NSPA Live! Best of Show
Enter Best of Show — and join us for the April 17 announcement of Pacemaker Awards and Best of Show
$20 NSPA members | $30 non-members
Entries must be submitted online before 5 p.m. CDT Tuesday, April 7.
Open to both NSPA members and non-members, the Best of Show competition has a rich tradition of honoring outstanding student media represented at the National High School Journalism Convention.
This year, because the traditional convention has been canceled, the NSPA Best of Show competition will be offered virtually and open to all NSPA members regardless of whether they were planning to attend the Nashville convention.
Best of Show is a competition in which entries compete against each other and are ranked with the first-place winner in each category taking home the top honor. Critiques and score sheets are not provided in this contest. Best of Show should not be confused with NSPA’s prestigious Pacemaker Awards competition, which is the organization’s highest honor for student media.
Best of Show winners, as well as Pacemaker winners in yearbook, magazine and online, will be announced during NSPA Live! from Minneapolis, an open video presentation at noon CDT, Friday, April 17, 2020. Pacemaker finalists in those categories will also be recognized during the presentation. NSPA reserves the right to share winning entries publicly.
NSPA-member advisers will be receiving emails about payment for Best of Show entries. Many members have already paid. NSPA understands that school closures mean that finances and contest payments will be unpredictable. Schools will receive their awards even if payment is pending. We simply ask that you request payment when you and your school district are able.
Pay for Best of Show here,
and submit individual entries through the category links below.
Direct any questions about Best of Show payments to NSPA’s Ashley Tilley, ashley@studentpress.org.
Direct any questions about the Best of Show competition to NSPA’s Gary Lundgren, gary@studentpress.org.
To support the student journalists through a sponsorship for NSPA Live!, contact NSPA’s Ashley Tilley, ashley@studentpress.org.
Get more information on sponsorships here.
NSPA Live! Best of Show categories
NEW / COVID-19 coverage
The extraordinary effect of COVID-19 is arguably the most important story covered by the scholastic and professional press in a century. The student press has a distinct perspective and role in covering the broad effects upon school communities while confronting the challenge of school closures and remote interviewing.
Judges will be looking for reporting that focuses on your school audience.
Please do not put yourself or others in jeopardy of being infected with COVID-19 through your reporting. Images must be properly sourced and credited, and possible copyright violations will be disqualified.
COVID-19 coverage may be entered in the following categories with each scholastic media outlet entering one submission in one of these categories:
Broadcast: News or feature package
Online: News or feature package
Print: News or feature package
Yearbook: Spread
Broadcast news program
Entries will consist of a single broadcast news program aired between Aug, 1, 2019, and the contest deadline. Entries must be submitted via a direct URL (i.e., a YouTube or Vimeo link). The news program must be housed on a site or channel owned by a school student media outlet and not a personal site or channel.
Literary arts magazine
The most current issue of the school’s literary arts magazine should be entered. Magazine staffs may upload a complete PDF or provide an Issuu link. If your staff entered the 2019 literary magazine Pacemaker competition, it is highly likely that NSPA still has an office copy, and it can be used for Best of Show competition if this is your most current issue.
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Schools may enter one regular edition of their newspaper/newsmagazine in the regular category and one issue in the special edition newspaper/newsmagazine category. No edition may be entered in more than one category.
Because of the extraordinary ramifications of COVID-19, a print newspaper or newsmagazine published digitally and not printed can be entered if it is shared with judges in the exact format shared with your school community (PDF posted on website or shared on Issuu).
Regular editions of newspaper/newsmagazines, published between Aug, 1, 2019, and the contest deadline, compete in one of these five categories:
Broadsheet
Tabloid (16 or fewer pages)
Tabloid (17 or more pages)
Newsmagazine
Junior high/middle school
SUBMIT REGULAR EDITION NEWSPAPER/NEWSMAGAZINE
Special-edition newspaper/newsmagazine
A special-edition newspaper/newsmagazine provides readers with an in-depth look into a relevant, timely and often complex topic. The best entries focus on contemporary teen and school issues covered from a variety of angles. A special edition is a showcase for robust reporting and homecoming, graduation and senior editions do not qualify. A centerspread does not qualify as a special edition. A special-edition devoted entirely to COVID-19 coverage would be entered in this category. A print special-edition newspaper/newsmagazine published digitally and not printed because of COVID-19 can be entered if it is shared with judges in the exact format shared with your school community (PDF posted on website or shared on Issuu). Special editions of newspaper/newsmagazines must be published between Aug, 1, 2019, and the contest deadline.
SUBMIT SPECIAL-EDITION NEWSPAPER/NEWSMAGAZINE
Website
Actively updated throughout the current school year, a website competes with entries from schools with similar enrollments:
Small high school website (enrollment of less than 1,500)
Large high school website (enrollment of 1,500 or more)
Junior high/middle school (all enrollments)
Blog
A blog must reflect journalistic standards in topics, coverage and writing, and it should be a component of the journalism program’s online website. While the blog is likely a regular feature, a single blog entry should be submitted. This competition is for text blogs not video blogs. The blog must be published between Aug, 1, 2019, and the contest deadline.
Podcast
A podcast delivers relevant content through engaging audio storytelling and should be a component of the journalism program’s online website. While the podcast is likely a regular feature, you may submit only a single podcast entry. This competition is for audio podcasts not video podcasts. The podcast must be published between Aug, 1, 2019, and the contest deadline.
Yearbook
High school yearbooks will be divided into four equal-sized categories based on the number of pages. Junior-high/middle-school yearbooks will compete in a separate category.
The 2019 yearbook should be entered.
If your staff entered the 2019 yearbook Pacemaker competition, it is highly likely that NSPA still has an office copy, and it can be used for Best of Show competition. Refer to the list below.
A PDF file may also be submitted, but file size cannot exceed 200000000 bytes.
For safety reasons, NSPA asks that you do not visit a postal or shipping center to send yearbooks.
NSPA has yearbooks in our office for the following schools that registered for Best of Show while registering for the Nashville convention. To inquire if NSPA has a copy of your yearbook, email Gary Lundgren, gary@studentpress.org.as of
| as of April 1 | |
| Aberdeen High School | The Quinault |
| Adlai E. Stevenson High School | Ambassador |
| Airline High School | Valhalla |
| Aledo High School | Ledoian |
| Aledo High School | Ledoian |
| Alexander W Dreyfoos School of the Arts | The Marquee |
| Alta Loma High School | Sisunga |
| Altavista Combined School | Nuntius |
| Amador Valley High School | Dondays |
| Americas High School | Journey |
| Andress High School | Talon |
| Andrew Carnegie Middle School | Highlander |
| Antelope High School | Titanium |
| Arlington High School | The Stillaguamish Trail |
| Arvada High School | Arvadan |
| Athens Drive Magnet High School | The Torch |
| Austin High School | Round Up |
| Austin High School | The Comet |
| Ballard High School | Shingle |
| Bartlett High School | The Talon |
| Basic Academy | El Lobo |
| Bel Air High School | Highlander |
| Bellaire HIgh School | Carillon |
| Bellarmine College Preparatory | The Carillon |
| Bernal Intermediate School | The Stampede |
| Beverly Hills High School | Watchtower |
| Big Rapids High School | The Rapidonian |
| Bishop Montgomery High School | Excalibur |
| Bishop Moore Catholic High School | Moore Memories |
| Blue Valley High School | Reflections |
| Blue Valley North High School | Northern Light |
| Blue Valley Northwest High School | Horizon |
| Blue Valley Southwest High School | The Vision |
| Bob Jones High School | The Patriot |
| Boise High School | The Courier |
| Braden River High School | The Cannon |
| Branham High School | Ursa Major |
| Bridgeland High School | Kodiak |
| Brighton High School | Reflections |
| Broken Arrow High School | Arrow Life |
| Brookfield Central High School | Legend |
| Brookville High School | Buzzer |
| Brookville Middle School | Stinger |
| Brunswick High School | The Trident |
| Bryant High School | Hornet |
| Burges High School | Hoofbeats |
| Burlingame High School | Panthertracks |
| Byron P. Steele, II High School | Knight’s Tale |
| Cactus Canyon Junior High School | Oro |
| Cactus Shadows High School | The Shadow |
| California School of the Arts | Stargazer |
| Calvary Day School | Beacon |
| Cambridge Christian School | The Sceptre |
| Canyon Vista Middle School | Roundup |
| Cape Fear Academy | Shoreline |
| Carlsbad High School | Purple Shield |
| Carroll Senior High School | The Dragon |
| Casa Roble High School | Rampages |
| Casady School | Twister |
| Castle Rock Middle School | The Crusader |
| Castle View High School | Vieo |
| Cedar Park High School | Tracks |
| Chantilly High School | Odyssey |
| Chaparral High School | Golden Images |
| Charles M. Russell High School | The Russellog |
| Charles W. Flanagan High School | Talon |
| Chase County Jr.-Sr. High School | The Chase |
| Cheney High School | Transposed |
| Cherokee Trail High School | The Legend |
| Chisholm Trail High School | The Frontier |
| Christ Presbyterian Academy | Lion’s Roar |
| Cimarron Middle School | Our Tale |
| Cinco Ranch High School | Panorama |
| Classical Academy High School | The Chronicle |
| Clayton High School | Clamo |
| Cleveland STEM High School | Aquila |
| Colonial Forge High School | Apollo |
| Columbia High School | Columbian |
| Columbus North High School | Log |
| Conifer High School | Canis lupus |
| Coppell High School | Round-Up |
| Coral Academy of Science Middle School | Falcon’s Yearbook |
| Corning-Painted Post High School | Tesserae |
| Corona del Sol High School | Sunset |
| Coronado Middle School | Surfer |
| Cottage Grove High School | Lion Tracks |
| Crescenta Valley High School | Talon |
| Crossings Christian School | The Squire |
| Crown Point High School | Excalibur |
| Cupertino High School | The Nugget |
| Daniel Pearl Magnet High School | Prestige |
| Darlington School | Jabberwokk |
| Davie County High School | Clarion |
| Del Campo High School | Decamhian |
| Del Norte High School | Traditions |
| Derby North Middle School | The Falcon |
| Desert Ridge Junior High School | La Cresta |
| Design Tech High School | The Flame |
| Dominion High School | Odyssey |
| Drake Middle School | The Lair |
| duPont Manual High School | The Crimson |
| Eagle Rock Middle School | What’s Your Beat |
| Eastern Lebanon County High School | Sigma |
| Eastview High School | Lightyear |
| Edina High School | Whigrean |
| Eisenhower High School | Espirit De Corps |
| El Camino Real Charter School | El Corazon |
| El Dorado High School | The Legend |
| El Paso High School | The Spur |
| El Roble Intermediate School | Yearbook |
| Elk Grove High School | Montage |
| Excelsior Middle School | The Falcon |
| Felix Varela Senior High School | Crotalus |
| Fenton High School | Fentonian |
| Florida Christian School | Patriot |
| Fond du Lac High School | The Cardinal |
| Fort Zumwalt West High School | The Predator |
| Francis Howell High School | Howelltonian |
| Francis Howell North High School | Excalibur Yearbook |
| Francis Scott Key High School | The Eagle |
| Fred T. Foard High School | Quatralog |
| Freedom High School | Aquila |
| Gardner Edgerton High School | The Trailblazer |
| Geneva School of Boerne | The Boardwalk |
| George C. Marshall High School | Columbian |
| Gilroy High School | Las Animas |
| Glacier Peak High School | The Edge |
| Glenbrook South High School | Etruscan |
| Glencoe High School | G-Pause |
| Goddard Middle School | The Year We Saw |
| Grain Valley High School | Heart of the Valley |
| Grand Blanc High School | Echo |
| Greece Athena High School | Ekklesia |
| Green Valley High School | Legacy |
| Greenfield Junior High School | Ingenium |
| Greenhill School | Cavalcade |
| Greenspun Junior High School | Greenspun Nai’a |
| Greenwood Community High School | The Woodman |
| Gresham High School | Munhinotu |
| Groton-Dunstable Regional High School | The Key |
| Gulliver Academy Middle School | Raider |
| Gulliver Preparatory School | Raider |
| Gyeonggi Suwon Interntional School | The Knights |
| H.B. Plant High School | Panther |
| Hagerty High School | Fusion |
| Haltom High School | Buffalo |
| Har-Ber High School | The Wildcat |
| Harding Academy | The Wildcat |
| Harrisonburg High School | Taj |
| Hatboro-Horsham High School | Hi-Hatter |
| Hays High School | Indian Call |
| Hendrickson High School | The Talon |
| Heritage High School | The Tribute |
| Hidden Valley High School | Theogony |
| Highland High School | Talon |
| Highland Park High School | The Highlander |
| Hill Country Christian School | The Bard |
| Hillsborough High School | Hilsborean |
| Hinsdale Central High School | El Diablo |
| Hinsdale South High School | Vespa |
| Holland Hall School | Eight Acres |
| Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School | Ursidae |
| Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy | Tigrium |
| Homestead High School | Pegasus |
| Horizon High School | Heritage |
| Humboldt High School | The Cub |
| Huntington Middle School | El Cazador |
| Huron High School | The Enthymion |
| Independence High School | The Reign |
| Indian Trail High School & Academy | The Blaze |
| Inglemoor High School | Scandia |
| J.W. Mitchell High School | The Stampede |
| Jackson Preparatory School | Precis |
| James Bowie High School | Lone Star |
| James Enochs High School | Wingspan |
| James Madison High School | Montpelier |
| Jefferson City High School | Marcullus |
| Joe E. Newsome High School | Legend |
| John & Randolph Foster High School | Talon, Talon |
| John Champe High School | The Quest |
| John Paul Stevens High School | Tradition |
| Johnston High School | The Dragon |
| Judson High School | The Rocket |
| Junction City High School | Felis Tigris |
| Jupiter Community High School | Chieftain |
| Kealing Middle School | The Vespa |
| Kearney High School | The Clipper |
| Kingwood Park High School | The Pride |
| Kirkwood High School | Pioneer |
| Kiski Area High School | Campus |
| Klein High School | Bearkat |
| Klein Oak High School | The Oak |
| Lafayette High School | Legend |
| Lake Brantley High School | Patriots’ Pride |
| Lake Central High School | Quiver |
| Lake Orion High School | Dragon |
| Lake Oswego High School | laker log |
| Lake Ridge High School | Fidelity |
| Lakeshore High School | Driftwood |
| LAMP High School | The Torch |
| Las Flores Middle School | Life & Style |
| Lawrence High School | Red & Black |
| Leander High School | The Lair |
| Lee County High School | Trojan |
| Lee-Davis High School | The Confederate |
| Legacy High School | Longhorns |
| Legacy High School | The Arena |
| Legend High School | Epic |
| Lenoir City High School | L’Cean |
| Lewisville High School | The Farmer |
| Liberal Arts and Science Academy | Stetson |
| Liberty Christian Academy | Retrospect |
| Liberty High School | The Spectator |
| Liberty North High School | The Ayrie |
| Lindbergh High School | Spirit |
| Little Rock Central High School | The Pix |
| Longmont High School | Priam |
| Loudoun Valley High School | Saga |
| Lovejoy High School | The Leopard |
| Loveland High School | Lohian |
| Lyons Township High School | Tabulae |
| Madison High School | Alembic |
| Maine South High School | The Eyrie |
| Mansfield High School | The Tiger |
| Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School | Aerie |
| Marlborough School | The Sundial |
| Marquette High School | Medallion |
| Mary Institute/St Louis Country Day School | Phoenix |
| Mater Dei High School | Crown |
| Mauldin High School | Reflections |
| McCallum High School | The Knight |
| McGill-Toolen Catholic High School | Vespidae |
| McKinney High School | The Lion |
| McLean High School | Caledonia |
| McNeil High School | Maverick |
| Mead High School | Pantera |
| Memorial High School | Reata |
| Meridian High School | Meridian Moments |
| Mesquite High School | Roots |
| Miami Palmetto Senior High School | The Palm Echo |
| Midlothian High School | Trojan |
| Mill Creek High School | Accipiter |
| Millard West High School | The Prowler |
| Minnetonka High School | Voyageur |
| Monarch High School | Mosaic |
| Mooresville High School | The Pitchfork |
| Mountain View High School | La Vista |
| Mountain View High School | The View |
| Munster High School | Paragon |
| Naperville North High School | Reflections |
| New Boston High School | The Lion’s Den |
| New Smyrna Beach Middle School | Stingray Tales |
| Nixa High School | Eagle |
| North Cobb High School | Panorama |
| North Cross School | The Compass |
| North Salinas High School | Valhalla |
| Northeastern High School | Daedalus |
| Northville High School | Palladium |
| NorthWood High School | Logue |
| Notre Dame de Sion High School | Le Flambeau |
| Oaks Christian High School | The Pride |
| Oakville High School | Tiger Paw |
| Olathe West High School | Parliament |
| Olentangy Orange High School | The Bronze Bayonet |
| Omaha Bryan High School | Crusader |
| One School of the Arts | The Lion’s Pride |
| Orinda Intermediate School | OIS Scenario |
| Oswego East High School | Wolf’s Eye |
| Overland High School | Trail |
| Oxford High School | The Flashback |
| Oxnard High School | Cardinal and Gold |
| Palm Harbor University High School | Aftermath |
| Palos Verdes High School | Triton |
| Palos Verdes Peninsula High School | La Pantera |
| Parkway West High School | Pawesehi |
| Paso Del Norte School | The Highlighter |
| Patrick Henry High School | The Voice |
| Piedmont High School | Organized Chaos |
| Pine Crest School | The Crestian |
| Pine Forest High School | Pifonoca |
| Pioneer High School | Equus |
| Pioneer Middle School | Prowler |
| Piper High School | The Pirate |
| Pittsford Mendon High School | Heimskringla |
| Plano East Senior High School | Panther Pride |
| Platte County High School | The Pirateer |
| Pleasant Grove High School | The Hawk |
| Portola High School | Pride |
| Potomac Falls High School | The Legacy |
| Pottsville Area High School | Hi-S-Potts |
| Poway High School | Odyssey |
| Powell Middle School | The Prowl |
| Prince George High School | Peerage |
| Prospect High School | Crest |
| Punahou School | Oahuan |
| Putnam County High School | Aerie |
| Ramay Junior High School | The Indian |
| Raymore Peculiar South Middle School | The Pack |
| Red Bluff High School | Dictum Est |
| Redondo Union High School | Pilot |
| Redwood High School | The Log |
| Reno High School | ReWaNe |
| Rick Reedy High School | The Roar |
| Ridgeview Middle School | Panther |
| Rigby High School | Illiad |
| River Hill High School | Talon |
| Riverside High School | Sakamow |
| Robinson Middle School | Sentry |
| Robinson Secondary School | Above & Beyond |
| Rock Bridge Senior High School | Flashback |
| Rock Canyon High School | Black & Gold |
| Rock Port R-II High School | The Blue Jay |
| Rock Ridge High School | Genesis |
| Rocklin High School | Tonitrus |
| Rockwood Summit High School | Pinnacle |
| Rogers High School | Mountaineer |
| Rolling Hills Prep School | The Husky: Momentum |
| Round Rock High School | Dragon |
| Ruben Dario Middle School | Concolor |
| Rye High School | Stagecoach |
| Saigon South International School | Rong Phu’ong Nam |
| Salem High School | Laconian |
| Santiago High School | El Tiburon |
| Saugus High School | Sword & Shield |
| Seaholm High School | Piper |
| Seckman High School | The Legacy |
| Second Baptist School | Aquila Yearbook |
| Seminole High School | Salmagundi |
| Seminole Ridge High School | Talon |
| Seoul International School | Tiger’s Eye |
| Seton Catholic Preparatory | The Sentinel |
| Seven Lakes High School | The Odyssey |
| Shawnee Mission East High School | Hauberk |
| Shawnee Mission North High School | Indian |
| Shawnee Mission Northwest High School | The Lair |
| Shawnee Mission South High School | Heritage |
| Shawnee Mission West High School | Saga |
| Sherwood High School | The Quiver |
| Sierra Middle School | Eagle Eye View |
| Smithson Valley High School | The Ranger |
| Smithville High School | The Warrior |
| Smoky Hill High School | Summit |
| Somers High School | The Spartan |
| Souderton Area High School | Unaliyi |
| South Lakes High School | Freebird |
| Spectrum High School | The Accolade |
| St. Ann Catholic School | The Hoofbeat |
| St. Lucy’s Priory High School | Adventure Book |
| St. Mark’s School of Texas | Marksmen |
| St. Paul VI High School | Imprints |
| St. Teresa’s Academy | The Teresian |
| St. Thomas’ Episcopal School | The Belltower |
| Stafford High School | Indian Legend |
| Staley High School | Legacy |
| Steinbrenner High School | The Odyssey |
| Stephen F. Austin High School | The Comet |
| Stewarts Creek High School | The Talon |
| Stigler High School | Panthera Pardus |
| Stockbridge High School | The Panther |
| Stoney Creek High School | Cougar Tales |
| Strake Jesuit College Preparatory | The Crusader |
| Stratford High School | Mnemosyne |
| Suffolk Christian Academy | Shield |
| Suncoast High School | Renaissance |
| Sunny Hills High School | Helios |
| Syracuse Junior Senior High School | The Syracusan |
| T. R. Robinson High School | Excalibur |
| Tallulah Falls School | Legend |
| Temple City High School | Templar |
| Texas High School | Tiger |
| The Archer School for Girls | Hestia’s Flame |
| The Benjamin Middle School | Azimuth |
| The Bronx High School of Science | The Observatory |
| The Episcopal School of Dallas | Carillon |
| The Hockaday School | Cornerstones |
| The John Cooper School | Paragon |
| The Village School | The Viking |
| The Westminster Schools | Lynx |
| The Woodlands High School | The Claymore |
| Thomas Jefferson High School/Science/Tech | Techniques |
| Tigard High School | The Tiger |
| Timberview Middle School | The View |
| Tompkins High School | The Talon |
| Triad High School | Knightline |
| Trinity Christian School | Saltshaker |
| Trinity High School | Triune |
| Trinity Preparatory School | Chi Rho |
| Troy High School | Gladiator |
| Turner Ashby High School | Crag |
| Unalaska City High School | Islander Yearbook |
| University City High School | Excelsus |
| University High School | Odyssey |
| University of Chicago Laboratory High School | U-Highlights |
| University Preparatory School | The Prowler |
| Utica High School | Warrior |
| Valhalla High School | Ragnarˆk |
| Vista Ridge High School | The Lonestar |
| W. R. Thomas Middle School | Tiger’s Roar |
| Walnut High School | Cayuse |
| Wando High School | Legend |
| Ward Melville High School | Invictus |
| West Covina High School | The Quest |
| West Forsyth High School | Zephyr |
| West Henderson High School | Westwind |
| West High School | Chieftain |
| West Linn High School | Green & Gold |
| West Wilkes High School | The Hawkeye |
| Western High School | Calibre |
| Westfield Middle School | The Scrapbook |
| Westwood High School | The Heritage |
| Whitney High School | Details |
| William R. Boone High School | Legend |
| Willow Springs Middle School | The Rosette |
| Winnetonka High School | Odyssey |
| Woodcreek High School | Lykos |
| Woodland Junior High School | The Round-Up |
| Woodward Academy | Phoenix |
| Wylie East High School | The Dynasty |
| Yukon High School | The Miller |
| Zionsville Community High School | Aerie |