21 Superior entries in Junior High/Middle School National Media Contest
The Journalism Education Association announces the winners of the 2021 Junior High/Middle School National Media Contest.
This was the first time the media contest was conducted through the NSMC system. The 2021 contest also included new categories in yearbook and newspaper.
There were 195 entries in the 25 yearbook, news publication, broadcast and photography categories. Judging for entries took place between April 20 through May 9.
There are 119 winning entries comprising 21 Superior, 39 Excellent and 59 Honorable Mention awards. Superior winners each receive a medal and all award winners receive a certificate.
All the competitors had their submissions evaluated by teams of judges who also provided each entry with written feedback. Those critiques are available through the NSMC website. Advisers can log in with their username and password to view their critiques.
Certificates and medals will be mailed to schools.
If you advise a junior high or middle school publication, watch for details about the 2022 contest in January.
2021 Junior High/Middle School National Media Contest results
| Contest Name | Student Name | Award | School name | School state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Avery Truran | Superior | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Nathan McDaniel | Superior | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Avery Frarer | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Kate Rogers | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Layla Ryan | Excellent | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Caleb Calhoun | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Claire Comer | Honorable Mention | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Ragan Stoltz | Honorable Mention | Cactus Canyon Junior High School | AZ |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Ruby Templeton | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Sophie Hart | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Stella Sutton | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Taylor Graham | Honorable Mention | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| News/Academic Photo and Caption | Vivi Garton | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Ruby Templeton | Superior | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Stella Sutton | Superior | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Brianna Cain | Excellent | Richland R-1 School | MO |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Grant Lansden | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Nick Peck | Excellent | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Ragan Stoltz | Excellent | Cactus Canyon Junior High School | AZ |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Vivi Garton | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Anna Brownlee | Honorable Mention | Cactus Canyon Junior High School | AZ |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Ava Johnson | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Chloe Tanner | Honorable Mention | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Christian Reyes | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Grace Chen | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Grant Lansden | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Isabella Stewart | Honorable Mention | Cactus Canyon Junior High School | AZ |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Jack Mancuso | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Kate Holmes | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Kylee Carter | Honorable Mention | Richland R-1 School | MO |
| Sports Action or Reaction Photo and Caption | Lily Presley | Honorable Mention | Bryant Jr High School | AR |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Nathan McDaniel | Superior | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Shyla Swasho | Superior | Richland R-1 School | MO |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Marlee Means | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Avery Frarer | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Cadence Gaines | Honorable Mention | Hillcrest Middle School | SC |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Evelyn Almeida | Honorable Mention | Cactus Canyon Junior High School | AZ |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Jack Mancuso | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Kate Rogers | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Lily Presley | Honorable Mention | Bryant Jr High School | AR |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Logan Richter | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Madelyn Louton | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Nytriuna Smith | Honorable Mention | Bryant Jr High School | AR |
| Student Life Photo and Caption | Rebekah Liebert | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Feature/Environmental Portrait Photo and Caption | Christian Reyes | Superior | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Feature/Environmental Portrait Photo and Caption | Nick Peck | Excellent | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| Feature/Environmental Portrait Photo and Caption | Ashton Edwards | Honorable Mention | Hillcrest Middle School | SC |
| Theme Package | Adelynn Hall | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Alexandra Zents | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Annika Visser | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Ava Booth | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Charlotte Shipps | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Colin Varga | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Daniel Tinoco | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Deidra Hooper | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Ellee Tasker | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Erin Gronniger | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Grayson Gutteron | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Greyson Walter | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Jewell McBee | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Kaelin Yates | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Lizzie Homer | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Madeleine Shipps | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Madison Medjo | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Marisa Fuentes | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Maxine Crittenden | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Sadie Canaday | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Sarah Breed | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Seth Pollard | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Sydney Liedtke | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Taylor Graham | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Tyler R. | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Theme Package | Avery Frarer | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Theme Package | Avery Hull | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Theme Package | Logan Richter | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Theme Package | Tyler Katz | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Theme Package | Aiden Velez | Honorable Mention | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| Theme Package | Annabelle Marsh | Honorable Mention | Cypress Lake Middle School | FL |
| Theme Package | Austyn Shipman | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Theme Package | Doriane Ballard | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Theme Package | Emma Sofia Arrigucci | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Theme Package | Hailey Baer | Honorable Mention | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| Theme Package | Hamza Rahman | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Theme Package | Isabella Paluzzi | Honorable Mention | Cypress Lake Middle School | FL |
| Theme Package | Jenny Moliski | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Theme Package | Juliette Cronin | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Theme Package | Macklaine Easton | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Theme Package | Marlee Means | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Theme Package | Pradnya Venkatesan | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Theme Package | Reina Khang | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Theme Package | Ruby Templeton | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Theme Package | Sarah Messadi | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Traditional Spread Design | Lilliana Macormac | Superior | Derby North Middle School | KS |
| Traditional Spread Design | Riley Herring | Superior | Derby North Middle School | KS |
| Traditional Spread Design | Avery Frarer | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Traditional Spread Design | Avery Frarer | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Traditional Spread Design | Avery Hull | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Traditional Spread Design | Avery Hull | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Traditional Spread Design | Gunner Mertlich | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Traditional Spread Design | Marlee Means | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Traditional Spread Design | Ruby Templeton | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Traditional Spread Design | Sabrina Banh | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Traditional Spread Design | Bree Stuhlsatz | Honorable Mention | Derby North Middle School | KS |
| Traditional Spread Design | Claire Pafford | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Traditional Spread Design | Ellyse Olmstead | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Traditional Spread Design | Jack Mancuso | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Traditional Spread Design | Jack Mancuso | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Traditional Spread Design | Julia Arenson | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Traditional Spread Design | Margo Burnette | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Traditional Spread Design | Margo Burnette | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Traditional Spread Design | Nevaeh Lone | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Traditional Spread Design | Nevaeh Lone | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Traditional Spread Design | Serena Savio | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Traditional Spread Design | Serena Savio | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Traditional Spread Design | Sophia Maxwell | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| People Spread Design | Avery Hull | Superior | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| People Spread Design | Jordan Carlin | Superior | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| People Spread Design | Christian Reyes | Excellent | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| People Spread Design | Erin Robins | Excellent | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| People Spread Design | Jack Mancuso | Excellent | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| People Spread Design | Kate Holmes | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| People Spread Design | Rebekah Liebert | Excellent | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| People Spread Design | Sophie Hart | Excellent | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| People Spread Design | Stella Sutton | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Chronological Spread Design | Vy Nguyen | Superior | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| Chronological Spread Design | Adelynn Hall | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Alexandra Zents | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Annika Visser | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Austyn Shipman | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Chronological Spread Design | Ava Booth | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Avery Frarer | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Chronological Spread Design | Avery Frarer | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Chronological Spread Design | Avery Hull | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Chronological Spread Design | Avery Hull | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Chronological Spread Design | Charlotte Shipps | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Colin Varga | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Daniel Tinoco | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Deidra Hooper | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Ellee Tasker | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Erin Gronniger | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Grayson Gutteron | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Greyson Walter | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Jewell McBee | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Kaelin Yates | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Lizzie Homer | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Macklaine Easton | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Chronological Spread Design | Madeleine Shipps | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Madison Medjo | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Marisa Fuentes | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Marley Peay | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Chronological Spread Design | Maxine Crittenden | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Presllie Jones | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Chronological Spread Design | Sadie Canaday | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Sarah Breed | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Seth Pollard | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Sydney Liedtke | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Taylor Graham | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Tyler R. | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Chronological Spread Design | Bianca George | Honorable Mention | Derby North Middle School | KS |
| Chronological Spread Design | Liza Hoard | Honorable Mention | Westfield Middle School | IN |
| Chronological Spread Design | Makayla Gonzalez | Honorable Mention | Derby North Middle School | KS |
| Umbrella/Blended Coverage Spread | Aarti Patel | Superior | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Umbrella/Blended Coverage Spread | Aarti Patel | Excellent | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Umbrella/Blended Coverage Spread | Gwyneth Maddox | Excellent | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Umbrella/Blended Coverage Spread | Hadleigh Baldwin | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Umbrella/Blended Coverage Spread | Vivi Garton | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Design Portfolio | Madden Holloway | Excellent | Bryant Jr High School | AR |
| Design Portfolio | Ruby Templeton | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Opening Copy Writing | Marlee Means | Superior | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Opening Copy Writing | Sarah Breed | Superior | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Opening Copy Writing | Avery Hull | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Opening Copy Writing | Sydnee Stulga | Excellent | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Opening Copy Writing | Emma Sofia Arrigucci | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Opening Copy Writing | Erin Robins | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Opening Copy Writing | Julia Arenson | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Opening Copy Writing | Pradnya Venkatesan | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Opening Copy Writing | Reina Khang | Honorable Mention | Pearson Ranch Middle School | TX |
| Opening Copy Writing | Sophia Maxwell | Honorable Mention | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Opening Copy Writing | Sophie Hart | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Personality Profile Writing | Julia Arenson | Superior | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Personality Profile Writing | Sarah Messadi | Superior | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Personality Profile Writing | Sophia Maxwell | Superior | The Alexander Dawson School | NV |
| Personality Profile Writing | Christian Reyes | Excellent | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Personality Profile Writing | Deidra Hooper | Excellent | Castle Rock Middle School | CO |
| Personality Profile Writing | Sophie Hart | Excellent | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Personality Profile Writing | Chloe Christianson | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Personality Profile Writing | Erin Robins | Honorable Mention | Coppell Middle School East | TX |
| Personality Profile Writing | Macklaine Easton | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Yearbook Writing | Heather Mowdy | Superior | Pittsburg Community Middle School | KS |
| Yearbook Writing | Hadleigh Baldwin | Excellent | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Yearbook Writing | Kiani Byron | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Yearbook Writing | Maizy Pulsipher | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Yearbook Writing | Marlee Means | Honorable Mention | Woodland Junior High School | AR |
| Yearbook Writing | Marley Peay | Honorable Mention | Greenfield Jr High School | AZ |
| Newspaper Front Page Layout | Brendan Burns | Honorable Mention | Dudley Middle School | MA |
| Newspaper Front Page Layout | Joseph Cooper | Honorable Mention | Dudley Middle School | MA |
| Newspaper Front Page Layout | Olivia Whitehurst | Honorable Mention | Dudley Middle School | MA |
| Newsmagazine Front Page Layout | Esra Cattelane | Excellent | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| Single Inside Page Layout Design | Jocelyn Kirby | Excellent | Bryant Jr High School | AR |
| Doubletruck Layout Design | M. Umair Kazi | Honorable Mention | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| News Writing | Kylie Calderon | Superior | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| News Writing | Nicole Vasallo | Superior | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| News Writing | Sarah Ferguson | Superior | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| News Writing | Tyson Jimerson | Superior | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| News Writing | David Hull | Excellent | Trinity Preparatory School | FL |
| News Writing | David Steinberg | Honorable Mention | Trinity Preparatory School | FL |
| News Writing | Kaliyah Coley | Honorable Mention | Red Oak Middle School | TX |
| Feature Writing | Carol Marques | Superior | Trinity Preparatory School | FL |
| Feature Writing | Lindsey Yared | Excellent | Trinity Preparatory School | FL |
| Feature Writing | Jocelyn Kirby | Honorable Mention | Bryant Jr High School | AR |
| Feature Writing | Shailee Patel | Honorable Mention | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| Other Writing | Ferzeen Kavarana | Superior | James R. Geisler Middle School | MI |
| Other Writing | Monica Carroll | Honorable Mention | Red Oak Middle School | TX |
| Other Writing | Tyson Jimerson | Honorable Mention | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| Sports Writing | Rylee Rutledge | Excellent | Bryant Jr High School | AR |
| Sports Writing | Tyson Jimerson | Honorable Mention | Bak Middle School of the Arts | FL |
| Broadcast Package Feature Story | Natalie Villa | Excellent | K O Knudson Middle School | NV |
| Broadcast Package Feature Story | London Alceac | Honorable Mention | Pembroke Pines (K-8) Campus | FL |
| Short Documentary/PSA | Anaya Iyer | Superior | Sarah W Gibbons Middle School | MA |
| Short Documentary/PSA | Ashlyn Jose | Excellent | Pembroke Pines (K-8) Campus | FL |
| Short Documentary/PSA | Daisy Diaz | Excellent | Pembroke Pines (K-8) Campus | FL |
| Short Documentary/PSA | Eduardo Duran | Excellent | Pembroke Pines (K-8) Campus | FL |
| Short Documentary/PSA | Ivy Feuerborn | Excellent | K O Knudson Middle School | NV |
| Short Documentary/PSA | Anita Gorman | Honorable Mention | K O Knudson Middle School | NV |
Founded in 1924, JEA supports free and responsible scholastic journalism by providing resources and educational opportunities, promoting professionalism, encouraging and rewarding student excellence and teacher achievement, and an atmosphere which encompasses diversity yet builds unity. It is headquartered at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.