Twenty-two first-place entries in the Nebraska Press Women (NPW) High School Communications Contest have advanced to the National Federation of Press Women competition, with national awards to be announced soon.
Students from nine schools won state awards in the contest that includes categories in the areas of writing, visual, broadcast or video, and yearbook. Schools with winning entries are Bellevue West High School, Cedar Bluffs Public School, Dorchester High School, Fremont High School, Grand Island Central Catholic, Marian High School, Millard South High School, Osmond Community Schools and Westside High School. The contest was open to high school students across the state.
Westside High School accumulated the most points based on contest results and received the Sweepstakes Award for the fifth time in six years.
Award winners by category are:
Cartooning – first, Sean Burton, Millard South High School; third, Dianna Sledge, Marian High School.
Columns or Blogs – first, Emma Gage, Bellevue West High School; second, Elissa Treu, Bellevue West High School; third, Lily Weindel, Marian High School.
Double-Truck Layout – first, Luke Steiner, Westside High School; second, Chiara Wallen, Marian High School; third, Julia Steiner, Westside High School; honorable mention, Maddy Leland and Joey Kaipust, Millard South High School.
Editorial – first, Emma Gage, Bellevue West High School; second, Malia Battafarano, Westside High School; third, Maryam Akramova, Westside High School; honorable mentions, Aker Ajak, Marian High School; Magdalene Peklo, Marian High School.
Environment – first, Malia Battafarano, Westside High School; second, Maryam Akramova and Theodore Jansen, Westside High School; third, Jasmine Buttler, Marian High School; honorable mention, Maryam Akramova, Westside High School.
Feature Story – first, Maya Reed, Marian High School; second, Julia Steiner, Westside High School; third, Taylor Martens, Fremont High School; honorable mentions, Kajetan Hubl, Grand Island Central Catholic; Payton Gangwish, Grand Island Central Catholic; Holly McCutcheon, Marian High School.
Graphics / Photo Illustration – first, Julia Steiner, Westside High School; second, Angela Li, Westside High School; third, Angela Li, Westside High School; honorable mentions, Bella Syslo and Sarah Cronin, Marian High School; Luke Steiner, Westside High School.
News or Feature Photo – first, Josh Ferdico, Millard South High School; second, Josh Ferdico, Millard South High School.
News Story – first, Diandra Polt, Osmond Community Schools; second, Elizabeth Schimonitz, Marian High School; third, Olivia Sullivan, Marian High School; honorable mention, Elissa Treu, Bellevue West High School.
Opinion – first, Maggie Mantini, Marian High School; second, Carson O’Connor, Millard South High School; third, Jake Snelling, Millard South High School; honorable mentions, Meg Gross, Bellevue West High School; LeAnne Bugay, Bellevue West High School.
Radio / Television Interview or Talk Show – first, Meg Gross and Grace Taylor, Bellevue West High School; second, Curista Magnuson and Vlad Handlos, Bellevue West High School.
Radio Prepared Report – first, Will Eikenbary, Westside High School.
Review – first, Halle Benson, Millard South High School; second, Jay Walker-Schulte, Bellevue West High School; third, Jonathan Snover, Westside High School; honorable mention, Ainsley Meyerson, Westside High School.
Single-Page Layout – first, LeAnne Bugay and Emily Mabbitt, Bellevue West High School; second, Angela Li, Westside High School; third, Angela Li, Westside High School; honorable mention, Julia Steiner, Westside High School.
Sports Photo – first, Sarah Cronin, Marian High School; second, Josh Ferdico, Millard South High School; honorable mention, LeAnne Bugay, Bellevue West High School.
Sports Story – first, Jonathan Snover, Westside High School; second, Josh Siegel, Westside High School; third, Grace Hansen, Millard South High School; honorable mentions, Jack Kenna, Grand Island Central Catholic; Alida Farrens, Marian High School; Isabel Robb, Millard South High School.
Video Feature Story – first, Erin Mosier, Westside High School; second, LeAnne Bugay and Elissa Treu, Bellevue West High School; third, Meg Gross, Bellevue West High School; honorable mentions, Elissa Treu, Bellevue West High School; Jaiden Grimes and CJ Lilienkamp, Bellevue West High School.
Video News Story – first, Elissa Treu, Bellevue West High School; second, Erin Mosier, Westside High School; third, LeAnne Bugay, Elissa Treu, Diego Mora Zubia, Addison Gardner and Jay Walker-Schulte, Bellevue West High School; honorable mentions, Charlie Sims, Bellevue West High School; CJ Lilienkamp and Quintin Stueve, Bellevue West High School.
Video Sports Story – first, Meg Gross and Keely Prusia, Bellevue West High School.
Yearbook Copywriting – first, Breanna Muff, Dorchester High School; second, Keely Prusia and Jaclyn Taggart, Bellevue West High School; third, Bryce Wetzle, Bellevue West High School.
Yearbook Layout – first, Tymber Haese, Bellevue West High School; second, Harmony Shepherd, Dorchester High School; third, David Berger, Bellevue West High School; honorable mentions, Maddy Madsen, Bellevue West High School; Brynn Haer, Bellevue West High School; Mikya Fox, Cedar Bluffs Public School; Breanna Muff, Dorchester High School; Danni McKnight, Dorchester High School.
Yearbook Photo – first, Ian Abbott, Dorchester High School; second, Jose Real, Dorchester High School; third, Danni McKnight, Dorchester High School; honorable mention, Alli Novak, Dorchester High School.
