NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Pacemaker competition recognizes 19 yearbooks for journalistic excellence

April 18, 2026

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top scholastic yearbooks were recognized today by the National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 19 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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