Twenty-three first-place entries in the Nebraska Press Women (NPW) High School Communications Contest have advanced to the National Federation of Press Women competition. National award winners will be announced May 17 during an online celebration.
Students from 13 schools won state awards in the contest that includes categories in the areas of writing, visual, broadcast or video, and yearbook. The contest was open to high school students across the state. It was judged by communications professionals, with constructive feedback provided on each entry.
Westside High School in Omaha accumulated the most points based on contest results and received the Sweepstakes Award. Marian High School, also in Omaha, placed as runner up for the Sweepstakes Award. Bellevue West High School placed third. All three schools received awards.
The 280 entries in the contest were the most in recent years. “It’s exciting to see increased interest in the contest and to recognize the good works of student journalists across the state,” said Sherry Thompson, NPW High School Contest Director.
Winners were recognized during NPW’s spring convention luncheon April 22 in Beatrice.
Schools with winning entries are Adams Central Jr/Sr High School (Hastings), Bellevue West High School, Dorchester Public School, Gretna High School, Lexington High School, Marian High School (Omaha), Millard North High School (Omaha), Millard South High School (Omaha), North Platte Public Schools, Northwest High School (Grand Island), Plattsmouth High School, Ralston High School and Westside High School (Omaha).
Award winners by category are:
Best Newscast – first place, Umanga Ghimire and Emily Jasa, Westside High School; second place, Abby Vater, Bellevue West High School; third place, Dylan Cotes, Levi Ottman, Molly Price, Lydia Vlcek, Braden Cochran, Zeke Koenig, Mikayla Kuhn and Tegan Lemkau, Northwest High School; honorable mentions, Mariella Virgillito, Madi Shaffar, Mia Butler and Ruthie Barrett, Marian High School; Gabbey Spellbrink, Mady Schley, Courtland Scheer, Carter Nabity, Caden Keller, Reese Schultz and Brady Cornelius, Northwest High School.
Cartooning – first place, Cecilia Urbanski, Marian High School; second place, Jacie Boelhower, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; third place, Leah Dysico, Westside High School; honorable mention, Ella Erickson, Millard South High School.
Columns or Blogs – first place, Teagan Lynch, Millard North High School; second place, Margaret Cusick, Marian High School; third place, Nick Goblirsch, Gretna High School; honorable mention, Shelby Neeley, Millard South High School.
Double-Truck Layout – first place, Alexa Leiting, Millard South High School; second place, Cecilia Urbanski, Marian High School; third place, Cecilia Urbanski, Marian High School; honorable mentions, Alexa Leiting, Millard South High School; Emmalie Herd, Bellevue West High School.
Editorial – first place, Reagan Rosenbaum, Marian High School; second place, Margaret Cusick, Marian High School; third place, Cole Schreck, Bellevue West High School; honorable mention, Benjamin Jackson, Millard South High School.
Environment – first place, Cecilia Urbanski, Marian High School.
Feature Story – first place, Mary Ambrose, Marian High School; second place, Kyra McFadden, Marian High School; third place, Anuj Singh, Millard North High School; honorable mentions, Nora Corrigan, Marian High School; Alexa Leiting, Millard South High School; Andrea Pavlish, Dorchester Public School.
Graphics / Photo Illustration – first place, Hailey Schweitzer, Dorchester Public School; second place, Elsy Loarca, Dorchester Public School; third place, Sydney Fuehringer-Rolles, Westside High School; honorable mentions, Lauryn Scott, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; Cecilia Urbanski, Marian High School; Nora Corrigan, Marian High School; Mackenzie Luzum, Dorchester Public School; Raegan Rains, Bellevue West High School.
News or Feature Photo – first place, Cecilia Gerard, Westside High School; second place, Zoe Gillespie, Westside High School; third place, Cecilia Gerard, Westside High School; honorable mention, Tyler Raikar, Marian High School.
News Story – first place, Ainsley Meyerson, Westside High School; second place, Sadie Hugelman, Millard North High School; third place, Chloe McAleer, Bellevue West High School; honorable mentions, Zachary Kastrick, Westside High School; Samantha Marvin, Westside High School; April Reiss, Millard South High School; Maggie Morris, Marian High School; Andrea Pavlish, Dorchester Public School; Olivia Torrez, Millard North High School; Emmalie Herd, Bellevue West High School.
Opinion – first place, Rachel Dowd, Westside High School; second place, Lizzy Wagstaff, Bellevue West High School; third place, Raegan Rains, Bellevue West High School; honorable mentions, Meghan Bartness, Marian High School; Jacki Petrow, Bellevue West High School.
Radio/Television Interview or Talk Show – first and second places, Max Coughlin, Westside High School.
Radio or Podcast Prepared Report – first place, Brody Heidemann, Gretna High School.
Review – first place, Dillon Stice , Millard South High School; second place, Fletcher Anders, Bellevue West High School; third place, Rachel Dowd, Westside High School; honorable mentions, Shelby Neeley, Millard South High School; Nina McMullen, Marian High School; Claire Wood, Bellevue West High School.
Single-Page Layout – first place, Sydney Fuehringer-Rolles, Westside High School; second place, Leah Dysico, Westside High School; third place, Lauryn Scott, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; honorable mentions, Jerzie Kaputska, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; Kamila Cuevas, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; Tyler Raikar, Marian High School.
Sports Photo – first place, Cecilia Gerard, Westside High School; second place, Taylor Sloger, Millard South High School; third place, Cecilia Gerard, Westside High School; honorable mentions, Ally Seevers, Millard South High School; Zoe Gillespie, Westside High School; Tyler Raikar, Marian High School.
Sports Story – first place, Ally Seevers, Millard South High School; second place, Nora Corrigan, Marian High School; third place, Chloe McAleer, Bellevue West High School; honorable mentions, Grace Vandercoy, Westside High School; Ryan Kelly, Westside High School; Ella Plank,Marian High School; Natalie Deardoff, North Platte Public Schools; Jacki Petrow, Bellevue West High School; Audrey Wiseman, Northwest High School.
Video Feature Story – first place, Lydia Bruckner, Millard South High School; second place, Brandon Nikolaus, Bellevue West High School; third place, Ellis Peter, Shelby Gerken, Margaret McAndrews, Reagan Graeve, Marian High School; honorable mention, Raegan Rains, Bellevue West High School.
Video News Story – first place, Jadyn Paul and Maddie McGee, Millard North High School; second place, Lydia Bruckner, Millard South High School; third place, Cameron White and Jackson Ingvoldstad, Westside High School; honorable mention, Abby Vater, Bellevue West High School.
Video Sports Story – first place, Joe Vermillion and Umanga Ghimire, Westside High School; second place, Gabe Miller, Millard North High School; third place, Lydia Bruckner, Millard South High School; honorable mention, Samantha Kendeigh and Evlyn Jasa, Westside High School.
Yearbook Copywriting – first place, Nina Kudlacz, Ralston High School; second place, Ally Seevers, Millard South High School; third place, Jacob Cerny, Dorchester Public School; honorable mentions, Talayeh Williams, Ralston High School; Madison Sherwood, Dorchester Public School; Hailey Schweitzer, Dorchester Public School.
Yearbook Layout – first place, Brooklyn Lul, Lexington High School; second place, Kailey Walsh, Ralston High School; third place, Paige Anthony, North Platte Public Schools; honorable mentions, Nina Kudlacz, Ralston High School; Zoie Bartek, Ralston High School; Lydia Torres, Bellevue West High School; Maddy Quimby, Plattsmouth High School; Hailey Schweitzer, Dorchester Public School; Tzintly Angulo and Miranda Gomez, Lexington High School; Molly Price and Abigail Trausch, Northwest High School.
Yearbook Photo – first place, Gabby Theis, Dorchester Public School; second place, Karleigh North, Gretna High School; third place, Maddy Quimby, Plattsmouth High School; honorable mentions, Maria McLeay, Marian High School; Brooklyn Grout, Bellevue West High School; Sarah Breaux, Bellevue West High School; Hailey Schweitzer, Dorchester Public School.
