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IHSPA SCHOLARS

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LILI NANDELL

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julieta ortiz

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ella stineman

IHSPA Scholar is an academic honor for the state’s top journalism students. Scholars completed at last 2 semesters of Journalism during high school, had a minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA, and completed 5 hours of community service. Additionally, scholars wrote a 500-word essay explaining lessons they’ve learned as a high school journalist. Congratulations Lili, Julieta, and Ella!

IHSPA SPRING CONTEST

2026

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design: First Place - Royce Pohlman, Samira Kunate (October Entertainment)

  • Magazine - One Page Design: First Place - Lili Nandell, Benjamin Brenner (Front Cover-Political Polarization)

  • News Photo: First Place - Gabriela Henriquez (Welcome to Wonderland)

  • Illustration or Art: First Place - Samira Kunate, Elliott Cisco (AI has the power)

  • Ads: First Place - Lili Nandell (Newspaper)

  • Sports Action Photo: First Place - Gabriela Henriquez (In a Cloud of Smoke)

  • Interactive Graphic: First Place - Kailee Carver, Kalli York (Workout Routines for Home and Gym)

  • Newspaper - One Page Design: First Place - Royce Pohlman, Olivia Fuller (November Feature)

  • Social Media Reporting: First Place - Social Media Staff (The Anchor: Social Media Reporting)

  • Web Design: First Place - Lili Nandell (The Anchor Website (Desktop and Mobile View))

  • Staff Editorial: First Place - Benjamin Brenner (Oh, Snap!)

  • Reviews: First Place - Lili Nandell (Terrific, Radiant, Humble)

  • Multimedia Story - Sports: Second Place - Gloria Kabolo, Emmalynn Valadez (A RUNNING START: GIRLS AND BOYS TRACK)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design: Second Place - Samira Kunate (November Editorials)

  • Online Innovation: Second Place - Staff (The Anchor: Social Media (Instagram))

  • Environmental Portrait: Second Place - Gabriela Henriquez (Ms. Wilford)

  • Magazine - One Page Design: Second Place - Lili Nandell, Benjamin Brenner (Back Cover- Preserve America)

  • Illustration or Art: Second Place - Lili Nandell, Samira Kunate (Donald Trump and the panic that his policies cause)

  • Ads: Second Place - Lili Nandell (Art Club)

  • Interactive Graphic: Second Place - Staff (CCA Wrapped)

  • Column/Opinion: Second Place - Gloria Kabolo (Winter Break Broken?)

  • Infographic: Second Place - Royce Pohlman, Kalli York, Lili Nandell (CCA Wrapped: Menus, Drinks, Movies, Lunch)

  • Reviews: Second Place - Callista West (Up and Coming: Jesse Welles)

  • Multimedia Story - Feature: Second Place - Callista West, Ryan Weber, Lili Nandell (SASHA SAILS INTO STATE SPEECH SEASON)

  • Entertainment: Third Place - Alex Karr, Emmalynn Valadez (Homecoming: Crown and Creek)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design: Third Place - Design Staff (CCA Wrapped)

  • Environmental Portrait: Third Place - Jacob Sams Sanchez (BRAVING THE ELEMENTS: HELPING STUDENTS CROSS SAFELY)

  • News Photo: Third Place - Gabriela Henriquez (USA Student Section)

  • Illustration or Art: Third Place - Rebeca Rojas Afanador (Them vs. Us?)

  • Ads: Third Place - Macey Schuerer (Student Council)

  • Sports Action Photo: Third Place - Gabriela Henriquez (The 10th Grade Butterfly; Kayla)

  • Interactive Graphic: Third Place - Lily Janecek, Olivia Fuller (The Evolution of Women's Rights)

  • Newspaper - One Page Design: Third Place - Olivia Fuller (December Front Page)

  • Column/Opinion: Third Place - Elliott Cisco (BUY ONE, GET ONE [FREE OR % OFF] THIS HOLIDAY SEASON)

  • Social Media Promotion: Third Place - Social Media Staff (The Anchor: Social Media Promotion)

  • In-Depth News Story: Third Place - Julieta Ortiz (GRADUATING EARLY: BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS)

  • Staff Editorial: Third Place - Rebeca Rojas Afanador (FASCISM; THE REBIRTH MYTH)

  • Multimedia Story - Feature: Third Place - Editors (MRS. MOORE: REGIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR)

  • Multimedia Story: Honorable Mention - Ella Stineman, Olivia Fuller (SCANDAL OF THE MONTH TOMASIC VS SOMBER)

  • Single Web Story Design: Honorable Mention - Callista West, Ryan Weber, Lili Nandell (SASHA SAILS INTO STATE SPEECH SEASON)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design: Honorable Mention - Kalli York, Lili Nandell (March Activities)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design: Honorable Mention - Samira Kunate, Kalli York, Olivia Fuller (March Sports)

  • Online Innovation: Honorable Mention - Staff (The Anchor: Games)

  • Environmental Portrait: Honorable Mention - Kailee Carver (2026 National Honor society Induction Ceremony)

  • Environmental Portrait: Honorable Mention - Jacob Sams Sanchez (Boys Soccer and their amazing coach; Benson)

  • Sports Story: Game or Season Recap: Honorable Mention - Gloria Kabolo (A RUNNING START: GIRLS AND BOYS TRACK)

  • Magazine - One Page Design: Honorable Mention - Royce Pohlman, Jacob Sams Sanchez (PC Build)

  • Illustration or Art: Honorable Mention - Lili Nandell, Ella Stineman (The Violence of September 10th)

  • Ads: Honorable Mention - Callista West (PLUS Club)

  • Ads: Honorable Mention - Macey Schuerer (FBLA)

  • Sports Action Photo: Honorable Mention - Gabriela Henriquez (Cheering the Clippers to victory)

  • Interactive Graphic: Honorable Mention - Ryan Weber, Olivia Fuller (Greek Heroes-Heroic or Villanous)

  • Column/Opinion: Honorable Mention - Elliott Cisco (GRADING GROUP WORK: WHY SOME METHODS ARE JUST BETTER)

  • Staff Editorial: Honorable Mention - Elliott Cisco (HOW AI IS MAKING LIFE BETTER...FOR THE TOP 1%...)

  • Staff Editorial: Honorable Mention - Callista West (The Holiday Footprint)

2025

  • Magazine - One Page Design, First Place Julieta Ortiz (Hello? Is this thing on?)

  • Interactive Graphic, First Place The Anchor Staff (A Year in Review)

  • Ads, First Place Lili Nandell (Newsies Musical 2025)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design, First Place Jaidyn Calkins, Julieta Ortiz, Lily Janecek (Features Spread)

  • News Magazine - Multiple Page Design, First Place Kalli York (The Pink Tax: Petty Pricing)

  • Multimedia Story - News, First Place Julieta Ortiz (Adapting to the new Adaptive Scheduler)

  • Magazine - One Page Design, Second Place Louise Anieke (ONLINE & UNFILTERED: CLICK. SCROLL. REPEAT.)

  • Interactive Graphic, Second Place Lilyan Janecek (New Staff at the High School)

  • Newspaper - One Page Design, Second Place Lili Nandell, Julieta Ortiz, Kalli York (The Anchor Staff 2024-2025)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design, Second Place Lili Nandell (Missed Connections)

  • Staff Editorial, Second Place Benjamin Brenner (AI in Education)

  • News Magazine - Multiple Page Design, Second Place Raelee Day (The Best Jobs for High School Students)

  • Magazine - One Page Design, Third Place Benjamin Brenner (Tristan und Isolde)

  • Interactive Graphic, Third Place Makailah Meier (Winter Skincare)

  • Environmental Portrait, Third Place Krissa Laidlaw, (Who run the world?)

  • Staff Editorial, Third Place Julieta Ortiz (Growing District Means Growing Traffic)

  • Social Justice Reporting, Third Place Makailah Meier (Unified PE Field Day)

  • Social Media Promotion, Honorable Mention Lili Nandell, Julieta Ortiz, Jaidyn Calkins (Social Media Promotion)

  • Ads, Honorable Mention Josh Gaeta (Under the Northern Lights)

  • Newspaper - One Page Design, Honorable Mention Julieta Ortiz (Meet Our New Mascot: Blue!)

  • Environmental Portrait, Honorable Mention Jaidyn Calkins, Julieta Ortiz (Read the Newspaper)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design, Honorable Mention Lili Nandell (Dia de los Muertos: One of the Greatest Celebrations in Mexico)

  • Newspaper - Multiple Page Design, Honorable Mention Olivia Fuller, Lily Janecek, Josh Gaeta (Sports Spread)

  • Social Justice Reporting, Honorable Mention Jaidyn Calkins (A Bloody Mess)

  • Social Justice Reporting, Honorable Mention Ryan Weber (SF 496: How Iowa's New Law Affects School Libraries)

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