NSPA announces junior high/middle school finalists

Approximately 60 finalists from nine contests in three categories are named; winners announced at the Orlando convention

Oct. 30, 2026

MINNEAPOLIS — The National Scholastic Press Association has named approximately 60 finalists in its Individual Awards for middle school and junior high journalists.

The winners will be announced at the NSPA Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Orlando.

The NSPA Individual Awards recognize the outstanding achievements of individual students and small teams of journalists. 

“Junior high and middle school journalists are doing some amazing work,” said NSPA associate director Gary Lundgren. “Many of the entries submitted would be competitive in the high school competition.”

The number of finalists named in each competition is based on the number and overall quality of the entries submitted. 

The competition features three categories with several contests —

DESIGN: Literary Arts Magazine, Newspaper/Newsmagazine, Yearbook

PHOTOJOURNALISM: Feature Photo, Sports Photo

REPORTING & WRITING: Broadcast, Multimedia, News, Feature

In categories with 10 finalists, five winners and five honorable mentions will be recognized in Orlando. Categories with five or fewer finalists don’t have honorable mentions.

The first-place winner in each contest receives a plaque. The other winners and honorable mentions receive certificates.

After the winners are announced on Nov. 21, a gallery of the winners and honorable mentions will be shared on this website allowing student journalists and advisers to see all of the entries recognized in the competition. Slide shows featuring the winners will also be available for classroom use later in the school year.

Congratulations to the finalists —

DESIGN
Literary Arts Magazine
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Yearbook

PHOTOJOURNALISM
Feature Photo
Sports Photo

REPORTING & WRITING
Broadcast Story
Multimedia Story
Feature Story
News Story

DESIGN: Literary Arts Magazine

listed in random order

Caroline Li, Lily Song, Xanakee Vang
Cooper Connection
Cooper Middle School, McLean, Virginia
Our Aquarelle Canvas

Mary Lanford Neely
Mindprints
Jackson Preparatory School, Flowood, Mississippi
What Is Love?

Sarah Kate Forbus
Mindprints
Jackson Preparatory School, Flowood, Mississippi
Summer

DESIGN: Newspaper/Newsmagazine

listed in random order

Ada Garberina
The Doc
The Masters School Middle School, Dobbs Ferry, New York
Leadership Groups Take Action

Amelia Kara, Elia Lavi
The Scroll
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Winter Wishlist Ideas

Marco Anderson, Asa Gettleman, Parker Rosenberg
The Scroll
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Eagles Flight For Top Two Fencing Spots

Medha Sangi
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
AAPS Educators Picket for Fair Contracts

Divya Kohi, Zoe Zaiger
The Doc
The Masters School Middle School, Dobbs Ferry, New York
Before They Took Attendance

DESIGN: Yearbook

listed in random order

Canon Spiking, Hensleigh Duell
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
All the Noise

Kamila Kuzel, Jessica Murray, Maren Parker, Jackson Sieckowski
Seppala
Northwood Middle School, Spokane, Washington
Can You Hear Us Now

Laney Lawrence, Will Wurster
The Ranch
McAnally Middle School, Aledo, Texas
Locked In

Marina Jin
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Buzzer Alert

Vivian Liu
Spotlight
The American School in London, London, England
Putting Fears Aside

PHOTOJOURNALISM: Feature Photo

listed in random order

Brynn Stewart
The Den
Bernardo Heights Middle School, San Diego, California
Father Knows Best

Canon Spiking
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Every Action In Mrs. Moeller’s Physical Science Class

Hailey Johnson
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Go Big Blue

Hallie Menard
The Ranch
McAnally Middle School, Aledo, Texas
Cool Shades

Lacy Smith
The Ranch
McAnally Middle School, Aledo, Texas
Turning Books Into Play

Maren Parker
Seppala
Northwood Middle School, Spokane, Washington
Running Down the Isle Giving High Fives

Mila Vorderwuelbecke
Spotlight
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Check It Out

Siddhi Vidwans
The Den
Bernardo Heights Middle School, San Diego, California
Broken Bridges

Thomas Badalamente
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Eight Grade Concert Band Plays Their Three-Movement Piece

Zayd Al-khafaji
The Crane
Cranbrook Kingswood Middle School for Boys, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Sasha Schunck Jumps Up to Catch the Volleyball

PHOTOJOURNALISM: Sports Photo

listed in random order

Allison Siew
The Den
Bernardo Heights Middle School, San Diego, California
Fearless Flags

Bradley Burke
The Ranch
McAnally Middle School, Aledo, Texas
Zachary Wade Makes the Catch

Canon Spiking
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Kenzie Luigs Jumps Into the Air

Cyrus Farzad
The Scroll
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Raylen Grove Smashes the Ball

Emma Shew
Seppala
Northwood Middle School, Spokane, Washington
Maren Parker Goes Up Against a Defender

Hallie Caudle
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Brodie Baker Catches a Pass

Jessica Murray
Seppala
Northwood Middle School, Spokane, Washington
Nolan Saad Runs a Kid Ove

Matthew Bezas
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Protecting the Ball, Eight Grader Kennedy Wright

Sam Julian
Spotlight
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Raylen Grove Puts Up a Layup

Samantha Scott
The Den
Bernardo Heights Middle School, San Diego, California
Making a Run For It

REPORTING & WRITING: Broadcast Story

listed in random order

Alexander Mackaay
Eagle News Network
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
School Should Start Later

Emory Lipford
Cub News Network
Franklin Community Middle School, Franklin, Indiana
Focus Changes for Next Year

Francis Badalamente
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Checking Out the Newest Chick-fil-A

Kyle Quincena, Emily Ramirez-Garcia, Jaxson Robledo
ALTV
Armand Larive Middle School, Hermiston, Oregon
Hermiston Humane Society – Part 1

Sai Carley
Eagle News Network
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Behind the Scenes of Organizing Winter Sprit Day

REPORTING & WRITING: Multimedia Story

listed in random order

Francis Badalamente
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Red Cup Rebellion

REPORTING & WRITING: Feature Story

listed in random order

Anika Nanda
The Scroll
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
School Fights Against Gender Disparity in STEM

Anna Spears
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Trace Whitelaw

Ary Rahnema
Spotlight
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Seize the Moment

James Hayden Reagor
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Breanna Duncan

Kate Rogers
The Ranch
McAnally Middle School, Aledo, Texas
Try and Catch Me

Lucy Dalton
The Raspberry Donut
Friends School of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland
Friends Alums 9/11 Ordeal Inspired Hit Musical

Mia Lopez-Geha, Irene McIsaac
Spotlight
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Train Harder Play Smarter

Nolan Little
The Crane
Cranbrook Middle School for Boys, Bloomfield Hills, Mighigan
Why Stuffed Animals Never Go Out of Style

Olivia Yim
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Featuring Caleb Samulak

Zoe Zaiger
The Doc
The Masters School Middle School, Dobbs Ferry, New York
Students Struggle With Mental Health

REPORTING & WRITING: News Story

listed in random order

Aeda Baang, Jessie Guo
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Clague Students Protest Against ICE

Canon Spiking
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Delay of Game

Cormac Davis
The Scroll
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Locker Rooms to be Renovated

Eli Goldfine
The Doc
The Masters School Middle School, Dobbs Ferry, New York
Superintelligence: The Future of Humanity

Elizabeth Pfeifer
Mule Time Media
Alamo Heights Junior School, San Antonio, Texas
Impact of Alamo Heights Junior School Service Clubs

Hannah Hale
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Stampede of the Season

Medha Sangi
The Cougar Star
Clague Middle School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Picket for fair contract

Tavie Son
Time Media
Alamo Heights Junior School, San Antonio, Texas
Bold Changes Coming

Wolfi Lukesch, Tom Smith
The Scroll
The American School in London Middle School, London, England
Scroll Conducts Extensive Independent Tests of Water Quality

Zayd Al-Khafaji
The Crane
Cranbrook Middle School for Boys, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Anversa Shines on Carnegie Hall Stage