2026 Gold Medallion Winners
Oct. 8, 2026
Minnesota High School Press Association has announced winners of its Gold Medallion Awards for 2025-26.
The awards recognize the academic year’s top individual work in seven categories — broadcast, literary arts magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, online, photojournalism, social media and yearbook.
They were presented at the Minnesota High School Journalism Convention, Oct. 8, at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
Broadcast
News Story
First Place
Meredith McCue
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Keeping Up with AI
Second Place
Divya Thamman
Zephyrus
Edina High School
50th and France Shines Bright
Third Place
Josephine Johnson
Redhawks Online
Minnehaha Academy
A Leader in Science Retires
Fourth Place
Abigail Grassfield, Isabella Schluender
NOISE News
Spectrum High School
Softball Pressure
Fifth Place
Jonathan Hauser, Isabella Schluender
NOISE News
Spectrum High School
Sixth Grade Displacement
Feature Story
First Place
Josephine Johnson
Redhawks Online
Minnehaha Academy
Midsummer Nights Dream
Second Place
Mack Morrow, Madison Walton
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Stillwater Bowling Team
Third Place
Matias Ziadie Gonzalez
NOISE News
Spectrum High School
Clayton’s Legacy
Fourth Place
Audrey Peltier
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Annalise Atkinson Keeps Spirits High
Fifth Place
Amandine Dangles, Magdalene Mantey, Tobi Rea, Divya Thamman
Zephyrus
Edina High School
A Dive Into Edina Unified
Literary Arts Magazine
Cover/Spread Design
First Place
Lili Itzkowitz, Annika Kim
Iris: Art+Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Renaissance
Second Place
Lailee Gaspard, Isa Pinero, Kate Tuttle
Iris: Art+Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
White Feathers
Third Place
Hans Jeppson
Imag
Albert Lea High School
Advancemenet/The Border
Fourth Place
Cara Erickson
The Aurora
Cannon Falls High School
Twilight
Fifth Place
Lucy Nobach, Noelle Swenson
The Aurora
Cannon Falls High School
The Aurora 2025-26
Visual Content
First Place
Eva Johnson
Iris: Art+Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
A Walk Through the Flowers
Second Place
Via Campbell
Iris: Art+Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Shin Godzilla
Third Place
Lainey Lichty, Bella Otto, Noelle Swenson
The Aurora
Cannon Falls High School
Waves
Fourth Place
Lainey Lichty, Lillian Olund, Noelle Swenson
The Aurora
Cannon Falls High School
Lillian Olund/Lainey Lichtt
Literary Content
First Place
Abigail Tilton
Iris: Art+Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Final Whistle
Second Place
Ivy Evans
Iris: Art+Lit
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Thoughts on Post-Impressionalism
Third Place
Hans Jeppson
Imag
Albert Lea High School
The Plan of the Cube
Fourth Place
Ryler Sell, Noelle Swenson, Aurora Undenberg
The Aurora
Cannon Falls High School
Aurora Udenberg/Late Fall
Fifth Place
Brenna McCarthy, Elliot Iverson, Noelle Swenson
The Aurora
Cannon Falls High School
I’m Sorry/Brenna McCarthy
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Page/Spread Design
First Place
Danielle Hobbie, Josephine Johnson
The Talon
Minnehaha Academy
Federal Government Sends ICE
Second Place
Nevaeh Kinney
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Caffeine Consumption
Third Place
Gabi Belton, Simone Feiereisen, Cana Schimelpfenig
The Talon
Minnehaha Academy
Start Summer Off with a Scoop
Fourth Place
Beatrix Montabon
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Edina Boys’ Hockey Takes on MSHL State Tournment
Fifth Place
Evelyn Winger
The Hoofprint
Buffalo High School
One Cord, Many Questions
Editorial Cartoon
First Place
Beatrix Montabon
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Suspension of Freedom
Second Place
Willow Overcast
The Spectrum
The Blake School
Self Censorship Discourages Discussion
Third Place
Kate Tuttle
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Partisan divides hold Minnesota back
Fourth Place
Julia Ma
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Beauty Bikinis
Fifth Place
Alexander Brown
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Teens on Caffeine
Editorial/Opinion
First Place
Staff
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Edina Public Schools Must be Transparent About its Response to ICE
Second Place
Ruby Nguyen
Knight Errant
Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
Political Censorship in the Classroom is Unwarrented
Third Place
Christian Peña
The Heights Herald
Columbia Heights High School
Residents are Living in Fear of ICE
Fourth Place
Sophia Blew
The Talon
Minnehaha Academy
MSHSL: Helping students — or professionals
Fifth Place
Staff
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
When Digital Activism Goes Beyond the Screen
News Story
First Place
Aditi Jha, Saira Kaka
Zephyrus
Edina High School
It Takes a Village
Second Place
Henry Childs
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
When Politics Meets the College Search
Third Place
Elizabeth Cornell, Charlotte Feller
Knight Errant
Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
Low Enrollment Prompts Facuty Layoffs
Fourth Place
Sumaya Adan
The Heights Herald
Columbia Heights High School
SNAP Benefit Changes Affect Many
Fifth Place
Izzie Miller
The Spectrum
The Blake School
Students Take Action
Feature Story
First Place
Sonia Mo
Zephyrus
Edina High
School Tough Like Tighe Foundation
Second Place
Ben Aviles
The Spectrum
The Blake School
Food Donations Fuel Immigrant Families
Third Place
Ben Aviles
The Spectrum
The Blake School
Inside Minneapolis Classrooms During Operation Metro Surge
Fourth Place
Sabrine Bahi
Zephyrus
Edina High School
No Hate Here: Timmy Takes in Edina
Fifth Place
Sam Jagunich
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Peatross Continues Her Teen Entrepreneurship
Sports Story
First Place
Sabrine Bahi, Eloise Thompson
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Edina’s Mason West
Second Place
Railyn Ross
The Talon
Minnehaha Academy
Behind the Scenes, Always Present
Third Place
Brooke Hillins
Knight Errant
Benilde-St. Margaret’s School
Hansen Tallies Up the Points at Worlds
Fourth Place
Nathan Koch
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Hockey Takes the Lead with a Dominant 8-2 Start
Fifth Place
Sabrine Bahi
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Dunking With Dedication and Drive
Photojournalism
News Photo
First Place
Mack Morrow
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Senior Elena Majeski Leads Students
Second Place
Catherine Sime-Mackintosh
The Talon
Minnehaha Academy
A Girl, Standing With Her Father, Joined a Crowd of Mourners
Third Place
Mack Morrow
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Protesting ICE on Jan. 20
Fourth Place
Braxton Teschendorf
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
Concert Orchestra Violists
Fifth Place
Natalie Johnson
Whigrean
Edina High School
John Liddicoat Homecoming King
Feature Photo
First Place
Garett Robeck
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
It Starts In the Stands
Second Place
Maddie Stern
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
More Color Bigger Crowds
Third Place
Julia Wissink
Whigrean
Edina High School
Nina Kruse Leads the Hornettes
Fourth Place
Braxton Teschendorf
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
BHS Concert Choir Performs at State
Fifth Place
Catherine Gesick
The Antler
Minnehaha Academy
Practice Interview Session in Beginning Journalism
Sports Photo
First Place
Mack Morrow
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Haley Solinzky Tracks a Puck
Second Place
Maddie Stern
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
Tough Recoveries
Third Place
Braxton Teschendorf
The Hoofprint
Buffalo High School
Cayce Peterson Dribbles
Fourth Place
Roman Herron
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
Milestone
Fifth Place
Brock Lippert
Whigrean
Edina High School
Andreas Engle Celebrates After Scoring
Photo Illustration
First Place
Barbie Ortiz
Robles
The Heights Herald
Columbia Heights High School
Hispanic Heritage Month
Second Place
Gracie Vankuyk
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
Untouchable Arm
Third Place
Ben Krinke, Parker Youngquist
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
Lead the Herd
Social Media
Reporting
First Place
Divya Thamman
Zephyrus
Edina High School
Did the American Dream Get Harder for Immigrants
Second Place
Ben Aviles
The Spectrum
The Blake School
Community Pays Respects to Annunciation Victims
Third Place
Ben Aviles, Charlie Dean, Izzie Miller
The Spectrum
The Blake School
Students Walkout in Protest of ICS
Fourth Place
Audrey Peltier
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Boys Basketball Falls Short Against Breck
Fifth Place
Delaney Bates
The Pony Express
Stillwater Area High School
Kitten Yoga
Promotion
First Place
Cana Schimelpfenig
Redhawks Online
Minnehaha Academy
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Second Place
Allison Dressler
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
Instagram Portfolio
Third Place
Staff
Whigrean
Edina High School
EIC Live Yearbook Unboxing
Fourth Place
Emily Tadych
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
Instagram Portfolio
Fifth Place
Naomi Zins
The Rubicon
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Meet the 26/26 Rubicon Leadership
Website
Multimedia Story Package
First Place
Hayden McColley, Matias Ziadie Gonzalez
NOISE News
Spectrum High School
The First Girls Wrestling Home Dual
Second Place
Hayden McColley
NOISE News
Spectrum High School
Spectrum Sparks New Culture in Strength Program
Third Place
Amy Fick, Tucker Nobach, Dawson Sanford, Torin Strecker
The Lantern
Cannon Falls High School
A Growing Problem
Fourth Place
Eben Habtes, Ezra Habtes
Redhawks Online
Minnehaha Academy
The Beauty of Lidet
Fifth Place
Danielle Hobbie
Redhawks Online
Minnehaha Academy
Life In the Circus
Interactive Graphic
First Place
Ray Muhm, Kade Hanson, Christian Peña, Ray Muhm, Skylen Raleigh
The Heights Herald
Columbia Heights High School
Hylander Poll
Second Place
Charles Fick
The Lantern
Cannon Falls High School
Satire Week
Third Place
Koben McCallum, Michael Schroeder
The Hoofprint
Buffalo High School
The 5
Fourth Place
Amy Fick
The Lantern
Cannon Falls High School
Planting Memories of 9/11
Fifth Place
Marii Santi
The Heights Herald
Columbia Heights High School
Hylander Quiz
Yearbook
Spread Design
First Place
Lillian Gutt
Whigrean
Edina High School
Northwestern Bound Senior Journalist
Second Place
Jocelyn Rog, Zoe Wagner
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
A Stellar Performance
Third Place
Addilyn Gerards, Parker Youngquist
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
The Path of a Wrestler
Fourth Place
Addison Schmoyer
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
A New Generation is Arriving
Fifth Place
Landon HIde, Eva Johnson, Sophie Karmaliani
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Hit the Clubs
Academics/Club Story
First Place
Rohan Kavuru
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
The Kraack-odile Rock
Second Place
Rayso Samatar
Whigrean
Edina High School
Budding Bonds
Third Place
Elliott Hazzard
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Westemeir Has Integrity
Fourth Place
Haley Matzke, Sloane Reilly
Voyageur
Minnetonka High School
Meeting is In Session
Fifth Place
Erin Patterson
Whigrean
Edina High School
Building BOTS
Sports Story
First Place
Aubrie Guida, Parker Youngquist
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
Why It Matters
Second Place
Katherine Lin
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Ups & Downs
Third Place
Gisele Parnell
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
SMB Wolfpack Breaks Losing Streak
Fourth Place
Maya Matelski
Whigrean
Edina High School
Making Waves
Fifth Place
Maiya Slusarczyk
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
Every Mile Counts
Student Life Story
First Place
Stella Werry
Whigrean
Edina High School
Take a Stance
Second Place
Payton Hynes, Evalynn Mehr
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
Lunch Lady Love
Third Place
Olivia George
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
A Wild Ride
Fourth Place
Anni Stollenwerk
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
She’s Got a Month of Memories
Fifth Place
Rayso Samatar
Whigrean
Edina High School
Loco at HOCO
Theme Package
First Place
Staff
Whigrean
Edina High School
Tell It All
Second Place
Caden Deardurff, Helen Frost, Eva Johnson
Ibid
St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Under the Surface
Third Place
Madysen Coulson, Annie Robinson
Valor
St. Michael-Albertville High School
What If We Told You
Fourth Place
Keeley Anonen, Evalynn Mehr, Adler Neu
Tatanka
Buffalo High School
At Our Core
Fifth Place
Desmond Berthiaume, Greta Christiansen, Ben Misa
The Antler
Minnehaha Academy
The Story Continues