NSPA names top newspapers, magazines

Pacemaker competition recognizes 19 winners

Nov. 9, 2024

PHILADELPHIA — Honoring the nation’s best, the National Scholastic Press Association has named 19 scholastic student newspapers, newsmagazines and specialty magazines published during the 2023-24 school year as winners in its prestigious Pacemaker competition.

NSPA Pacemaker winners were recognized Nov. 9, at the NSPA Awards Ceremony during the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Philadelphia.

“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 award has a rich tradition and the association started presenting the award to high school newspapers a few years after the organization was founded in 1921. Throughout the years, yearbooks, magazines, online sites and broadcast programs were added to the competition.

Earlier this fall 45 Pacemaker finalists, representing 15 states as well as the United Kingdom, were recognized. California set the pace with 13 finalists, followed by Texas with nine.

The high school newspapers/newsmagazines competed in two categories based on school enrollment — less than 1,800 students and 1,800 or more students. There are 34 high school newspaper/newsmagazine Pacemaker finalists.

Junior high/middle school newspapers/newsmagazines as well as specialty magazines competed in separate categories. There are three junior high/middle school Pacemaker finalists.

Specialty magazines provide in-depth, long-form stories focused on timely topics/issues relevant to a student audience. The content of a specialty magazine frequently focuses on a single topic/issue. A specialty magazine has its own identity and name and it is not a special edition of a newspaper/newsmagazine. Topical magazines such as sports, science, business or entertainment also compete in this category.

Gary Lundgren, associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competition, observed that specialty magazines are growing in popularity in high schools across the country.

“With most news being delivered online, student journalists have been redefining their print newspaper,” Lundgren said. “More and more that means transitioning from a traditional newspaper format to a specialty magazine with in-depth reporting.”

Insights and observations from the judges about the Pacemaker winning publications will be posted after the Pacemaker winners are announced along with the names and professional bios of the judges. 

“In addition to demonstrating excellence in key areas including coverage, writing, editing, design and photography, the winning newspapers/newspapers took risks and served as a strong voice for its student audience,” Lundgren said. 

2024 Fall Convention Awards

Fall 2024 Pacemakers
Broadcast
Newspaper/Newsmagazine/ Specialty Magazine

2024 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

Philadelphia Best of Show
Individual Recognition
Staff Recognition

Bear Witness
Branham High School
San Jose, California
Editor-in-chief: Jiyoon Choi
Advisers: Kirsten McKay, Yale Wyatt

Verde
Palo Alto High School
Palo Alto, California
Editors-in-chief: Felicia Buchholz, Austin Eng, Asha Kulkarni, Nadia Soberg, Anna Van Riesen
Adviser: Paul Kandell

The Accolade
Sunny Hills High School
Fullerton, California
Editor-in-chief: Jaimie Chun
Adviser: Tommy Li

The Nueva Current
The Nueva School
San Mateo, California
Editors-in-chief: Aaron Huang, Ellie Kearns, Isabella Xu
Adviser: LiAnn Yim

The Muse
A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
West Palm Beach, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Mariana Colom, Sofia Hennessey-Correa
Adviser: Carly Gates

Eagle Eye News
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Parkland, Florida
Editor-in-chief: Rayne Welser
Adviser: Melissa Falkowski

U-High Midway
University of Chicago Laboratory High School
Chicago, Ilinois
Editors-in-chief: Audrey Park, Katie Sasamoto-Kurisu, Sahana Unni
Adviser: Logan Aimone

The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
Editors-in-chief: Greyson Imm, Katie Murphy
Adviser: Dow Tate

North Star
Francis Howell North High School
Saint Charles, Missouri
Editors-in-chief: McKenna Hudson, Chase Pray
Advisers: Aaron Manfull, Jordyn Kiel

ID Magazine
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Editors-in-chief: Mac Huffman, Rory Lustberg, Annie Zhao
Advisers: Abigail Eisenberg, Sarah Kirksey

The Marquette Messenger
Marquette High School
Chesterfield, Missouri
Editor-in-chief: Annabelle Miller
Adviser: Emily Jorgensen

Spark
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio
Editors-in-chief: Ava Huening, Colin Kunz
Adviser: Dean Hume

Eagle Edition
Episcopal School of Dallas
Dallas, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Abby Baughman, Easterly Yeaman
Adviser: Ana Rosenthal

The Dispatch
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Kate Davis and Mazzy Warren
Adviser: Michael Reeves

The Shield
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Alice Scott, Lanie Sepehri, Ingrid Smith, Francie Wilhelm
Adviser: Dave Winter

ReMarker
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Editor-in-chief: Zack Goforth
Adviser: Jenny Dial Creech

The Scientific Marksman
St Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Alex Pan, Joseph Sun
Adviser: Daniel Lipin

The Review
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Ella Piper Claffy, Annie Jones
Advisers: Sam Abramson, David Nathan, Shelley Stein

The Scroll
The American School in London Middle School
London, England
Editor-in-chief: Staff
Adviser: Colin Bridgewater