{"id":625013,"date":"2026-09-07T12:44:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T17:44:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/?p=625013"},"modified":"2026-09-10T13:08:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T18:08:24","slug":"2026-story-of-the-year-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/2026-story-of-the-year-finalists\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Story of the Year finalists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sept. 10, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MINNEAPOLIS \u2014 The National Scholastic Press Association has named 468 finalists in its popular Individual Awards competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The winners will be announced at the NSPA Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention<\/a> in Orlando.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations to the finalists in the following Story of the Year contests \u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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News Story
<\/a>Feature Story
<\/a>Sports Story
<\/a>Editorial<\/a>
Opinion<\/a>
Diversity Equity & Inclusion Reporting<\/a>
Systemic Change Reporting<\/a>
Local Climate Change Reporting<\/a>
<\/a>Creative Writing<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Individual Award finalists<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Broadcast Story of the Year<\/a>
Cartoon of the Year<\/a>
Design of the Year<\/a>
Digital Story of the Year<\/a>
Photo of the Year<\/a>
Story of the Year<\/a>
Best Use of Social Media<\/a>
Portfolio of the Year<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
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News Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vi Erisha, Liliana Kirby<\/strong>
The Muse
Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, West Palm Beach, Florida
Khanmigo Enters the Chat<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elias Kang<\/strong>
Eastside
Cherry Hill High School East, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Students Walk Out in Protest of ICE Actions<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Linus Bossardt, Jenny Marquez<\/strong>
The Pearl Post
Daniel Pearl Magnet High School, Lake Balboa, California
Students Walk Out to Denounce ICE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delaney Henon, Sophia Tzanetos<\/strong>
Manual RedEye
duPont Manual High School, Louisville, Kentucky
Students Walk Out in Protest of Gun Violence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lily Rantanen<\/strong>
The Little Hawk
Iowa City High School, Iowa City, Iowa
Pilot Strike Strands Students in Chicago<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elizabeth Yowell<\/strong>
The Dispatch
James Bowie High School, Austin, Texas
The Detrimental Debt Cycle<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney Ortiz<\/strong>
Kingwood Park Times
Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood, Texas
Kingwood Greets Wilson on Ride Home<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kieran Crist-Kenworthy, Clover Martin<\/strong>
The La Salle Falconer
La Salle Catholic College Preparatory, Milwaukie, Oregon
The Pope Asked a Question<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Siboney Lynch, Lilia Wilkiewicz<\/strong>
M-A Chronicle
Menlo-Atherton High School, Atherton, California
Board Votes to Close TIDE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
RockMedia
Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Granting Dre\u2019s Wish<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
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Feature Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lila Aitelli, Chloe Nelson<\/strong>
Falcon Quill
Fort Worth Country Day, Fort Worth, Texas
More Than Just a Teacher<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Levi Greene, Charlotte Jacobs, Micah Kramer<\/strong>
The Quaker Quill
Friends School of Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland
Always Learning<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stella Cardoso<\/strong>
The Raider Voice
Gulliver Preparatory School, Miami, Florida
When Being Told No Becomes a Calling<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney Ortiz<\/strong>
Kingwood Park Times
Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood, Texas
Wilson Family Leaves Legacy on Community<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sydney Ortiz<\/strong>
Kingwood Park Times
Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood, Texas
Goss Finds Path to Priesthood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yee Lam Zhou<\/strong>
The Lion
McKinney High School, McKinney, Texas
Make My Own Victory<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sophia D’Sa<\/strong>
El Estoque
Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, California
Gilbert Shares Her Approach to Writing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christopher Long<\/strong>
The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas
Disintegrating Support<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annabel Hall<\/strong>
Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, Kansas
Cinderella or Nothing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naomi Benton<\/strong>
U-High Midway
University of Chicago Laboratory High School, Chicago, Illinois
Math Teacher Lunte Excels at Pool<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Sports Story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raima Awan<\/strong>
The Sidekick
Coppell High School, Coppell, Texas
Hoosier Champion? Coppell\u2019s Radicic, That\u2019s Who<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lia Miller<\/strong>
The Blueprint
Hagerty High School, Oviedo, Florida
Leaving So Soon?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shanza Sami, Colin Wehrle<\/strong>
West Side Story
Iowa City West High, Iowa City, Iowa
Longmire\u2019s Sports Journey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Michael Yi<\/strong>
The Harbinger
Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas
Canon\u2019s Journey<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claire Rogers<\/strong>
Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, Kansas
Green Ribbons<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luke Lavoie<\/strong>
The Chronicle
Shorecrest Preparatory School, St. Petersburg, Florida
The \u2018Reining\u2019 Champion<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Preston Wu<\/strong>
The Review
St. John’s School, Houston, Texas
Coffman Tosses \u2018Unreal\u2019 No-Hitter<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dylan Robbin<\/strong>
Inklings News
Staples High School, Westport, Connecticut
Staples Falls Short to West Haven<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiona Seale<\/strong>
The Panther Press
Strath Haven High School, Wallingford, Pennsylvania
Haven\u2019s Female Athletes Face ACL Tear Epidemic<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ava Kaplan<\/strong>
Legend
Wando High School, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
The Butterfly Effect<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
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Editorial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
Theogony
Alexandria City High School, Alexandria, Virginia
ACPS\u2019 Revolving Door of Leadership<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
Theogony
Alexandria City High School, Alexandria, Virginia
Reinstating First Amendment Rights<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
Odyssey
Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia
Dual Enrollment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
Odyssey
Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia
Civic Engagement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scarlet Gitelson, Lyla Granich, Rohin Shah<\/strong>
The Forum
Latin School of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Dear Head of School Search Committee<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
M-A Chronicle
Menlo-Atherton High School, Atherton, California
Sandy Hook Promise\u2019s Deceptive Marketing Discredits Its Cause<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
The Campanile
Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, California
Advanced Diploma Rewards Privileged<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Extend New Voices Law to Private School Publications<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orlie Weitzman<\/strong>
U-High Midway
University of Chicago Laboratory High School, Chicago, Illinois
Stand Up Against ICE Raids<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joel Nam<\/strong>
VNHSMirror
Van Nuys High School, Van Nuys, California
Too Much Flexibility Is Hurting Students<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Opinion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stella Kim<\/strong>
Eastside
Cherry Hill High School East, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
\u2018Whitewashed\u2019 Distorts Complex Cultural Identities<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sylvia Oglesbay<\/strong>
Zephyrus
Edina High School, Edina, Minnesota
Fear Is a Tool, Trump Is Using It<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sheridan Bailey<\/strong>
Eagle Edition
Episcopal School of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
The Politicization of Peacemaking<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zoha Suteria<\/strong>
The Oracle
Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, Illinois
Standing Up for Immigrant Families<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hemanth Tavane Shivakumar<\/strong>
The Huron Emery
Huron High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
The Struggle Behind H1B<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shawn Chaney<\/strong>
Kingwood Park Times
Kingwood Park High School, Kingwood, Texas
Texas Fails To Realize Phone Ban Is Too Far Reaching<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dominic Niyo<\/strong>
The Pinion
McKinley High School, Honolulu, Hawaii
The Conjuring: Last Rites\u2019 Review<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audrey Majzun<\/strong>
M-A Chronicle
Menlo-Atherton High School, Atherton, California
Vote Yes on Proposition 50<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dayla Jertson<\/strong>
Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, Kansas
A Good Imagination<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hope Hunt<\/strong>
Northwest Passage
Shawnee Mission Northwest High School, Shawnee, Kansas
Missing Piece<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
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Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rohan Muni<\/strong>
The Gator
Brimmer and May School, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
As Attacks on DEI Escalate, Our School Stands Firm<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May Lin<\/strong>
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School, Belmont, California
The Attempt and the Aftermath<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
Odyssey Media Group
Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia
Women\u2019s History Month<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff<\/strong>
The Epitaph
Homestead High School, Cupertino, California
Epitaph Diversity Audit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lily Liner<\/strong>
Spark
Lakota East High School, Liberty Twp., Ohio
Home Away From Home<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vesta Kassayan, Shawnak Shivakumar<\/strong>
M-A Chronicle
Menlo-Atherton High School, Atherton, California
How Ravenswood Became the Lowest-Ranked District<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Julia Abair, Aaliyah Currier, Rachel Larsen, Oakley Lloyd<\/strong>
The Mix
Monarch High School, Louisville, Colorado
More Than Just a Word<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lydia Greves, Dillon Lewis, Abby Prescott, Salma Schalhamer, Riley Wood<\/strong>
The Mix
Monarch High School, Louisville, Colorado
Crushing Perceptions<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anjali Dahncke, Bahar Diner, Stella Guo, Adrienne Lec<\/strong>
C Magazine
Palo Alto High School, Palo Alto, California
It\u2019s Probably Just Their Period<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connor Hsiao<\/strong>
Pride
Portola High School, Irvine, California
Breaking the Silence<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Systemic Change Reporting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Miles Nash<\/strong>
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School, Belmont, California
Home for Those Without a House<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riley Jensen, Zoe Lobato, Lennon Sharp, Peyton Thies, Naomi VanDyne<\/strong>
North Star
Francis Howell North High School, Saint Charles, Missouri
A Way Forward<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Salem Dinh<\/strong>
The Huron Emery
Huron High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan Youth Confront New Barriers to Gender Affirming Care<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liberty Pittman<\/strong>
The Dispatch
James Bowie High School, Austin, Texas
Students Stand Against ICE<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lillian Donaldson, Mira Schoewe<\/strong>
Pilot
Lindbergh High School, St. Louis, Missouri
One Step Towards Change<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alex Brendle, Dylan Seinberg<\/strong>
The Southerner
Midtown High School, Atlanta, Georgia
Offering Juvenile Offenders Second Chances<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Audey Lyons, Fairlie Mercer, Eleanor Shore<\/strong>
The Southerner
Midtown High School, Atlanta, Georgia
Azalea Fresh Market Combats Downtown Food Desert<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riya Kumar<\/strong>
Tatler
St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Memphis, Tennessee
Urban Farms Works to Make Memphis Healthier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lyla Furlong<\/strong>
Tatler
St. Mary’s Episcopal School, Memphis, Tennessee
Food Pantry Is Working to Fight Food Insecurity<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hollyn Alpert<\/strong>
The Oracle
The Archer School for Girls, Los Angeles, California
Nonprofit Provides Online Education<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Local Climate Change Reporting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Claire Kornberg<\/strong>
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School, Belmont, California
A Flutter of Hope<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eva Shen<\/strong>
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School, Belmont, California
Upcycling Trash for a Sustainable Future<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tessa Lee<\/strong>
Scot Scoop
Carlmont High School, Belmont, California
Fatal Bird Flu Outbreak Hits California Elephant Seals<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zia Walker<\/strong>
The Communicator
Community High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Renewable Energy Revolution<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Khloe Cruz, Isabella Damas, LilyRose Tobins, Colin Vail<\/strong>
The Raider Voice
Gulliver Preparatory School, Miami, Florida
Saving Miami\u2019s Mangroves<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Antonella Aguero, Levi Mbadiwe, Kian Moyer<\/strong>
The Raider Voice
Gulliver Preparatory School, Miami, Florida
Orchid Conservation at Deering<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lakshya Jaiganesh<\/strong>
The Huron Emery
Huron High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
A Look Into Environmental Journalism<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jillian Ju, Liz Liu<\/strong>
El Estoque
Monta Vista High School, Cupertino, California
Experts Share Waste Reduction Strategies<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ariella Kim, Sylvia Westra<\/strong>
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Being Green or Seeing Green?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gus Creech<\/strong>
Tower Broadcast News
The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, New York
Campus Flooding<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Creative Writing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

listed by school in alpha order<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hans Jeppson<\/strong>
Imag
Albert Lea High School, Albert Lea, Minnesota
The Plan of the Cube<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Liya Taylor<\/strong>
Iliad Literary-Art Magazine
Clarke Central High School, Athens, Georgia
A 16-Year-Old\u2019s Guide to Adulthood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reese Bell<\/strong>
Inkslinger
Darlington School, Rome, Georgia
Drops of Jazz<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Josephine Wright<\/strong>
One Blue Wall
duPont Manual High School, Louisville, Kentucky
Isfahan, 1978<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eddie Schulz<\/strong>
Menagerie
Lyons Township High School, La Grange, Illinois
The Glorious Future<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abigail Tilton<\/strong>
Iris: Art + Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School, Saint Paul, Minnesota
Final Whistle<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jenny Chu<\/strong>
Vibrato
The Hockaday School, Dallas, Texas
Generic UFO and Screaming Alien Poster<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madeline Koller<\/strong>
Dreamcatcher
Westwood High School, Austin, Texas
Bound by Words<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sept. 10, 2026 MINNEAPOLIS \u2014 The National Scholastic Press Association has named 468 finalists in its popular Individual Awards competition. The winners will be announced at the NSPA Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Orlando. After the winners are announced on Nov. 21, a gallery of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625013"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=625013"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625013\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":625091,"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/625013\/revisions\/625091"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=625013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=625013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studentpress.org\/nspa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=625013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}