May 9, 2022
The Minnesota High School Press Association has announced winners of its Gold Medallion Awards for 2020-21.
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.
With no state convention during the pandemic year, the 2020-21 winners are announced here. Certificates will be emailed to advisers in a PDF file.
Now is the time to submit Gold Medallion Award entries. Entries must have been published between June 26, 2021, and June 24, 2022. The submission deadline is June 24, 2022 at 5 p.m. CT.
All entries are submitted using the BetterBNC award platform. Select the NSPA 2022 Individual Awards — Category 11, MHSPA Gold Medallion Awards.
Broadcast
News Story
First Place
“Park walks out to protest police brutality”
Grace Schultz, Tobias Khabie, Micheal Hoikka
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Second Place
“Return to school”
John Piekarski, Brandon Pilrain, Connor Quaderer
The Pony Express, Stillwater Area High School
Third Place
“Bridge transition program”
Abby Anderson, Cassidy Gilliam, Katie Kangas
The Pony Express, Stillwater Area High School
Fourth Place
“Seniors finish off high school with a decision day celebration”
Mikayla Burns
The Spartan Speaks, Orono High School
Fifth Place
“Precautions for hybrid learning”
Talia Lissauer, Crystal Diaz
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Feature Story
First Place
“Sam Anderson endures life-changing injury”
Austin Buck, Aiden Flock, Erik Houle
The Pony Express, Stillwater Area High School
Second Place
“A look into the Commonbond community”
Dedeepya Guthikonda
Zephyrus, Edina High School
Third Place
“The history of women’s sports at Orono”
Cate Challgren
The Spartan Speaks, Orono High School
Literary Magazine
Cover/Spread Design
No entries
Visual Content
First Place
“My infinity”
Makayla Bowen, Isaiah Wildenberg
Aurora, Cannon Falls High School
Second Place
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”
Lindsey Niehaus
Aurora, Cannon Falls High School
Third Place
“Camille”
Val Wick
Iris: Art + Lit, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Literary Content
First Place
“My infinity”
Isaiah Wildenberg
Aurora, Cannon Falls High School
Second Place
“Untitled”
Elle Chen
Iris: Art + Lit, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Third Place
“Dandelions are beautiful, lying weeds”
Sonia Ross
Iris: Art + Lit, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Fourth Place
“The unwelcome guest”
Bianca Caputo
Aurora, Cannon Falls High School
Newspaper/Newsmagazine
Page/Spread Design
First Place
“FDA approves Pfizer vaccine for ages 12-15”
Hazel Waltenbaugh
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Second Place
“Hybrid safety procedures”
Emmy Pearson
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Third Place
“Gender neutrality: Pronouns”
Maddy Fisher
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Fourth Place
“Farfalle to Pappardelle, it’s better by hand”
Jordan Erickson
The Talon, Minnehaha Academy
Fifth Place
“U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar visits Hawk government class”
Max Rekela-Jasper
The Quill, Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Newspaper/Newsmagazine/Online
Editorial Cartoon
First Place
“Women become increasingly wary as sexual harassment proves widespread”
Jasmin Dominguez
The Heights Herald, Columbia Heights High School
Second Place
“Lack of student voice, council at CHHS adds to stress in erratic times”
Lidya Kennedy
The Heights Herald, Columbia Heights High School
Third Place
“Inform and educate before posting”
Elle Chen
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Editorial/Opinion
First Place
“MSHSL and Target Center need to explain themselves”
Ann Oakman
Redhawks Online, Minnehaha Academy
Second Place
“NCAA needs to reevaluate their treatment of women’s sports”
Preston Meier
OHS Magnet, Owatonna High School
Third Place
“Assassins game is disruptive, dangerous”
Maren Wilsey
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Fourth Place
“Biden’s minimum wage proposal not enough”
Olivia Bystrom
The Pony Express, Stillwater Area High School
Fifth Place
“What it means to be a student journalist”
Editorial Board
OHS Magnet, Owatonna High School
News Story
First Place
“Crimes spikes as cities debate police reform”
Elsa Johnson
Redhawks Online, Minnehaha Academy
Second Place
“Student protest organizers dissatisfied with admin response”
Mimi Huelster
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Third Place
“Anne Stavney responds to Star Tribune article detailing her compensation”
Lucy Wolfe
The Spectrum, The Blake School
Fourth Place
“Verdict brings relief, hope”
Jacob Khabie, Andrea Melear
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Fifth Place
“100 years of Magnet”
Jack Kleeberger, Jacob Meiners
OHS Magnet, Owatonna High School
Feature Story
First Place
“Have a little faith: The interaction between religion and LGBTQ identity”
Mimi Huelster
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Second Place
“Football team comes together to support teammate”
Tobias Khabie
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Third Place
“Becoming myself: Brendon Rich”
Sophia Arndt
The Pony Express, Stillwater Area High School
Fourth Place
“Graduate gets national notice for published essay”
Andrea Tribble
The Quill, Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Fifth Place
“Wolpert founds organization Musicians for Equality”
Henry Burkhardt
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Sports Story
First Place
“Brown brothers gunning for gold in biathlon”
Elsa Johnson
Redhawks Online, Minnehaha Academy
Second Place
“Chet Holmgren’s growth, charted”
Beck Westrem
Redhawks Online, Minnehaha Academy
Third Place
“Synchro works to perfect routines”
Kate Schneider
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Fourth Place
“Johnson sidelined for season with injury, remains optimistic about season”
Bobby Verhey
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Fifth Place
“Wrestling team may miss chance to take home first at state”
Elizabeth Harter
The Pony Express, Stillwater Area High School
Online
Multimedia Story Package
First Place
“Interactive Course Guide”
Staff
The Spartan Speaks, Orono High School
Second Place
“Think pandemic closures are new? Look back a century.”
Elle Chen, Mimi Huelster
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Third Place
“‘Justice for Daunte Wright’ walkout takes place”
Talia Lissauer, Crystal Diaz, Ayelet Prottas, Tobias Khabie, Henry Harper
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Fourth Place
“Election Week 2020: A timeline”
Niko Liepins
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Fifth Place
“New year; new challenges”
Lauren Ritz
Iris: Art + Lit, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Interactive Graphic
First Place
“Orono High School seniors’ future plans”
Lauryn Driskill, Mikayla Burns
The Spartan Speaks, Orono High School
Second Place
“COVID-19: a series of events”
Lizzie Kristal
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Third Place
“Digitally check out books using the Libby app”
Gracie Hornbaker
The Spartan Speaks, Orono High School
Fourth Place
“Tech corporations lack racial diversity among employees”
Lizzie Kristal
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Photojournalism
News Photo
First Place
“Walkout”
Eric Lynch
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Second Place
“Palestine protest”
Nesma Abu Ammo
The Heights Herald, Columbia Heights High School
Third Place
“Walkout BLM 11”
Talia Lissauer
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Fourth Place
“Biden holds drive-in rally in St. Paul four days before election”
Niko Liepins
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Feature Photo
First Place
“Tug of war”
Elsa Johnson
The Talon, Minnehaha Academy
Second Place
“Witnessing chrysalis”
Stella Berlin
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Third Place
“Shattered glass”
Owen Hoffner
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Fourth Place
“Masked musical”
James Wilson
The Talon, Minnehaha Academy
Fifth Place
“Decision day”
Ayelet Prottas
Echo, St. Louis Park High School
Sports Photo
First Place
“Final baseball”
Dack Nehring
The Quill, Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Second Place
“Wrestling”
Alayna Mills
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Third Place
“The prince of slam”
Sienna Kath
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Fourth Place
“Nordic sprint”
Elsa Johnson
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Fifth Place
“Spartan softball falls 12-17 against Humboldt”
Jonas Bray
The Rubicon, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Photo Illustration
First Place
“Say his name”
Penelope Sedgwick, Zac Anderson
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Second Place
“Portrait: Oneirataxia”
Vivian Johnson
The Heights Herald, Columbia Heights High School
Third Place
“Keeping a list and checking it twice”
Lily McClelland, Zac Anderson
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Fourth Place
Activities divider
Claudia Staut
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Fifth Place
“Black musicians”
Alex Druley, Lidya Kennedy, Haley Vogel, Adrian Hemmick, Mae Skaja
The Heights Herald, Columbia Heights High School
Social Media
Reporting
First Place
“Edina School Board emergency session”
Miabella DiLorenzo, Isadora Li, Isabelle Wagener
Zephyrus, Edina High School
Second Place
Wrestling section coverage
Mariah Schroht
OHS Magnet, Owatonna High School
Promotion
First Place
Heights Herald Instagram
Renee DeMars Dehn
The Heights Herald, Columbia Heights High School
Yearbook
Spread Design
First Place
“Sideline support”
Molly Hedden, Alandra Stoll
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Second Place
“Coronavirus”
Zac Anderson
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Third Place
“A year for the books”
Jillian Elton, Gretta Heinecke
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Fourth Place
“The mask debate”
Stella Bertsch, Lizzie Dorschner, Anthony Toscano, Nile Tesfahunan
Kabekonian, Stillwater Area High School
Fifth Place
“Floatin, boatin, surfin everyday”
Cate Challgren, Morgan Cole
Spartan, Orono High School
Academics/Club Story
First Place
“A-Day vs B-Day separation”
Madelyn Anderson, Grace Bruhn
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Second Place
“Homemade music”
Claudia Staut
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Third Place
“Hands-on work from home”
Drew Jurek
Kabekonian, Stillwater Area High School
Fourth Place
“Got Ratitude?”
Eva Larson
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Sports Story
First Place
“All for one”
Lindsay Hartman
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Second Place
“State snatched away”
Ellie Carik
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Third Place
“The Manning legacy”
Alex Corbett
Kabekonian, Stillwater Area High School
Student Life Story
First Place
“Being Black at MA”
Lily McClelland
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Second Place
“Speak up and take action”
Kate Manninen
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Theme Package
First Place
“Square one”
Staff
Tatanka, Buffalo High School
Second Place
“In the moment”
Staff
Antler, Minnehaha Academy
Third Place
“Unexpected”
Leona Barocas, Sarah Oppenheim
Ibid, St. Paul Academy and Summit School
Fourth Place
“Right side up”
Staff
Kabekonian, Stillwater Area High School
Fifth Place
“As it unfolds”
Staff
Whigrean, Edina High School