Emersyn Holthouse
Adviser: Jamie Munoz

Ayrie
Liberty North High School
Liberty, Missouri
Editors in chief: Lydia Klish, Sydney Rickels
Adviser: Ronna Sparks-Woodward

Predator
Fort Zumwalt West High School
O’Fallon, Missouri
Editors in chief: Addision Baldwin, Allison Bray, Claire Niemeyer
Adviser: Loran Marquez

Rambler
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editor in chief: Mariana Copeland
Adviser: Sarah Kirksey

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

Tesserae
Corning-Painted Post High School
Corning, New York
Editors in chief: Abrielle Drehmer, Leila Ianovici, Nate McIntosh
Advisers: Katie Paulsion-Harris, Mike Simons

Lions Tracks
Cottage Grove High School
Cottage Grove, Oregon
Editors in chief: Jayda Bruner, Travis Vaughn, Sienna Wagner
Adviser: Jayden Tucker

felis Tigris
Junction City High School
Junction City, Oregon
Editors in chief: Staff
Adviser: Alyssa Terrien

Juniper
Redmond High School
Redmond, Oregon
Editors in chief: Amelia Eldridge, Apollo Bezdek
Adviser: Hannah Rogers

Green & Gold
West Linn High School
West Linn, Oregon
Editors in chief: Iris Hochstettler, Audrey Krake, Elise Meikle
Adviser: Glenn Krake

Lion’s Roar
Christ Presbyterian Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
Editors in chief: Lainey Green, Ana Ruth Mikos
Adviser: Heather Nagel

Lone Star
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas
Editors in chief: Ryleigh Carrasco, Ryan Cruz, Hannah Salz
Adviser: Lindsey Shirack

The Creek
Caney Creek High School
Conroe, Texas
Editors in chief: Logan Day, Ashley Arce Lopez, Jaquelyn Palacios, Ash Rezzoffi
Advisers: Stephen Green, Leigh Anne Treistman

Round-up
Coppell High School
Coppell, Texas
Editor in chief: Raashi Kalyani
Adviser: Katrina Hester

The Legend
El Dorado High School
El Paso, Texas
Editor in chief: Mia Jade Colmenero
Adviser: Vanessa Martinez

Replay
Rouse High School
Leander, Texas
Editors in chief: Zoe Clark, Zeke Osborn, Faye Zayed
Adviser: Shelby Nickells

The Arena
Legacy High School
Mansfield, Texas
Editors in chief: Elijah Gross, Jade Vu
Advisers: Rachel Dearinger, Leland Mallett

The Lion
McKinney High School
McKinney, Texas
Editor in chief: Dulce Nuñez
Adviser: Yary Lira

Talon
Hendrickson High School
Pflugerville, Texas
Editors in chief: Millie Chase, Ryleigh Mackey, Brynn Schomaker
Adviser: Kari Riemer

The Shield
Kelly Lane Middle School
Pflugerville, Texas
Editors in chief: Taylor Daniels, Vida Filoteo, Lauren Lekoue
Adviser: Garfield Harrison

Dragon
Round Rock High School
Round Rock, Texas
Editors in chief: David Moran, Daniel Thai
Adviser: Sharon Kubicek

The Hawk
Pleasant Grove High School
Texarkana, Texas
Editors in chief: Miley Blain, Reese Gibbs, Ellis Miller, Julianne Naples
Adviser: Charla Harris

Genesis
Rock Ridge High School
Ashburn, Virginia
Editors in chief: Giada Bazzano, Kaitlyn Gutshall, Rania Lahbibi, Emilia Scovel, Alana Vernon
Adviser: Michelle Prince

Crag
Turner Ashby High School
Bridgewater, Virginia
Editors in chief: Lena Lantz-Trissel, Maggie Olah
Adviser: Leslie Stevens

Legacy
Potomac Falls High School
Sterling, Virginia
Editors in chief: Cameron Freck, Brynn Hunter, Angelina McMahan, Claire McMahan, Tiba Sabah, Mia Simpson, Romina Verastegui
Adviser: Emily Everett

Pantera
Mead High School
Spokane, Washington
Editor in chief: Jaeland Leman
Adviser: Makena Busch