Spring 2024 Best of Show
National Scholastic Press Association’s Best of Show awards were presented at the Spring National High School Journalism Convention awards ceremony, April 6, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri.
More than 2,500 high school journalists and advisers attended the convention, with National Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Education Association as hosts. Schools attending were eligible to participate in this on-site competition.
Best of Show honors two main categories —
Individual Recognition
Broadcast News Story
First Place
Sophia Pixley, Sophia Merritt, Jules Steelsmith
DPNews, Dos Pueblos High School, Goleta, California
Student Solidarity: A Walkout for Fair Teacher Pay
Second Place
Keely Crawford, Abigail Jones
Husky Network, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Book Bans
Third Place
Zander Killian, Henry Sartain
Eagle’s Eye, Liberty High School, Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
Liberty’s First Boys Volleyball Team Hits the Courts
Fourth Place
Camden Blair
FHNtodayTV, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
FHSD School Board faces backlash from BSU after controversial class removals
Broadcast Feature Story
First Place
Sophia Merritt, Sophia Pixley, Jules Steelsmith
DPNews, Dos Pueblos High School, Goleta, California
Stylish Sustainability: Exploring the Authenticity of Far Outfit
Second Place
Aidan Myers, Aston Smith
DPNews, Dos Pueblos High School, Goleta, California
Cutting Edge Talent: Jblendz’s Journey
Third Place
Keely Crawford, Abigail Jones, Ethan Pourtorkan
Husky Network, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
The Pawprint Feature Story
Fourth Place
Lillian Saykham
BTV, Wichita Southeast High School, Wichita, Kansas
The Show Must Go On
Fifth Place
Mira Patel
The Shield, McCallum High School, Austin, Texas
Energetic audience participation takes 2024 Battle of the Bands to the next level
Sixth Place
Aaron Blosser
Husky Network, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
Coach Ryann Gerdes (Coach Spotlight)
Seventh Place
Megan Janzen
Husky Network, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
Bella Williams Student Spotlight
Eighth Place
Edan Williams Parker
BTV, Wichita Southeast High School, Wichita, Kansas
Buffalo Bob
Ninth Place
Sassy Garcia, Nathan Smith
FHNtodayTV, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Hope Lutheran Church: Helping During the Holidays
Tenth Place
Abigail Jones, Mia Lewallen
Husky Network, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
Inara Ukawuba Student Spotlight
Editorial Leadership
All media
First Place
Angelina Gevorgyan
The Mirror, Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, California
Second Place
Emma Clement
Mill Valley News, Mill Valley High School, Shawnee, Kansas
Third Place
Sierra Sarsfield
Gladiator, Troy High School, Troy, Michigan
Fourth Place
Tyler Hall
Wahawk, Wahawk Insider, Waterloo West High School, Waterloo, Iowa
Fifth Place
Liz Hayes
LHS Publications, Liberty High School, Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
Sixth Place
Payton Johnston
FHN Media, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Seventh Place
McKenna Hudson
FHN Media, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Eighth Place
Terina Papatu
The Hawkeye, Mountlake Terrace High School, Mountlake Terrace, Washington
Ninth Place
Rosa Corey-Gruenes
The Ahlahasa, Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea, Minnesota
Tenth Place
Liz Eike
Kickapoo High Quarterly, Kickapoo High School, Springfield, Missouri
Magazine Design
Second Place
Piper Aanes, Kae Bee, Rosa Corey-Gruenes
IMAG, Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea, Minnesota
All about IMAGine
Newspaper/Newsmagazine Design
First Place
Brianna Alvarado, Jaylen Bautista, Angelina Gevorgyan
The Mirror, Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, California
How safe are our schools?
Second Place
Brianna Alvarado
The Mirror, Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, California
Modern Hip Hop
Third Place
Emily Liu
Panorama, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, St. Louis, Missouri
By the Slice
Fourth Place
Violet Newton
North Star, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Stickers!
Fifth Place
Avery Clement
JagWire, Mill Valley High School, Shawnee, Kansas
Smoothie Wars
Sixth Place
Lyla Weeks
The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas
Setting the Stage
Seventh Place
Will Clifford, Zack Goforth, Grayson Redmond
ReMarker, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Dallas, Texas
Demystifying DFW transportation
Eighth Place
Lucy Stephens
The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas
A Deadly Year
Ninth Place
Alice Scott
The Shield, McCallum High School, Austin, Texas
Ballet folklórico: un club historico y educacional
Tenth Place
Bri Taliaferro
North Star, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Indie Culture
Yearbook Design
First Place
Bryson Bush, Madison White
Columbian, Columbia High School, Lake City, Florida
It’s Just Fantasy
Second Place
Luke Ye
Rambler, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, St. Louis, Missouri
What’s all this jazz?
Third Place
Lauren Harmon
Excalibur, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Turning Back Time
Fourth Place
Savannah Hancock, Ragan Stoltz
The Prospector, Troy High School, Chandler, Arizona
Here and Now
Fifth Place
Sydney Davis, Lily Fister, Ella Pinz, Grace Richardson
Talon, Liberty High School, Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
And Now It’s HoCo
Sixth Place
Mariah Slater
Wahawk, Waterloo West High School, Waterloo, Iowa
A Time to Be Alive
Seventh Place
Sophia Manzella
Excalibur, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Emcee Excellence
Eighth Place
Hannah Anderson
Excalibur, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Leading Legacies
Ninth Place
Christopher Hardman
Columbian, Columbia High School, Lake City, Florida
Strength & Resilience
Tenth Place
Sierra Jewell, Rama Kadi, Amelia Vander May, Violet Vance
The Image, Dos Pueblos High School, Goleta, California
Hall of Fame
Feature Photo
First Place
Skylar Alatorre Flores
Wingspan, James Enochs High School, Modesto, California
Party in the Dark
Second Place
Amelie Wong
The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas
Hands In
Third Place
Clara Peters
The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas
Out of Reach
Fourth Place
Madeline Brewer
Excalibur, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Honoring Veterans
Fifth Place
Mallory Barker
FHNtoday, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Pep in their step
Sixth Place
Aliyah Guerrero
Yearbook, Kent Meridian High School, Kent, Washington
A Portrait of a Farmer
Seventh Place
Brianna Dunham
FHNtoday, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Laughing Royalty
Eighth Place
Anna Simms
LHStoday, Liberty High School, Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
Liberty Shows Off Its Talent
Ninth Place
Rehan Afzal
The Octagon, Sacramento Country Day School, Sacramento, California
Energy Emergency
Tenth Place
Eashaan Patel
Excalibur, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Mounting Pressure
Sports Photo
Second Place
Victoria Montgomery
FHNtoday, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Fight on the Mat
Third Place
Anna Simms
LHStoday, Liberty High School, Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
One More Shot
Fourth Place
Claire Bauer
The Rock, Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Nothing but Net
Fifth Place
Alexandra Gustafson
Black & Gold, Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Leaving the Beach
Sixth Place
Claire Yeater
The Rock, Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Pin it to Win it
Seventh Place
Claire Bauer
The Rock, Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Final Fall
Eighth Place
Skyla Almagure
Arvadan, Arvada High School, Arvada, Colorado
Wind ‘Er Up
Ninth Place
Julia Copas
The Shield, McCallum High School, Austin, Texas
A duel at dusk
Tenth Place
Sanaa Sow
The Rock, Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Pushing Through
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting
First Place
Ella Braig, Ella Bender, Katie Myckatyn
Panorama, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, St. Louis, Missouri
In Transition
Second Place
Melissa Guerrero-Bernal, Vanessa Ng
FHNtodayTV, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Struggles With Diversity | Does the FHN Faculty Reflect the Student Body
Third Place
Tiffany Hutcheson
The Prospector, Troy High School, Chandler, Arizona
When Am I Enough?
Fourth Place
Taylor Saale
FHNtodayTV, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
The development of LGBTQIA inclusivity in schools
Fifth Place
Abigail Jones
Husky Network, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma
Stepping Into The Spotlight
Sixth Place
Chase Pray
FHNtoday, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Francis Howell Board of Education Faces Backlash After Removing Black-Focused Electives
Seventh Place
Alisyn Parkhurst
Wahawk Insider, Waterloo West High School, Waterloo, Iowa
Breaking Barriers
Eighth Place
Cameron Struble
The Mirror, Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, California
Jewish Hate
Ninth Place
Staff
The Shield, McCallum High School, Austin, Texas
Opening doors to appreciating Black history
Tenth Place
Michaela Manfull
North Star, Francis Howell North High School, St. Charles, Missouri
Diversity in the MCU
Staff Recognition
Broadcast News Program
High school
First Place
DPNews
Dos Pueblos High School
Goleta, California
Second Place
HTV Magazine
Hillcrest High School
Springfield, Missouri
Third Place
The North Report
Edmond North High School
Edmond, Oklahoma
Fourth Place
The Bryant Buzz
Bryant High School
Bryant, Arkansas
Fifth Place
The Brakedown
Davis Senior High School
Davis, California
Sixth Place
Hornet News Now
Bryant High School
Bryant, Arkansas
Seventh Place
Cougar Roundup
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Eighth Place
Knightly Show
Francis Howell North High School
St. Charles, Missouri
Ninth Place
RJTV
Regis Jesuit High School
Aurora, Colorado
Tenth Place
EagleAir TV
Nixa High School
Nixa, Missouri
Broadcast News Program
Junior High/Middle School
First Place
FLTV
Faith Lutheran Middle School
Las Vegas, Nevada
Second Place
Swarm Production
Bryant Junior High School
Bryant, Arkansas
Third Place
Cub News Network
Franklin Community Middle School
Franklin, Indiana
Literary Arts Magazine
All
First Place
Menagerie
Lyons Township High School
La Grange, Illiniois
Second Place
Melodrama
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Third Place
Burn
Marian High School
Omaha, Nebraska
Fourth Place
Iris: Art + Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
St. Paul, Minnesota
Fifth Place
Reflection
Bear River High School
Grass Valley, California
Sixth Place
Illumine
Christ Presbyterian Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
Seventh Place
Maple Street Journal
Bellaire High School
Bellaire, Texas
Eighth Place
The Glass Knife
Sacramento Country Day School
Sacramento, California
Ninth Place
Imago
Lakeside School
Seattle, Washington
Tenth Place
Inscriptions
Shawnee Mission South High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Specialty Magazine
All
First Place
ID
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Second Place
Kickapoo High Quarterly
Kickapoo High School
Springfield, Missouri
Third Place
Focus
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Fourth Place
The Yeti
Urban School of San Francisco
San Francisco, California
Fifth Place
Highlight
Harrisonburg High School
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Newspaper
High school / enrollment of fewer than 1,800
First Place
The Edge
Pleasant Grove High School
Texarkana, Texas
Second Place
The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
Third Place
ReMarker
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Fourth Place
The HUB
Davis Senior High School
Davis, California
Fifth Place
Nordic News
Inglemoor High School
Kenmore, Washington
Sixth Place
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
St. Paul, Minnesota
Seventh Place
The Winged Post
The Harker School
San Jose, California
Eighth Place
The Octagon
Sacramento Country Day School
Sacramento, California
Ninth Place
The Crusader
Archbishop Riordan High School
San Francisco, California
Tenth Place
The Network
Marian High School
Omaha, Nebraska
Newspaper
High school / enrollment of 1,800 or more
First Place
The Mirror
Van Nuys High School
Van Nuys, California
Second Place
The Shield
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
Third Place
Bear Witness
Branham High School
San Jose, California
Fourth Place
Falconer
Torrey Pines High School
San Diego, California
Fifth Place
Newsstreak
Harrisonburg High School
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Sixth Place
Oracle
Mountain View High School
Mountain View, California
Seventh Place
The Hoofprint
Walnut High School
Walnut, California
Eighth Place
Viewer
Mounds View High School
Arden Hills, Minnesota
Ninth Place
The Cougar Press
Ventura High School
Ventura, California
Newsmagazine
High school / enrollment of fewer than 1,800
First Place
Panorama
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Second Place
North Star
Francis Howell North High School
St. Charles, Missouri
Third Place
JagWire
Mill Valley High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Fourth Place
The Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Fifth Place
The Patriot
Shawnee Mission South High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Sixth Place
The Budget
Lawrence High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Seventh Place
The Express
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Eighth Place
Le Journal
Notre Dame de Sion High School
Kansas City, Missouri
Ninth Place
Whirlwind
West Albany High School
Albany, Oregon
Tenth Place
Elevate
Regis Jesuit High School
Denver, Colorado
Newsmagazine
High school / enrollment of 1,800 or more
First Place
The Tiger
Little Rock Central High School
Little Rock, Arkansas
Second Place
Wingspan
Nixa High School
Nixa, Missouri
Third Place
The Roundup
Barnington High School
Barnington, Illinois
Fourth Place
The View
Castle View High School
Castle Rock, Colorado
Fifth Place
Southpaw
Rock Bridge High School
Columbia, Missouri
Sixth Place
Lamar Life
Lamar High School
Houston, Texas
Seventh Place
Hawk’s Eye
Olathe East High School
Olathe, Kansas
Eighth Place
Wahawk Insider
Waterloo West High School
Waterloo, Iowa
Ninth Place
Amplifier
West Linn High School
West Linn, Oregon
Tenth Place
The Black & White
Johnston High School
Johnston, Iowa
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Junior high/middle school
First Place
The Sun Devils’ Scoop
Kent Denver School
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado
Second Place
The Paw Post
Franklin Community Middle School
Franklin, Indiana
Website
High school / enrollment of fewer than 1,800
First Place
Wayland Student Press Network
Wayland High School
Wayland, Massachusetts
Second Place
FHNtoday
Francis Howell North High School
St. Charles, Missouri
Third Place
Mill Valley News
Mill Valley High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Fourth Place
BVNWnews
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Fifth Place
The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
Sixth Place
ReMarker
St. Mark’s School of Texas
Dallas, Texas
Seventh Place
LHStoday
Liberty High School
Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
Eighth Place
Ladue Publications
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Ninth Place
Free Press
Lawrence Free State High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Tenth Place
The Hawkeye
Mountlake Terrace High School
Mountlake Terrace, Washington
Website
High school / enrollment of 1,800 or more
First Place
Staley News
Staley High School
Kansas City, Missouri
Second Place
The Blueprint
Hagerty High School
Oviedo, Florida
Third Place
The Shield
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
Fourth Place
The Rock
Rock Canyon High School
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Fifth Place
The Grandview Chronicle
Grandview High School
Aurora, Colorado
Sixth Place
Oracle
Mountain View High School
Mountain View, California
Seventh Place
The Mirror
Van Nuys High School
Van Nuys, California
Eighth Place
The THS Current
Tupelo High School
Tupelo, Mississippi
Ninth Place
wlhsNOW
West Linn High School
West Linn, Oregon
Tenth Place
North Star
Niles North High School
Skokie, Illinois
Website
Junior high/middle school
First Place
BJHS Media
Bryant Junior High School
Bryant, Arkansas
Yearbook
High school / 108-223 pages
First Place
Priam
Longmont High School
Longmont, Colorado
Second Place
The Washingtonian
Washington High School
Washington, Missouri
Third Place
Arvadan
Arvada High School
Arvada, Colorado
Fourth Place
Clipper
Kearney High School
Kearney, Missouri
Fifth Place
The Prospector
Apache Junction High School
Apache Junction, Arizona
Sixth Place
Lanidrac
Lawson High School
Lawson, Missouri
Seventh Place
The Purgold
North Kansas City High School
North Kansas City, Missouri
Eighth Place
Epoch
Combs High School
San Tan Valley, Arizona
Ninth Place
Eagle
Nixa High School
Nixa, Missouri
Tenth Place
The Trojan
Hillsboro High School
Hillsboro, Kansas
Yearbook
High school / 224-283 pages
First Place
Reflections
Brighton High School
Brighton, Colorado
Second Place
La Vista
Mountain View High School
Mesa, Arizona
Third Place
The Hawk
Pleasant Grove High School
Texarkana, Texas
Fourth Place
Red and Black
Lawrence High School
Lawrence, Kansas
Fifth Place
Aerial
Williams Field High School
Gilbert, Arizona
Sixth Place
Talon
Liberty High School
Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
Seventh Place
Le Flambeau
Notre Dame de Sion High School
Kansas City, Missouri
Eighth Place
Green and Gold
West Linn High School
West Linn, Oregon
Ninth Place
Rampages
Casa Roble High School
Orangevale, California
Tenth Place
Talon
The Harker School
San Jose, California
Yearbook
High school / 284-323 pages
First Place
Rambler
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
Second Place
Pawesehi
Parkway West High School
Ballwin, Missouri
Third Place
Sunset
Corona del Sol High School
Tempe, Arizona
Fourth Place
Lion’s Roar
Christ Presbyterian Academy
Nashville, Tennessee
Fifth Place
Vieo
Castle View High School
Castle Rock, Colorado
Sixth Place
The Edge
Glacier Peak High School
Snohomish, Washington
Seventh Place
The Jag
Mill Valley High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Eighth Place
Scandia
Inglemoor High School
Kenmore, Washington
Ninth Place
Reflector
Lee’s Summit High School
Lee’s Summit, Missouri
Tenth Place
Carillon
Bellaire High School
Belliare, Texas
Yearbook
High school / 324-536 pages
First Place
The Lair
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
Shawnee, Kansas
Second Place
Pantera
Mead High School
Spokane, Washington
Third Place
Hauberk
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
Fourth Place
Heritage
Shawnee Mission South High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Fifth Place
Cayuse
Walnut High School
Walnut, California
Sixth Place
Etruscan
Glenbrook South High School
Glenview, Illinois
Seventh Place
Horizon
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Overland Park, Kansas
Eighth Place
Parliament
Olathe West High School
Olathe, Kansas
Ninth Place
Wingspan
James Enochs High School
Modesto, California
Tenth Place
Hornet
Bryant High School
Bryant, Arkansas
Yearbook
Junior high/middle school
First Place
The Round-Up
Woodland Junior High School
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Second Place
Oro
Cactus Canyon Junior High
Apache Junction, Arizona
Third Place
Paw Prints
Ranch View Middle School
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Fourth Place
Lair
Drake Middle School
Arvada, Colorado
Fifth Place
The Blue and White
Bryant Junior High School
Bryant, Arkansas
Sixth Place
Husky Pride
Raymore-Peculiar East Middle School
Raymore, Missouri