Blog

The 2024 NSPA Fall Convention was an inspiring event that brought together top student journalists from across the nation. Kansas schools shone brightly, showcasing their exceptional talent and dedication to the craft of scholastic journalism. From award-winning newspapers to captivating photography and impactful stories, these students exemplified the power of young voices in media. Below is a celebration of the winners from Kansas who achieved recognition in various categories.

Fall 2024 Pacemakers

• The Harbinger
  Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, Kansas
  Editors-in-chief: Greyson Imm, Katie Murphy
  Adviser: Dow Tate

2024 NSPA Individual Awards

Design of the Year – Newspaper Front Page

• Honorable Mention: Addie Moore, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Design of the Year – Newsmagazine Cover

• Second Place: Allison Mayhew, The Free Press, Free State High School

Design of the Year – Yearbook Spread

• Honorable Mention: The Lair, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

Design of the Year – Yearbook Theme Package

• Honorable Mention: Hauberk, Shawnee Mission East High School

Design of the Year – Informational Graphic

• Honorable Mention: Molly McCracken, Heritage, Shawnee Mission South High School
• Third Place: Gaby Ayres, The Tiger Print, Blue Valley High School

Design of the Year – Illustration

• Honorable Mention: Caroline Daniels, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School
• Third Place: Luna Hu, The Free Press, Free State High School

Digital Story of the Year – Photo Slideshow

• Honorable Mention: Caroline Martucci, Clara Peters, Amelie Wong, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Photo of the Year

News Photo

• Honorable Mention: Samantha Atkins, Hauberk, Shawnee Mission East High School
• Third Place: Chloe Cook, The Free Press, Free State High School
• Fourth Place: Laurel Hansen, Brickhouse, Shawnee Mission North High School
• Fifth Place: Miranda Henry, The Tiger Print, Blue Valley High School

Photo Story of the Year

• Honorable Mention: Maddi Roof, The Northwest Passage, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
• Honorable Mention: Addi Bahr, Vision, Blue Valley Southwest High School

Sports Game/Action Photo

• Fourth Place: Teryn DeBey, Brickhouse, Shawnee Mission North High School

Sports Feature Photo

• Honorable Mention: Ashley Weber, Vision, Blue Valley Southwest High School
• Honorable Mention: Claire Goettsch, Hauberk, Shawnee Mission East High School
• Honorable Mention: Ashley Phelps, Horizon, Blue Valley Northwest High School
• Second Place: Kara Simpson, The Northwest Passage, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School
• First Place: Ashley Phelps, Horizon, Blue Valley Northwest High School

Environmental Portrait

• Honorable Mention: Anders Benson, The Free Press, Free State High School
• Second Place: Laurel Hansen, Brickhouse, Shawnee Mission North High School

Story of the Year

News Story

• Second Place: Katie Murphy, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Feature Story

• Third Place: Sofia Ball, The Northwest Passage, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

Editorial

• Honorable Mention: Lexi Jones, The Express, Blue Valley Northwest High School
• Second Place: Katie Murphy, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School
• Fourth Place: Lexi Jones, The Express, Blue Valley Northwest High School

Opinion

• Honorable Mention: Sydney Barnett, The Express, Blue Valley Northwest High School

Reporting on Systemic Change – Fred Ross Systemic Change

• Fourth Place: Reagan Wald, Lindsay Maresh, The Express, Blue Valley Northwest High School

Portfolio of the Year

Photojournalist of the Year

• Second Place: Mason Sajna, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Writer of the Year

• Second Place: Addie Moore, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School
• First Place: Sofia Ball, The Northwest Passage, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

2024 NSPA Best of Show – Staff

Broadcast News Program

• Sixth Place: Cougar Roundup, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

Literary Arts Magazine

• Ninth Place: Inscriptions, Shawnee Mission South High School

Newspaper (fewer than 1,800)

• First Place: The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Newsmagazine (fewer than 1,800)

• Sixth Place: The Patriot, Shawnee Mission South High School
• Seventh Place: The Free Press, Lawrence Free State High School
• Eighth Place: Northwest Passage, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

Yearbook (305-360)

• Second Place: Heritage, Shawnee Mission South High School
• Fifth Place: Brickhouse, Shawnee Mission North High School
• Ninth Place: Olathe South

Yearbook (360+)

• First Place: Hauberk, Shawnee Mission East High School
• Third Place: The Lair, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School

2024 NSPA Best of Show – Individual

Broadcast: Feature Story

• Second Place: Staff, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Editorial Leadership: All Media

• Third Place: Addie Moore, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Design: Feature Story

• Second Place: Addie Moore, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Photojournalism: Feature Photo

• Second Place: Emmy Barrett, Hauberk, Shawnee Mission East High School
• Seventh Place: Paige Bean, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Photojournalism: Sports Photo

• First Place: Josie Mangine, Hauberk, Shawnee Mission East High School
• Third Place: Mallory Thompson, Free State Journalism, Lawrence Free State High School
• Ninth Place: Will Griffith, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Reporting: Feature Story

• Sixth Place: Emmerson Winfrey, The Harbinger, Shawnee Mission East High School

Fall 2024 National Student Media Contests

Editorial Writing

• Excellent: Sofia Ball, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Feature Writing

• Honorable Mention: Connor Vogel, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, KS
• Honorable Mention: Annabel Hall, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Sports Writing

• Superior: Macy Williams, Shawnee Mission North High School, Overland Park, KS
• Excellent: Sophia Jackson, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Review Writing

• Excellent: Sarah Wellman, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Editorial Cartooning

• Excellent: Grace Rau, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Newsmagazine Layout

• Superior: Greta Grist, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS
• Excellent: Avery Anderson, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, KS

Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports

• Superior: Zoe Nixon, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS
• Superior: Lauren Taylor, Olathe South High School, Olathe, KS

Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics

• Excellent: Hannah Rahe, Olathe West High School, Olathe, KS

Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs

• Excellent: Melayna Murphy, Olathe West High School, Olathe, KS

Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life

• Superior: Sadie Babler, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS
• Excellent: Joslyn Hasty, Olathe West High School, Olathe, KS
• Honorable Mention: Lexie Johnson, Shawnee Mission South High School, Overland Park, KS

Yearbook Layout: Inside Pages

• Superior: Delani Young, Shawnee Mission South High School, Overland Park, KS

Yearbook Cover/Endsheets

• Superior: Richard Li, Lawrence Free State High School, Lawrence, KS

Literary Magazine: Layout

• Excellent: Molly McCracken, Shawnee Mission South High School, Overland Park, KS
• Honorable Mention: Damien Courtney, Olathe South High School, Olathe, KS

Graphic Design: Photo Illustration

• Honorable Mention: Jadyn Salge, Olathe South High School, Olathe, KS

Sports Action Photography

• Honorable Mention: Amelie Wong, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, KS
• Honorable Mention: Isabella Silva, Pittsburg High School, Pittsburg, KS
• Honorable Mention: Abby Shoikhet, Blue Valley Southwest High School, Overland Park, KS

Photography Portfolio

• Excellent: Samantha Atkins, Shawnee Mission East High School, Prairie Village, KS

First-Year Photo

• Honorable Mention: Arthur Thomas, Olathe South High School, Olathe, KS

Broadcast Sports Story

• Excellent: Patrick Meiss, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS
• Excellent: Gustin Teschendorf, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Videography

• Honorable Mention: Jack Weems, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Podcast

• Honorable Mention: Joshua Eagle, Olathe West High School, Olathe, KS
• Honorable Mention: Victoria Martinez, Olathe West High School, Olathe, KS

Broadcast Anchor

• Excellent: Mariyah Williams, Shawnee Mission Northwest HS, Shawnee, KS

Broadcast Package

• Honorable Mention: Luna Rogers, Manhattan High School, Manhattan, KS
• Honorable Mention: Connor Montgomery, Manhattan High School, Manhattan, KS

Congratulations to all the winners for their hard work and outstanding contributions to student journalism!