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 during an online celebration on May 14.
Students from 16 schools won state awards in the contest that includes writing, visual, broadcast or video, and yearbook categories. The contest was open to high school students across the state. It was judged by communications professionals, with constructive feedback provided on each entry.
Gretna East High School accumulated the most points based on contest results and received the Sweepstakes Award. Millard North High School in Omaha was runner up for the Sweepstakes Award. Millard South High School placed third. All three schools received awards.
With 347 entries in the contest, many of the categories were very competitive.
Winners were recognized during NPW’s spring convention luncheon April 12 in Omaha.
Schools with winning entries are Adams Central Jr/Sr High School (Hastings), Bellevue East High School, Bellevue West High School, Dorchester Public School, Elkhorn North High School, Gretna East High School, Gretna High School, Harvard Public School, Marian High School (Omaha), Millard North High School (Omaha), Millard South High School (Omaha), Plattsmouth High School, Ralston High School and Westside High School (Omaha).
Award winners by category are:
Best Newscast – first place – Ashley Heisler, Grace Vidlak, Tyler Epstein, Macey Jarose, Mackenzie Carter, Simon Damrow and Salman Muse, Millard North High School; second place – Evan Kugler, Elaina Kratky and Zach Kastrick, Westside High School; third place, Alena Kehm, Sophia Shillcut and Kelsey Bragg, Marian High School.
Cartooning – first place, Zach Schilmoeller, Millard South High School; second place, Niharika Kandari and Taiya Viacrucis, Elkhorn North High School; third place, Ella Erickson, Millard South High School; honorable mentions, Gabrielle Theis, Dorchester Public School; Niharika Kandari and Taiya Viacrucis, Elkhorn North High School; Ava Dyas, Millard South High School.
Columns or Blogs – first place, Chelsea Mahloch, Elkhorn North High School; second place, Mia Castro, Millard North High School; third place, Argyrenia Pipinos, Millard North High School; honorable mention, Taiya Viacrucis, Elkhorn North High School.
Double-truck Layout – first place, Hailey Schweitzer, Dorchester Public School; second place, Mackenzie Luzum, Dorchester Public School; third place, Macaiah Dodd, Westside High School; honorable mention, Gabrielle Theis, Dorchester Public School.
Editorial – first place, Chelsea Mahloch, Elkhorn North High School; second place, Natalie Else, Marian High School; third place, Andrea Pavlish, Dorchester Public School; honorable mention, Ava Weis, Marian High School.
Environment – first place, Sloane Houston, Westside High School; second place, Brianna Yang, Bellevue East High School; third place, Abigail Rooney, Westside High School; honorable mentions, Savannah Stultz, Bellevue East High School; Abigail McGuire, Marian High School.
Feature Story – first place, Brianna Yang, Bellevue East High School; second place, Mia Castro, Millard North High School; third place, Brayden Hansen, Gretna East High School; honorable mentions, Colton Knott, Gretna East High School; Elena Burt, Marian High School; Presley Powers, Westside High School.
Graphics / Photo Illustration – first place, Jonathon Reiners, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; second place, Kayden Sipp, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; third place, Abigail McGuire, Marian High School; honorable mentions, Hanna Kull, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; Tessa Reinhard, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; Alto Cerveny, Bellevue West High School.
News or Feature Photo – first place, Jamison Hanway, Millard South High School; second place, Gage Vondra, Westside High School; third place, Jamison Hanway, Millard South High School; honorable mentions, Elizabeth Buescher, Marian High School; Mary McKay, Marian High School; Ava Waggoner, Westside High School.
News Story – first place, Rylee Newman, Millard South High School; second place, Madeline Petrick, Gretna East High School; third place, Aidan McClaren, Gretna East High School; honorable mentions, Lillian Herrick, Bellevue East High School; Chloe Mead, Elkhorn North High School; Ava Newbauer, Elkhorn North High School; Colton Knott, Gretna East High School.
Opinion – first place, Elan Perry, Elkhorn North High School; second place, Emily Cota, Westside High School; third place, Lexie Elliott, Gretna East High School; honorable mentions, Mackenzie Luzum, Dorchester Public School; Chelsea Mahloch, Elkhorn North High School; Alyssa Palmer, Elkhorn North High School; Kyler Hilts, Elkhorn North High School; Brody Heideman, Gretna East High School; Brayden Hansen, Gretna East High School; Haley Gimpel, Harvard Public School; Catherine Zinna, Marian High School; Jacqueline Miner, Westside High School.
Radio / Television Interview or Talk Show – first place, Ryan Kelly, Westside High School; second place, Eve Seitz-Troullier, Bellevue West High School; third place, Juan Romero Sarraf, Will Mahan, Elaina Kratky, Sloane Houston and Hunter Veylupek, Westside High School.
Radio or Podcast Prepared Report – first place, Lucas Pechacek, Bellevue West High School; second place, Leyla Zier and Aubrey Prouse, Marian High School.
Review – first place, Taiya Viacrucis, Elkhorn North High School; second place, Natalie Else, Marian High School; third place, Victoria Bogatz, Bellevue East High School; honorable mentions, Nat Thomas, Bellevue West High School; Jada Randecker, Gretna East High School; Madeline Petrick, Gretna East High School; Mary Jane Kushiner, Gretna High School; Jamison Jones, Millard South High School.
Single-Page Layout – first place, Dominika Kouassi, Marian High School; second place, Addison Ackles, Adams Central Jr/Sr High School; third place, Haley Gimpel, Harvard Public School; honorable mention, Jamison Hanway, Millard South High School.
Sports Photo – first place, Gage Vondra, Westside High School; second place; Jamison Hanway, Millard South High School; third place, Isaac Gibson, Millard South High School; honorable mentions, Jack Moser, Millard South High School; honorable mention, Gage Vondra, Westside High School.
Sports Story – first place, Reese Beery, Gretna East High School; second place, Mia Castro, Millard North High School; third place, Brody Heideman, Gretna East High School; honorable mentions, Alayna Vaughn, Elkhorn North High School; Olivia Cemer, Elkhorn North High School; Easton Leahy, Gretna East High School; Mary Jane Kushiner, Gretna High School; Will Oakes, Westside High School.
Video Feature Story – first place, Angela Zheng, Millard North High School; second place, Rosa Flores, Marian High School; third place, Margaret Smith, Millard South High School; honorable mentions, Andrew McBlain and Andrew Callison, Bellevue West High School; Mason Muirhead, Gretna High School.
Video News Story – first place, Grace Vidlak and Macey Jarose, Millard North High School; second place, Madeline Petrick, Gretna East High School; third place, Ashley Heisler and Grace Vidlak, Millard North High School; honorable mentions, Braylon Kochera, Bellevue West High School; Slaine Regan and Ella Thibodeau, Marian High School.
Video Sports Story – first place, Macey Jarose and Tyler Epstein, Millard North High School; second and third places, Elaina Kratky, Westside High School; honorable mentions, Zach Kastrick and Carson Kelley, Westside High School; Evan Kugler and Hannah Miller, Westside High School.
Yearbook Copywriting – first place, Gabrielle Theis, Dorchester Public School; second place, Bailey Theis, Dorchester Public School; third place, Allyson Sherman, Gretna East High School; honorable mentions, Andrea Pavlish, Dorchester Public School; Joseph Peacock, Dorchester Public School; Citlaly Zamora-Ontiveros, Ralston High School.
Yearbook Layout – first place, Laci Smith, Gretna East High School; second place, Keira Brevik, Bellevue West High School; third place, Aubrey Bannister, Elkhorn North High School; honorable mentions, Addison Pithan, Bellevue East High School; Jaidyn Gaddis, Bellevue East High School; Bella Martin, Bellevue West High School; Gabi Teper, Bellevue West High School; Lizzy Wagstaff and Keatyn McGovern, Bellevue West High School; Hailey Schweitzer, Dorchester Public School; Addilyn Nikodym, Gretna East High School; Brayden Hansen, Gretna East High School; Abigail Gochenour, Gretna East High School; Annabelle Rolf, Gretna High School; Kierstin Gay, Gretna High School; Zoie Bartek, Ralston High School; Hannah Carroll, Ralston High School; Ava Waggoner, Westside High School.
Yearbook Photo – first place, Haylie Briggs, Plattsmouth High School; second place, Gabrielle Theis, Dorchester Public School; third place, Andrea Pavlish, Dorchester Public School; honorable mentions, Gabi Teper, Bellevue West High School; Keira Brevik, Bellevue West High School; Joseph Peacock, Dorchester Public School; Haylie Briggs, Plattsmouth High School; Ava Waggoner, Westside High School.
