By Nancy Smith, MJE, NSMC chair

The National Student Media Contests were all completed virtually for the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention.

In all, 438 students competed in photo, broadcast, graphic design, literary magazine, design and writing contests.

There were 218 winning students comprising 38 superior, 80 excellent and 100 honorable mention awards.

All the competitors had their submissions assessed by teams of judges, and those critiques are available at the NSMC website. Contestants can log in with their username and password to view their critiques.

Certificates and medals for the winners were mailed to schools.

In place of the traditional on-site critique session, each contest’s lead judge has created a video critique. Critique videos provide information about the contest and what the judges were looking for in the winning entries.

Judges also share some of their thoughts about what some of the strengths were in the category and what are some general areas to look to improve in the future. The contest prompts and the critiques are great resources for classroom lessons and preparation for future contests.

In addition, through SmugMug students and advisers can view thousands of photos from JEA photo contests in each of the nine categories. The site houses all of the photos that have been recognized in past conventions so users can learn from those student photographers.

SmugMug has an interface that discourages copying of images and allows full display of metadata including camera data and captions. So photojournalists really can break down the photo to discuss technique, composition and the meaning of the images. 

“What a show of resilience by these students. Despite the unbelievable challenges of this school year, I’m so pleased that our organization was still ale to offer these contests and recognize so many talented journalists,” JEA contest chair Nancy Smith said. “I am also so grateful for the hours spent by our nearly 200 judges who shared their expertise with our participants and completed critiques.”

Spring 2021 National Student Media Contests results

Rating Contest Name Full Name School Name School State
Superior Newswriting Hudson Fox Carlmont High School CA
Excellent Newswriting Aleena Gul McLean High School VA
Honorable Mention Newswriting Michelle Chen Monta Vista High School CA
Honorable Mention Newswriting Ethan Preston Mercer Island High School WA
Superior Editorial Writing Devon Rocke Conestoga High School PA
Superior Editorial Writing Kate Grove Mercer Island High School WA
Excellent Editorial Writing Delilah Brumer Daniel Pearl Magnet High School CA
Excellent Editorial Writing Ahmed Ahmed Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Excellent Editorial Writing Maya Lyou Da Vinci Schools CA
Honorable Mention Editorial Writing Jason Wu Walnut High School CA
Honorable Mention Editorial Writing Elizabeth Keane Prospect High School IL
Honorable Mention Editorial Writing Isabella Rinne Sedro Woolley High School WA
Honorable Mention Editorial Writing Ryan Servaites M Stoneman Douglas High School FL
Honorable Mention Editorial Writing Isabelle Nunes Carlmont High School CA
Excellent Feature Writing Alison Ho Walnut High School CA
Excellent Feature Writing Ashlynn Perez Francis Howell North High School MO
Excellent Feature Writing Atarah Israel Munster High School IN
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Chrissa Olson Redondo Union High School CA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Anushka De Monta Vista High School CA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Mehuli Basu Roy Westlake High School TX
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Olivia Kim Prospect High School IL
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Katherine Lee Conestoga High School PA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Annika Bhananker Mercer Island High School WA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Woojoo Kim Wayland High School MA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Amelie De Leon Woodside High School CA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Grace Wu Carlmont High School CA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Julia Jauregui Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Leila Touati Amador Valley High School CA
Honorable Mention Feature Writing Anita Gaenko Huron High School MI
Superior Sports Writing Alex Levin Mercer Island High School WA
Excellent Sports Writing Hanah Kitamoto Iowa City West High School IA
Excellent Sports Writing Corinne Piorkowski James Bowie High School TX
Excellent Sports Writing Maya Bussinger Bear River High School CA
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Olivia Olson Shawnee Mission East High School KS
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Tanner Pierce Puyallup High School WA
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Jayanti Jha Monta Vista High School CA
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Morgan Vehige Lafayette High School MO
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Graciela Fischer Conifer High School CO
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Reese Wang Conestoga High School PA
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Hannah Hernandez Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Matt Carter Amador Valley High School CA
Honorable Mention Sports Writing Quinn Newhouse Huron High School MI
Superior Review Writing Nadia Bidarian Redondo Union High School CA
Excellent Review Writing Eliza Turco Omaha Marian High School NE
Excellent Review Writing Jack Daws Lafayette High School MO
Excellent Review Writing Hugh Chan Ladue Horton Watkins High School MO
Excellent Review Writing Morgan Dawson Mercer Island High School WA
Excellent Review Writing Rebecca Von Tersch Carlmont High School CA
Excellent Review Writing Jasmine Andrea Amador Valley High School CA
Honorable Mention Review Writing Andrew Kim Walnut High School CA
Honorable Mention Review Writing Michaela Ely Puyallup High School WA
Honorable Mention Review Writing Minita Layal Inglemoor High School WA
Honorable Mention Review Writing Evan Lu Conestoga High School PA
Honorable Mention Review Writing Allison Whiting Bear River High School CA
Superior Editorial Cartooning Sophia Pan Conestoga High School PA
Superior Editorial Cartooning Lena Hardisty Mercer Island High School WA
Honorable Mention Editorial Cartooning Rachel Jiang Monta Vista High School CA
Honorable Mention Editorial Cartooning Amy Xiu Huron High School MI
Superior Commentary Writing Leo Quale Puyallup High School WA
Superior Commentary Writing Lance Tong Monta Vista High School CA
Excellent Commentary Writing Annie Pan Ladue Horton Watkins High School MO
Excellent Commentary Writing Umar Samdani Conestoga High School PA
Excellent Commentary Writing Sonali Carumbaya Amador Valley High School CA
Honorable Mention Commentary Writing Vijay Viswanathan Lafayette High School MO
Honorable Mention Commentary Writing Maya Dawson Conifer High School CO
Honorable Mention Commentary Writing Dylan Ebs James Bowie High School TX
Honorable Mention Commentary Writing Elle Horst Carlmont High School CA
Honorable Mention Newspaper Layout  Edward Garcia Walnut High School CA
Superior Newsmagazine Layout  Grace Huang Iowa City West High School IA
Excellent Newsmagazine Layout  Iman Malik Monta Vista High School CA
Superior Press Law and Ethics Kellen Hoard Inglemoor High School WA
Superior Press Law and Ethics Annabelle Owyoung Bear River High School CA
Excellent Press Law and Ethics Devin Gupta Monta Vista High School CA
Excellent Press Law and Ethics Nathaniel Reyes Mountlake Terrace High School WA
Honorable Mention Press Law and Ethics Marandah Mangra-Dutcher Johnston High School IA
Honorable Mention Press Law and Ethics Jacob Molina Dos Pueblos High School CA
Honorable Mention Press Law and Ethics Elise Hsu Carlmont High School CA
Honorable Mention Press Law and Ethics Anjali Kok Combs High School AZ
Superior Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports Annie Lin Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports Samantha Smith Conifer High School CO
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports Claire Graver Prospect High School IL
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports Joseph Budiselich Westlake High School TX
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports Alyssa Tay James C Enochs High School CA
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics Zoe Smutko Prospect High School IL
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics Araelia Wilson James C Enochs High School CA
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics Virginia Pinkley Christ Presbyterian Academy TN
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics Layla Halilbasic Oakville High School MO
Superior Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs Mia Terek Munster High School IN
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs Jacob Stoebner Christ Presbyterian Academy TN
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs Kiara Zanfei James C Enochs High School CA
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs Abigail Blalock Westlake High School TX
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs Lejla Pozegic Oakville High School MO
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs April Talaro Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Superior Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life Hallie Crisp Christ Presbyterian Academy TN
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life Amanda Pinter Prospect High School IL
Excellent Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life Brenna Steele James C Enochs High School CA
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life Paige Halter Lafayette High School MO
Honorable Mention Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life Leona Barocas St Paul Academy and Summit School MN
Superior Yearbook Layout: Theme Omar Ortega James C Enochs High School CA
Excellent Yearbook Layout: Theme Karsyn Arnold Salina Central High School KS
Honorable Mention Yearbook Layout: Theme Maddie Layman Johnston High School IA
Honorable Mention Yearbook Layout: Theme Isobel Lebeau Prospect High School IL
Superior Yearbook Layout: Inside Pages Amber Zhao Walnut High School CA
Excellent Yearbook Layout: Inside Pages Iain McCarthy James C Enochs High School CA
Honorable Mention Yearbook Layout: Inside Pages Paige Russo Prospect High School IL
Superior Yearbook Cover/Endsheets Makenzie Maring Salina Central High School KS
Excellent Yearbook Cover/Endsheets Lauren Burgin Har-Ber High School AR
Honorable Mention Yearbook Cover/Endsheets Sandra Amores Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Superior Literary Magazine: Layout Oviya Srihari Ladue Horton Watkins High School MO
Honorable Mention Literary Magazine: Layout Jay Marren Johnston High School IA
Superior Literary Magazine: Poetry Sarah Dent Dos Pueblos High School CA
Excellent Literary Magazine: Poetry Kylie Bennett Arapahoe High School CO
Excellent Literary Magazine: Poetry Maddie Potter Conifer High School CO
Excellent Literary Magazine: Poetry Milla Zuniga Amador Valley High School CA
Honorable Mention Literary Magazine: Poetry Kylie Emery Johnston High School IA
Honorable Mention Literary Magazine: Poetry Lara Palma Murray Westlake High School TX
Honorable Mention Literary Magazine: Poetry Sara Tate Bear River High School CA
Superior Literary Magazine: Illustration Justine Constantino Walnut High School CA
Excellent Literary Magazine: Illustration Addi Gerlach Christ Presbyterian Academy TN
Honorable Mention Literary Magazine: Illustration Isabelle McAnally Puyallup High School WA
Honorable Mention Literary Magazine: Photography Ashley Doehner Omaha Marian High School NE
Honorable Mention Literary Magazine: Photography Chloe Amyx Christ Presbyterian Academy TN
Excellent Graphic Design: Logo Marissa Mathieson Ladue Horton Watkins High School MO
Excellent Graphic Design: Logo Rae Gray James Bowie High School TX
Excellent Graphic Design: Logo Bianca Sanchez Da Vinci Schools CA
Honorable Mention Graphic Design: Logo Rory Knettles Inglemoor High School WA
Honorable Mention Graphic Design: Logo Isabella Ricci Dos Pueblos High School CA
Honorable Mention Graphic Design: Logo Georgia Paul Eastview High School MN
Honorable Mention Graphic Design: Logo Tishie Nyitry Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Honorable Mention Graphic Design: Logo Araya Reed Bear River High School CA
Superior Graphic Design: Infographics Sophia Liu Ladue Horton Watkins High School MO
Excellent Graphic Design: Infographics Emma Wagner James C Enochs High School CA
Superior Graphic Design: Advertising Joanne Sung Ladue Horton Watkins High School MO
Excellent Graphic Design: Advertising Emily Adamson Bear River High School CA
Honorable Mention Graphic Design: Advertising Mira Bhatt Carlmont High School CA
Superior Graphic Design: Photo Illustration Madison Land Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Excellent Graphic Design: Photo Illustration Anisa Toliver James C Enochs High School CA
Superior Themed Photo Emma Donald Van Alstyne High School TX
Excellent Themed Photo Alexia Morris James C Enochs High School CA
Excellent Themed Photo Kirsten Briscoe Bear River High School CA
Excellent Themed Photo Ian Shay Strath Haven High School PA
Honorable Mention Themed Photo Chioma Aloziem Omaha Marian High School NE
Honorable Mention Themed Photo Alison Togami Dos Pueblos High School CA
Superior Sports Action Photography Mollie Gallagher Van Alstyne High School TX
Excellent Sports Action Photography Emma Sutherland Madison High School ID
Excellent Sports Action Photography Aric Shah Westlake High School TX
Excellent Sports Action Photography Addison Whitney Har-Ber High School AR
Excellent Sports Action Photography Paulina Solorzano Whitney High School CA
Honorable Mention Sports Action Photography Morgan Topps Prospect High School IL
Honorable Mention Sports Action Photography Owen Aanestad Iowa City West High School IA
Honorable Mention Sports Action Photography Christian Tillard Combs High School AZ
Honorable Mention Sports Action Photography Siera Octaviano Antwerp Local School OH
Superior Sports Feature Photography Caroline Dossman Van Alstyne High School TX
Excellent Sports Feature Photography Rachael Barkoff Westlake High School TX
Excellent Sports Feature Photography Madison Lamb Combs High School AZ
Honorable Mention Sports Feature Photography Lily Saba Williams Field High School AZ
Excellent Feature Photography Analyn Do James C Enochs High School CA
Excellent Feature Photography Alexej Vargas Har-Ber High School AR
Excellent Feature Photography Isabel Inman Van Alstyne High School TX
Honorable Mention Feature Photography Kylie Jones Madison High School ID
Honorable Mention Feature Photography Hannah Mekky Prospect High School IL
Excellent General or Spot News Photography Cedrik Von Briel Woodside High School CA
Superior Photo Story Nikolas Liepins St Paul Academy and Summit School MN
Excellent Photo Story Julia Franco Westlake High School TX
Excellent Photo Story Ameena Pierstorff James C Enochs High School CA
Excellent Photo Story Peyton Mann Van Alstyne High School TX
Honorable Mention Photo Story Emma Neilson Williams Field High School AZ
Superior Photography Portfolio Chloe Rosenbaum Redondo Union High School CA
Excellent Photography Portfolio Robert Dicker Arapahoe High School CO
Honorable Mention Photography Portfolio Jordyn Cimmiyotti Johnston High School IA
Honorable Mention Photography Portfolio Danny Soufi Westlake High School TX
Honorable Mention Photography Portfolio Alyssa Skala Iowa City West High School IA
Excellent Portrait Photo Sophia Talley James C Enochs High School CA
Excellent Portrait Photo Dean Carrasco Southwest Career and Technical Academy NV
Excellent Portrait Photo Madison Meilinger Bear River High School CA
Excellent Portrait Photo Allison Mi Huron High School MI
Honorable Mention Portrait Photo Todd McKechnie Munster High School IN
Honorable Mention Portrait Photo Cali Shohet Carlmont High School CA
Superior First-Year Photo Francis Hovland Munster High School IN
Excellent First-Year Photo Joy Wang Bellaire High School TX
Excellent First-Year Photo Isabella Zardo James C Enochs High School CA
Excellent First-Year Photo Layla Copsey Antwerp Local School OH
Excellent First-Year Photo Madelyn Thomas Van Alstyne High School TX
Honorable Mention First-Year Photo Alyssa Miner Johnston High School IA
Honorable Mention First-Year Photo Mia Scott Combs High School AZ
Honorable Mention First-Year Photo Marin Lent Strath Haven High School PA
Superior Broadcast News Story Jordan Ayers Van Alstyne High School TX
Excellent Broadcast News Story Mariah Alber Williams Field High School AZ
Superior Broadcast Sports Story Khaalid Cumar Eastview High School MN
Excellent Broadcast Sports Story John Bristor Williams Field High School AZ
Excellent Broadcast Sports Story Carson Cooper Van Alstyne High School TX
Superior Broadcast Feature Story Kate Carson Van Alstyne High School TX
Excellent Broadcast Feature Story Emma Letzig Prospect High School IL
Honorable Mention Broadcast Feature Story Mia Gonzalez Ronald Reagan High School TX
Honorable Mention Broadcast Feature Story Jeffrey Davis Williams Field High School AZ
Superior Broadcast Commercial/PSA Asher Pouliot Williams Field High School AZ
Excellent Broadcast Commercial/PSA Austin Beatty Salina Central High School KS
Superior Videography Kaley Mazurowski Williams Field High School AZ
Excellent Videography Emily Zhang Francis Howell North High School MO
Excellent Videography Meg Heveroh Oakville High School MO
Excellent Short Documentary Trisha Khattar Amador Valley High School CA
Honorable Mention Short Documentary Katherine Lytle Prospect High School IL
Honorable Mention Short Documentary Tianyi Sun Nanjing Jinling High School  
Honorable Mention Short Documentary Xinhui Ye Crosspoint at Nanjing Yuhuatai International High School 
Superior Video Package Editing Olivia Stankewicz Padua Academy DE
Excellent Video Package Editing Kevin Vera Lafayette High School MO
Honorable Mention Video Package Editing Logan Tilly Conifer High School CO
Honorable Mention Video Package Editing Syrina Castillo Combs High School AZ
Honorable Mention Video Package Editing Paul Moody Williams Field High School AZ
Superior Online News Package Renna Popli Amador Valley High School CA
Excellent Online News Package Simone Cawthorne King Chandler High School AZ
Excellent Online News Package Ivy Lam M Stoneman Douglas High School FL
Honorable Mention Online News Package Cassandra Ludwig Oakville High School MO
Honorable Mention Online News Package Candice Anvari-Ghasr Beverly Hills High School CA
Honorable Mention Broadcast Newswriting Eva Beidle Oakville High School MO
Superior Broadcast Package Alli Cholette Van Alstyne High School TX
Excellent Broadcast Package Brooke Anderson Williams Field High School AZ
Honorable Mention Broadcast Package Joey Weaver Lafayette High School MO

Lindsay Porter

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