NSPA names ‘best of the best’

Pacemaker competition recognizes 18 literary arts magazines as Pacemaker finalists

March 12, 2026

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top scholastic literary arts magazines were recognized today by the National Scholastic Press Association, which announced 18 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 for the first time 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 and broadcast programs were added to the competition. 

“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.”

A team of judges studied every entry, discussing its strengths. The status of each entry was agreed upon by at least two of the three judges. When the process was completed, 18 finalists were named representing the top 35 percent of all entries. 

Literary arts magazines from 10 states earned Pacemaker-finalist status. Florida set the pace with six finalists, followed by Georgia, New York and Texas each with two.

To reflect trends in scholastic publishing, a specialty magazine category was added to the Pacemaker competition in 2018 to recognize niche magazines devoted to in-depth reporting on a single topic.

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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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

Graphite
Hagerty High School
Oviedo, Florida
Editor-in-chief: Josephine Lim
Adviser: Brit Taylor

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

Pawprints
H.B. Plant High School
Tampa, Florida
Editors-in-chief: Meghan Burstiner, Emmy Warren
Adviser: Christina Porcelli

Seeds in the Black Earth
Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts
West Palm Beach, Florida
Editor-in-chief: Tatum White
Adviser: Brittany Rigdon

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

Silent Voices
Woodward Academy
College Park, Georgia
Editor-in-chief: Kyla Granville
Adviser: Emily Heilker

Iris: Art + Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
St. Paul, Minnesota
Editor-in-chief: Roman Farley
Adviser: Kathryn Campbell

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

The Vision
Hackley School
Tarrytown, New York
Editor-in-chief: Francesca Jones
Adviser: Jessica Bottalico

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

Odyssey
James Bowie High School
Austin, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Manning Adkins, Isabella Anderson, Ryleigh Carrasco, Ryan Cruz, Atlas Garance, Hannah Salz
Advisers: Jacob Morgan, Lindsey Shirack

Mini-Marque
St. Mark’s School of Texas (Middle School)
Dallas, Texas
Editors-in-chief: Nathan Aurora, Alekh Desai
Adviser: Danielle Clayton

The Talon
Woodberry Forest School
Woodberry Forest, Virginia
Editors-in-chief: Gray Kallen, Brooks McCall
Advisers: John Amos, Charles Campbell Wright