2019
Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest Winners
Quill and Scroll International Honor Society
For High School Journalists
Writing Categories
13. News Feature Photo�14. Sports Action Photo�15. Sports Reaction Photo�16. Photo Illustration
Photo Categories
Multimedia Categories
17. Photo Slideshow�18. Video News Package�19. Video Sports Package�20. Video Features Package�21. Audio Podcast: Series�22. Audio Podcast: Single Episode
Design Categories
23. Editorial Cartoon 27. Newspaper Front Page Design�24. Advertisement 28. Feature Page Design�25. Informational Graphic 29. Sports Page Design�26. News Mag Front Page Design 30. Editorial Page Design
Category 1:
Editorial Writing
First Place: Eva Strelitz-Block
Liberal Arts and Science Academy
Austin, Texas
“Rename our schools”
Judge’s comment: This piece is a shining example of what an editorial is supposed to be. It takes a local issue of significance and explores it with depth and precision. The board's voice is clear and striking in its call to action and in its gusto for change.
Read the full story here.
Second Place: Kristen Tibbetts
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“We have all been Hood-winked”
Judge’s comment: The editorial board's analysis is clean, clear and expertly delivered. The methodical nature of the writing style and the way in which they made their arguments help this piece resonate with readers. It's the perfect topic for a school newspaper editorial.
Read the full story here.
Third Place: Southwest Shadow Editorial Board
Southwest Career and Technical Academy
Las Vegas, Nevada
“Can’t fight fire with more fire”
Judge’s comment: This was an excellent, timely topic for an editorial. The editorial board explored it with depth and precision. The arguments were plainly laid out.
Read the full story here.
Category 2:
News Writing
First Place: Nikki Aqui
Lawrence High School
Lawrence, Kansas
“Teachers say lack of info hurts safety”
Judge’s comment: Nikki turned a routine teacher contract story into an insightful look at a current security issue. When teachers in Nikki's school district said they must know if they have dangerous students in their classrooms, they were serious. Faculty wanted it written into their labor contracts. The Lawrence school district resisted, indicating administrators would control this information and deal with this policy issue. Nikki covered all aspects of this vital topic with a thorough, concise story. Her writing is solid. She cites all sides, talks to teachers and union leaders and she presses administration for insight. The story also provides excellent background for readers.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Molly Litvak
Shalhevet School
Los Angeles, California
“Anti-Gentrification Protests Challenge Boyle Heights Kosher Restaurant”
Judge’s comment: Molly's reporting and writing offer readers a comprehensive look at the varied and complex issues raised when a restaurant opens in an area where people have differing ideas for how the in-transition neighborhood rebounds, changes and develops. Good writing. Thorough reporting, along with effort to hear and recognize all sides of all issues, including the strong opinions of the restaurant owners.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Laura Ciccarelli,
Wando High School
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
“Expanded learning”
Judge’s comment: Laura writes brightly and convincingly about an essential, effective and variety-filled after-school program kids love. Packed with easy-to-read details, story shows how teachers and school district help students who would not otherwise benefit and grow.
For the full story, click here.
Category 3:
Feature Writing
First Place: Jonathan Malski
Eisenhower High School
Shelby Township, Michigan
“Making Boards To Sell”
Judge’s comment: This story introduces an active educational experience. The work involves diligence, dexterity and artistic vision. The board class is so industrious that all readers want to jump on board to the next destination, which may be skateboards, snowboards or surf boards. Wheels and shapes keep moving in every direction. That is why every reader will get younger by each paragraph. “Let’s go in a fashionable way,” the beautiful wood calls out. The boards respond to knowledge and negotiate the chance to make money with a new skill. In addition, the journalist added more invitations to “hop on” by showing the 1-2-3 steps and other results. It’s definitely time to roll to the top feature status. Hello, No. 1 in the nation.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Morgan Carpenter
Wando High School
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
“A Seven Year Journey”
Judge’s comment: The mother’s skill is to carefully braid hair as a way to provide food for her family. The reporter uses a similar commitment to deliver details of life, from a refugee camp to a new life in a small American town. She tells an astounding story because she sees another continent and a new life. She hears, smells and touches the family’s reality and lets them share their careful observations, progress and daily challenges in a loving style. Readers want to hug and to nurture Chance Bycombe and everyone in his family.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Fatima Kammona
Iowa City West High School
Iowa City, Iowa
“From Invincible to Helpless”
Judge’s comment: The writer takes readers on a continuing journey, the way life presents situations. From the auto flip over to the bewildering pain, aches and bumps and on to the recovery to scientific causes and to the changing perceptions of life, accomplishments and a new outlook, the writer transfers passengers to a safer state of mind.
For the full story, click here.
Category 4:
Opinion Writing
First Place: Rachel Cohen
Pascack Valley High School
Hillsdale, New Jersey
“Actions speak louder than words”
Judge’s comment: Powerful commentary regarding anti-semitism at her school that is placed in the context of the murders at a Pennsylvania synagogue and growing incidents of intolerance nationally. Utilizing measured research and data to support her argument, Rachel's writing is direct and to the point. She writes to create a voice of courage and conviction that emphasizes the urgency of her call to action.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Emma Baumgardner
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“Not a reading rainbow”
Judge’s comment: Insightful discussion about the need for more diversity of literature in courses at this high school. Using data to support this thesis, the author deftly employs personal experiences and examples to illuminate the point. The case is presented in clear, concise writing with an authoritative voice.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Saba Nia
Harvard-Westlake School
Studio City, California
“Invisible Girl: A first-time voter’s reflection on her past and future”
Judge’s comment: Refreshing take on the immigration topic in the context of exercising civic rights and responsibilities. Her lyrical writing style creates a voice that heightens reader interest, making it an enjoyable read that inspires action.
Read the full story here.
Category 5:
Review Writing
First Place: Eju Ro
Seoul International School
Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
“4’33””
Judges Comment: Eju Ro sets the scene for the reader by starting with a strong description of a pianist in concert. The second paragraph adds suspense when reads learn the pianist “walks off the stage without having touched the keys.” All had just witnessed four minutes and 33 seconds of a masterpiece. Ro goes on to write a compelling review of how the audience watches “nothing” as they interpret the silence. Ro captures the scene in detail and also shows the reaction of those watching. This most unusual concert came to life with Ro’s depiction of the event.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place:
Hannah Adams,
Troy High School
Fullerton, California
“A Hallmark Holiday”
Judges comment: Comparison and contrast, strong aspects of movie reviews, is evident in this article by Hannah Adams. Besides giving pluses and minuses of the Hallmark Christmas movies, she also compares viewers who watch them to make their holiday happier and those who avoid them ‘like the Grinch avoids Christmas.” Comparing the movies by saying “they’re like the ugly Christmas sweater of films,” yet “they’re ironically entertaining’ adds to the comparisons and contrasts made throughout the review.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Hugh Chan,
Ladue Horton Watkins High School,
St. Louis, Missouri
“Craft Cider House spices up St. Louis”
Judges comment: Comparison and contrast, strong aspects of movie reviews, is evident in this article by Hannah Adams. Besides giving pluses and minuses of the Hallmark Christmas movies, she also compares viewers who watch them to make their holiday happier and those who avoid them ‘like the Grinch avoids Christmas.” Comparing the movies by saying “they’re like the ugly Christmas sweater of films,” yet “they’re ironically entertaining’ adds to the comparisons and contrasts made throughout the review.
For the full story, click here.
Category 6:
In-Depth→ Individual
First Place: Sophie Ryland
McCallum High School, Austin, Texas
“AISD: a segregated district, then and now”
Judge’s comment: Sophie Ryland brought a highly complex, sensitive topic to life through excellent reporting and a writing strategy that provided form and context. She turned to solid research and a wide network of sources to document “segregation then and now.” Overall, a commendable effort.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Abby Bammerlin
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio
“The Arms Race”
Judge’s comment: This story is an excellent example of localizing a timely, important and controversial topic relevant to schools and communities throughout the United States. Mix of sources and opinions is strong.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Anna Cowden
Blue Valley Northwest HS
Overland Park, Kansas
“2018 graduate Camille Sturdivant”
Judge’s comment: Anna Cowden handled a difficult topic with sensitivity and fairness, providing all sides a chance to tell their side of the story about charges of racism.
For the full story, click here.
Category 7:
In-Depth→ Team
First Place: Sierra Fang-Horvath and Clara Kobashigawa
Acalanes High School
Lafayette, California
“Schools Under Siege: The Epidemic of Gun Massacres Within Our Hallways”
Judge’s comment: This highly creative special section is a prototype of excellent reporting, writing, sourcing and editing. Sidebars/graphics compliment the overall package, including interviews with four survivors of Parkland High School massacre. Terrific example of collaborative journalism that localized a topic of national importance.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Deana Trautz, Jessica Mick and Noah Torr
Cedar Park High School
Cedar Park, Texas
“School Safety Series: Triggered”
Judge’s comment: In response to Parkland High School shooting, reporters produced a five-part series exploring lockdown procedures at their school and overall impact of gun violence. Links to resources provided helpful online information.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Smoke Signal staff
Pascack Valley High School
Hillsdale, New Jersey
“Mental Health print issue”
Judge’s comment: Team produced a well-reported, highly readable special section on mental health issues students face, including resources where they can find help. Very well done!
For the full story, click here.
Category 8:
Sports Writing
First Place: Gregory James
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“A blessing in disguise”
Judge’s comment: It is one thing to cover the injury of an athlete, but it's another step forward to take the reader into a look on all sides of the story. The video clip of the injury and the ensuing interview heightened the strength of this piece and elevated it to the top of the competition. Congratulations to the author for using multimedia in this piece. It is a blessing, indeed, that the young athlete can get on with his life. It is a milestone that a young writer can open our collective eyes to the importance of regular checkups for student-athletes, who too often are deemed invincible.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Stephen McKay
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township, Ohio
“Finding Her Route”
Judge’s comment: The author pulls us along to grasp the rigors of climbing, developing the mindset for the sport and what it takes to be successful in any degree. The graphics are outstanding for the aspiring climber, and the photos are exceptional to complement this piece. Sometimes you don't have to be artistic to tell the story, In this case, just let the subjects pull you upward, one step, one treacherous reach for an anchor, one crevasse at a time.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Deana Trautz
Cedar Park High School
Cedar Park, Texas
“Lose It or Lose It”
Judge’s comment: A strong and easy-to-follow description of the rugged, exhaustive and often dangerous journey to make weight in wrestling. This subject is always a fascinating study. Congratulations to the author on blending many thought-provoking comments.
For the full story, click here.
Category 9:
Profile Writing
First Place: Izzy Andrews
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“Coming soon: Center’s novel turned into movie”
Judge’s comment: This story is a true-to-form profile. It is beautifully written, and Izzy did an excellent job of capturing her subject. I feel like I really know who Center is as a person and what her life is like, and her passion for writing jumps off of the page. From the lede to the kicker, each element adds to the narrative and makes this story a pleasure to read. Izzy also did her due diligence as a reporter by selecting great quotes and following up with at least one additional source. Well done!
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Deana Trautz
Cedar Park High School
Cedar Park, Texas
“Former Baseball Coach Honored at Veteran’s Day Ceremony”
Judge’s comment: This story is my second-place choice because it best combines strong reporting with solid writing. Reporting a profile about someone who isn't available to interview is a challenge. Deana showed her reporting chops by interviewing several people who were close to the subject and could illuminate who Sevier was and why his story matters. This profile has a strong narrative arc and is thoughtfully written. Wonderful job!
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Kylah Woods
Francis Howell North High School
St. Charles, Missouri
“Living Through Loss”
Judge’s comment: This story is my third-place choice because of the impact it made on me as a reader. Kylah chose a subject who really has something to say, and handled his story with care. Without being overly sentimental, she captured both the tragic elements of AZ's situation and the hopeful ones. She created a strong narrative and wove together quotes and details that left me rooting for AZ as if he were someone I knew. This is a story I will remember.
For the full story, click here.
Category 10:
Political Writing
First Place: Ryan Chang, Sophia Kontos, Fareen Dhuka, Abigail Poag, Bailey Maierson, Laney Chang, Alex Tinkham, Jack Shea, Thomas Hunt, Izzy Andrews, Lily McCullough and Sophia Lima
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“Midterm mayhem: The impact of politics at St. John’s”
Judge’s comment: Strong multimedia presentation that used its innovative display to tell well-written, researched and sourced stories. The display was not a gimmick. Rather, it was part of the storytelling. Nice, ambitious effort that worked.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Will Tulp
Shawnee Mission East High School
Prairie Village, Kansas
“Not a Scary Time for Men: Trump’s words about sexual assault fuel a dangerous fire”
Judge’s comment: Strong opinion writing with a clear point of view, supported with data and carrying a solid knockout punch at the end.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Molly Litvak
Shalhevet School
Los Angeles, California
“Prop. 12 passes, giving more space to hens, pigs and calves”
Judge’s comment: Solid reporting on a larger issue that has an affect on students at the school. Good job of relating an important story to the news organization's audience.
For the full story, click here.
Category 11:
Health, Science and Agriculture Writing
First Place: Anushka Dasgupta
Carmel High School
Carmel, Indiana
“No Weigh To Live”
Judge’s comment: This is an all-around well-told narrative that opens with a captivating personal story about the very sensitive topic of anorexia. Anushka should be commended for allowing the subject to share her story in her own words. Great mix of secondary sources, including a health professional, student leader of an advocacy group, data on eating disorders, and explanations of symptoms from medical documents.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Kathleen Ortiz
Kingwood Park High School
Kingwood, Texas
“Rodeo Ready”
Judge’s comment: Kathleen used well-chosen quotes and great descriptions of what happens leading up to and during show time for a student showing ag animals. Good packaging of text, photos, and a sidebar roster of her animals.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Kennedy Rusicka and Allison Chown
Eisenhower High School,
Shelby Township, Michigan
“Winter season causes sadness”
Judge’s comment: The writers have crafted an easy-to-read story with basic advice for people experiencing a common ailment, seasonal affective disorder. They used a nice mix of sources including a credible website (mayoclinic.org), mental health professionals, and students.
For the full story, click here.
Category 12:
Blogging
First Place: Carson Lilley
Fishers High School
Fishers, Indiana
“Road to College”
Judge’s comment: Informative, rich with sources and journalistically compelling.
To see all of Carson’s blogs, click here.
Second Place: Sean Mullins
Webster Groves High School
Webster Groves, Missouri
“Game Freak Must Learn What Does and Doesn’t Work From Pokemon Let’s Go”
“Review: Mega Man 11 Brings Franchise Back in Full Gear”
“Review: Splatoon 2 Stays Fresh Long After Launch”
Judge’s comment: A niche blog, but certainly well-stocked, updated and the writer is passionate about the subject.
To see all of Sean’s blogs, click here.
Third Place: Max Rhodes
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“Rhodes Traveled”
Judge’s comment: Good storytelling with use of photos and anecdotes, as well as historical facts and trivia. Solid blogging.
To see more of Max’s blogging, click here.
Category 13:
News Feature Photography
First Place: Kate Wyman
Richland R-1 School
Essex, Missouri
“A Final High Five”
Judge’s comment: “A Final High Five” is a visually interesting photograph that captures emotion and tells a story at a glance. It has pleasing depth, the low angle adds interest, placing the viewer in the scene and the line of lockers leads the eye back to the graduate. Is technically well done, tells a story and is a photograph that is hard to see and not remember.
Second Place: Caitlin Chung
Harvard-Westlake School
Studio City, California
“Ready-Set-Spirit”
Judge’s comment: “Ready-Set-Spirit” is a beautiful photograph of something that happens routinely at schools across the country. However, there is something almost magical in the combination of lighting, gesture, symmetry and reflection that make this photograph stand out.
Third Place: Claire Seinsheimer
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas,
“Hurricane Harvey Dog”
Judge’s comment: “Hurricane Harvey Dog” captures a beautiful moment between young woman and dog that is amplified by the empty, damaged space they are in the center of. In normal circumstances the framing and off-kilter angle would seriously detract, but here it almost adds to the chaos and hardship.
Category 14:
Sports Action Photography
First Place: Abbie Hoefer, Ladue Horton Watkins HS
St. Louis, Missouri, “Flipping through the air”
Judge’s comment: Great eye. Remember, backgrounds can make or break a photo. In this case the background is great as a visual that tells the reader what is going on and the subject is almost perfectly framed in the photo. My only suggestion for the future would be if you had a chance to motor drive this type of photo so that potentially the subject was not obscuring any part of the background wall, or to even go a bit looser so that we can get the entire visual.
Second Place: Liza King
Richland R-1 High School
Essex, Missouri
“RE REB REBOUND”
Judge’s comment: This photo is very well thought out. Lots of timing went into the thought process to get this shot. The fact that all of the players are looking up and trying to reach for the rebound worked out well for the photographer. Sometimes all the planning is irrelevant if things don’t work out quite perfectly. In this case it did. My only suggestion for this photo is maybe to shoot a tad bit looser to give the photo some room to breathe.
Third Place: Yang Runjia
Shandong Experimental High School
Beijing, China, “Boxers Briefly”
Judge’s comment: Great timing. Boxing is very difficult to cover but can make great photos with proper timing and technique. Here the photographer did exactly that and got exactly what they were hoping for. Nicely done.
Category 15:
Sports Reaction Photography
First Place: Kara Wagenknecht
Iowa City West
Iowa City, Iowa
“West basketball teams battle City”
Judge’s comment: Luck can play a big factor in photography but knowing where to be positioned when it hits is also important. Some basketball photographers want to be right under the action of the net while others know the back corner of the court near the coaches and bench also has a great view offering a lot of possibilities. The photographer was ready to take advantage of a show of reaction, and what a show it was. The coach's animated celebration is one of a kind. The players echoing that enthusiasm and framing his jubilation also give the image a huge boost. A little bit more of the fans could be cropped off the left side just beyond the player's fist, but the composition is close to perfect. Good timing with shutter speed and well-selected aperture to blur the background crowd. Congratulations on a beautiful photo!
See the full photo here.
Second Place: Luke Hoffman
Shawnee Mission East HS
Prairie Village, Kansas
“Yellow Card”
Judge’s comment: Normally, you wouldn't want an out of focus person standing the middle of a photo depicting an athlete. The exception is if that person is the referee, he's holding up a yellow card and we can clearly see the reaction of the player to the call. The player's expression and hand gestures are priceless and we the viewers know he's pleading a case that has already been judged. This makes for a great story-telling image. Maybe the cars on the top could be cropped just a bit more, but the inclusion of the inert soccer ball and frazzled player in the background (who perhaps was on the receiving end of the penalty) in the rest of the frame are big pluses. Excellent eye to watch for and take this photo.
See the full photo here.
Third Place: Sophie Osborn, Chanute High School
Chanute, Kansas, “Bench reaction brings energy to game”
Judge’s comment: A very lively spectacle is captured in this image. Great timing and use of shutter speed to capture the celebratory faces on the players and some of them suspended in mid-air. The perspective is a bit unusual for basketball, appearing to be from the opposite sideline with a subtle angle. As such, the horizon is slightly tilted and the wide aperture couldn't quite get the faces of the players on the far left completely sharp, yet also blur the background spectators in the most desirable way. The foot on the lower right can be cropped out, but otherwise the framing of the image is well done. Despite all the challenges, the intensity of the moment speaks for itself. Nice job.
See the full photo here.
Category 16:
Photo Illustration
First Place: Feng ZiLe
Guangdong Country Garden School
Foshan, China
“Autism”
Judge’s comment: This is an incredibly beautiful, evocative image. The lighting and exposure serve to both isolate and silhouette the subject, and the draped material creates movement in the image that keeps the eye moving through the frame.
For the full photo, click here.
Second Place: Julie Robertson
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“Under Fire”
Judge’s comment: This is an image that immediately conveys the story and draws the reader in. Julie's use of light was excellent and makes clear that this is an illustration, while the depth of field allows the subject to be seen as any fellow classmate. The wisp of smoke was a perfect touch, adding drama to an already powerful image.
For the full photo, click here.
Third Place: Taylor Siebert
Johnston High School
Johnston, Iowa
“Headache”
Judge’s comment: Taylor's use of multiple subjects with repeating gestures weave together into an impactful illustration evoking the pain of the subjects.
For the full photo, click here.
Category 17:
Photo Slideshow
First Place: Maeve Walsh
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“A broken home. A broken family. A broken heart.”
Judges comment: Fantastic storytelling! Cutlines could have used some proofreading, but well done otherwise!
View the full photo slideshow here.
Second Place: Sidney Sewell and Sidney Zabell
Granite Bay High School
Granite Bay, California
“Every 15 minutes”
Judges comment: Wow. The photos and descriptive captions were so realistic that I wasn't completely sure it was a mock scene.
View the full photo slideshow here.
Third Place: Pearl Heinley
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“Nau’s the time to remember the past”
Judges comment: Great photo story! Cutlines could have used a little proofing, but they told the story well.
View the full photo slideshow here.
Category 18:
Video News Package
First Place: Ju Botao
The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China
Beijing, China
“Microfinancing”
Judge’s comment: This piece is an excellent example of the power of visual storytelling. The technical execution mixed with the in-depth research and messaging demonstrates the power students have to tell powerful stories that impact people. Their work is a shining example for others.
Watch the full video here.
Second Place: Mara Moysen
Castro Valley High School
Castro Valley, California
“‘Embrace the immigrants,’ state lawmakers say”
Judge’s comment: The story provides context about an important issue that affects students and their local community. The inclusion of so many voices from politicians showed how dedicated the students were in gathering information. Great news analysis piece. Excellent piece. Great dedication to gather all of those interviews.
Watch the full video here.
Third Place: Max Harris
Harriton High School
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
“Home Explodes in Gladwyne, PA”
Judge’s comment: This is great breaking news piece. The story provides basic information in an engaging way. The students demonstrated tenacity in reporting this story. Great breaking news story.
Watch the full video here.
Category 19:
Video Sports Package
First Place: Caitlin Babcock, Mattie Hansen, Lauren Hauser, Reagan Light, Kendra Streicher, Caroline Voss, and Catherine Yeoman
Mount Vernon High School
Mount Vernon, Iowa
“Shirley Ryan: Volleyball Head Coach 1972-2010”
Judge’s comment: This feature package was extremely well done! Loved the use of old footage and newspaper articles. Also, getting a wide range of players throughout her coaching career was an excellent touch!
Watch the full video here.
Second Place: Jackson Estwanick
Marquette High School
Chesterfield, Missouri
“Student Skating Culture”
Judge’s comment: You did a great job with this package! You matched a lot of your footage with your voice-overs which was very well done. The package was very visually appealing and put together well. Great job!
Watch the full video here.
Third Place: Julia DiGregorio and Maddy Bream
Mira Costa High School
Manhattan Beach, California
“Sexism in Sports”
Judge’s comment: Great job on his package! The research you did for this piece was shown really well throughout the entire package. I thought using a male and female was important to your package to show the different perspectives on this challenging topic! Well done!
Watch the full video here.
Category 20:
Video Feature Package
First Place: Tian Xinran
Beijing 21st Century International School
Beijing, China
“Women’s Handwriting: An Endangered Character”
Judge’s comment: This piece is a stunning combination of storytelling and technical execution. The in-depth nature of the research provides viewers with excellent background about a topic about which they might know little. It's a fine example of the power of documentary storytelling.
Watch the full video here.
First Place: Gavin Milbourne and Samantha Barajas
Redlands East Valley High School
Redlands, California
“Video: An Redlands East Valley’s Drew Vines credits mom and school for real world experience in videography”
Judge’s comment: This is an excellent piece that combines the strengths of good storytelling techniques with solid video and audio production. The camera angles and b-roll enhance an engaging story about the subject.
Watch the full video here.
Third Place: Lauren Burkle, Madi Cranston, Rachel Axtell, Anna Nydegger, Mazie Rubner, and Lizzie Niehaus
Mount Vernon High School
Mount Vernon, Iowa
“Mark Benesh: Artistic Influence on Mount Vernon Community”
Judge’s comment: This piece is a stunning combination of storytelling and technical execution. The in-depth nature of the research provides viewers with excellent background about a topic about which they might know little. It's a fine example of the power of documentary storytelling.
Watch the full video and read the story here.
Category 21:
Podcast Series
First Place: Sophia Kontos
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“Pod on the Quad”
Judge’s comment: This is a strong podcast series that focuses on school issues important to the students at St. John's. The host is clearly prepared for each podcast — the scripted portions are strong — and engages her guests and panels with strong questions and follow-ups. She mixes individual guests with panel discussions of experts to create a podcast series that educates its listeners. She also uses the publication's website to provide written context for those listening on their computer. The production values are particularly strong, mixing original music with clear sound.
Second Place: Maeve Taylor and Lindsey Bennett
Webster Groves High School
Webster Groves, Missouri
“Voices of Webster:
Teachers Share Educational Philosophy”
Judge’s comment: Four short episodes help us understand a little more about teachers and how they approach their jobs at Webster Groves HS. This series is valuable, but it could provide a little more context, either with a VO by the host or through some introductory text on the website.
Third Place: Cole Sherman
Francis Howell North High School
St. Charles, Missouri
“Out of Bounds”
Judge’s comment: This young reporter just started his podcast interviews in December, but his regular production schedule and consistency of format are laudable. Better production values more follow-up questions to his guests will really push this over the top.
Category 22:
Podcast Single Episode
First Place: Sophia Kontos
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“Pod on the Quad: The Pannill Panel”
Judge’s comment: This podcast is the epitome of audio storytelling. While some of the cuts in the interview can be choppy at times, Sophia does a great job of describing the scene the panel interview is taking place and explaining the background of certain people and issues when necessary. The personality of both Sophia and the Pannill sisters shines through, contributing to the storytelling aspect. It's clear the interviewer has done her research and that helps the audience respect the credibility of her as a speaker and journalist.
Second Place: Ella West
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“Pod on the Quad (Ella’s Edition): Women Runners”
Judge’s comment: Great sound for the majority of the interview, with the exception of the last interview--it is there that the volume doesn't match, which can be a bit jarring for the listener. However, the introduction, actual story and conclusion are done very well in terms of audio storytelling and making a national issue matter at a local level. The audience clearly understands why this issue is important for everyday people.
Third Place: Sophia Kontos
St. John’s School
Houston, Texas
“Pod on the Quad: SAC 2018-19 Roundtable”
Judge’s comment: Great sound quality. The podcast has a very local focus, which can be off-putting to outside listeners. However, the personality of Sophia and those she interviews makes up for that and tells a great story of women's power in an academic setting and the autonomy that can be achieved through young female students if they take charge.
Category 23:
Editorial Cartoon
First Place: Evie Horton
El Camino Real Charter High School
Woodland Hills, California
“Kavanaugh’s appointment normalizes teen sexual assault”
Judge’s comment: Horton’s editorial cartoon effectively conveys an informed opinion on this national issue, namely the appointment of a U.S. Supreme Court justice, from a teen’s perspective. The cartoon is powerful in sharing this unique perspective, which is what scholastic journalists are prepared to provide. Love the proper use of the semicolon!
Read full story here.
Second Place: Heeral Patel
Francis Howell North High School
St. Charles, Missouri
“The Complainer vs. The Voter”
Judge’s comment: Creative cartoon addresses the issue of voting. This cartoon is clearly drawn and designed to make it easy to read and comprehend the message on the value of voting.
Read full story here.
Third Place: Ferren Thomas
Eisenhower High School
Shelby Township, Michigan
“Mental health matters”
Judge’s comment: Well-developed cartoon relays the factors affecting teen mental health in an accessible format. The attractive illustration is simple, capturing the attention of readers and clearly communicating.
Read full story here.
Category 24:
Advertisement
First Place: Erin Kammer
Lewiston High School
Lewiston, Idaho
“Reliance Center”
Judge’s comment: With this advertisement you are given all necessary information (location, phone, hours, website, services) to help decide this is where you will seek help. Clean and simple design with attractive coloring and shading. Visual design is a great draw.
For the full story, click here.
Second Place: Emma Myny
Eisenhower High School
Shelby Township, Michigan
“Brainy Kids Tutoring”
Judge’s comment: Company name bold and informative. Straight clean lines for visual simplicity. Ad provides all necessary information and draws you to decide this is where you want to go to up your scores. Content and company name flow smooth making for easy reading. Simple.
For the full story, click here.
Third Place: Makenna Sloat
Eisenhower High School
Shelby Township, Michigan
“Bubble Cream”
Judge’s comment: Business name stands out as one to remember. With the bold and bright colors and unique design of off centered wording within food I am required to refocus a couple times. It is a happy ad (like going to the circus) and who wouldn't want to try this establishment? Great choice of design and content mixed with popping colors.
For the full story, click here.
Category 25:
Informational Graphic
First Place: Charlie Holden
McCallum High School
Austin, Texas
“What is suspicious?”
Judges comment: Congratulations on a well-designed infographic that draws your eye in a circular pattern to impart lots of great detail. A few commas could have been used better, but this was clearly the strongest entry.
View the full infographic here.
Second Place: Jackie Hur
Carmel High School
Carmel, Indiana
“Tying It All Together”
Judges comment: Informative, professional-looking design, pleasant color choices, effective fonts and great timeline--the whole package!
View the full infographic here.
Third Place: Heeral Patel �Francis Howell North High School
St. Charles, Missouri
“Where Do the Hours Go?”
Judges comment: Very effective design that pulls the eye in a clockwise direction. Great color and font choices, too, and I love the local/national comparison. Use AP style for dashes, though.
View the full infographic here.
Category 26:
News Magazine Cover Design
First Place: Sami Turner and Anna Parnell
Lawrence High School
Lawrence, Kansas
“Issue 8 Grad cover maze”
Judge’s comment: This cover is busy, but it creates an emotional reaction. The maze is very clever, the page teaser placement is perfect, and I’m happy the designer only used one color. Great work!
To view the full cover, click here.
Second Place: Taylor Siebert
Johnston High School
Johnston, Iowa
“Change”
Judge’s comment: The colors are really attractive in this design, and I appreciate that there is a lot going on in the illustration, but “change” is still the dominant element. The designer did a nice job of letting the visuals carry the page, without overdoing it.
To view the full cover, click here.
Third Place: Flora Fang
International School of Dongguan
Dongguan, Guangdong
“Music & Society cover design”
Judge’s comment: While there is a lot going on with this cover, it’s organized nicely, and the colors work well. The photo editing is just right, and the designer did a great job of only using one font. This is a great example of how you can use one font several different ways to create an attractive design.
To view the full cover, click here.
Category 27:
Newspaper Front Page Design
First Place: Alina Choi
Troy High School
Fullerton, California
“Sleep: A Dream?”
Judge’s comment: This cover is really beautiful and a nice overall design. I appreciate the page hierarchy and that the graphics aren’t overdone. The designer could have overloaded readers with more elements, but this is perfect. I also like that the teasers at the bottom each have a graphic element and the design is consistent among them. Awesome page!
To view the full cover, click here.
Second Place: Kayva Jain, and Marta Mieze
Marquette High School
Chesterfield, Missouri
“25 years and counting”
Judge’s comment: This is an awesome concept. Using the historical newspaper is a great way to illustrate history. The transition to the current masthead and photo is nice.
To view the full cover, click here.
Third Place: Ian Ong
Conestoga High School
Berwyn, Pennsylvania
“Soaring to Victory”
Judge’s comment: This is a well designed page. It’s rare to see this caliber of design at the professional level, let alone from a high school designer. The design is consistent, there is a limited use of color, and everything is very clean and organized. Even though there aren’t many elements, there’s a lot of thought into this page.
To view the full cover, click here.
Category 28:
Feature Page Design
First Place: Angela Li
Carmel High School
Carmel, Indiana
“Top Secret”
Judge’s comment: This feature package is so fun. You feel like a detective as you go through the pages, and the theme flows really well. From the paper clips and torn paper to the manila folder background and the authentic Top Secret stamp, the design is clean and wonderfully appealing.
To view the full cover, click here.
Second Place: Taylor Siebert
Johnston High School
Johnston, Iowa
“Fall”
Judge’s comment: The perspective on this page is awesome. The background images don’t overpower the text in the recipes, and the circles help offset the text. It’s a beautiful package. It’s a challenge to mix so many different elements, and the designer succeeds fabulously.
To view the full cover, click here.
Third Place: Maddy McCormick
Acalanes High School
Lafayette, California
“Spring Fashion Insert”
Judge’s comment: I keep coming back to this package because it's fun, colorful, but still organized. This designer stretches the use of color and fonts, but in a consistent way that doesn’t get too distracting. This is a great design.
To view the full cover, click here.
Category 29:
Sports Page Design
First Place: Jackson Bry
Ladue Horton Watkins High School
St. Louis, Missouri
“Finally”
Judge’s comment: This is a very cool layout. There are many different elements to draw the reader in, and the quote and graphic elements in the corner are really appealing. I like that the designer didn’t go overboard with color, and the Captains’ Careers are a great addition.
To view the full cover, click here.
Second Place: Ben Hobbs
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Overland Park, Kansas
“Dash on”
Judge’s comment: You don’t have to get too fancy to have a fantastic design. This package has just the right number of elements. I really appreciate the large headline and the use of the pull-out quote, which adds contrast without being too much of a distraction. The designer did a great job of pulling this together.
To view the full cover, click here.
Third Place: Rita Wilkin
Wando High School
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
“All in out west”
Judge’s comment: That fist! The designer did a great job organizing these elements and using a dominant photo to really pack a punch in a fantastic package. That photo of the alumni ring could have easily been a boring square image on the page, but the designer melds it into the design in a great way.
To view the full cover, click here.
Category 30:
Editorial Page Design
First Place: Lex Park
Troy High School
Fullerton, California
“Facebook spread”
Judge’s comment: This spread is really eye-catching. I like the use of the browser windows for the FAQs, and the timeline works great on the bottom. It’s a fun package and a fantastic design.
To view the full cover, click here.
Second Place: Maddie Cooke
Tigard High School
Tigard, Oregon
“The DiversiTEA”
Judge’s comment: There are several great elements on this page. I appreciate the limited color choices, and that the pie charts are set off to the side. The photo illustration draws the reader in, and the page is divided in a nice way that keeps the page interesting.
To view the full cover, click here.
Third Place: Ben Hobbs
Blue Valley Northwest High School
Overland Park, Kansas
“Women in Congress”
Judge’s comment: There are several great elements on this page. I appreciate the limited color choices, and that the pie charts are set off to the side. The photo illustration draws the reader in, and the page is divided in a nice way that keeps the page interesting.
To view the full cover, click here.