The Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of the 2025 WNA Foundation Editorial Writing & Cartoon Contest, now renamed the First Amendment Essay and Editorial Cartoon Contest.
“I’m fortunate enough to live in a country where my freedoms and rights are protected. Under the First Amendment, I am allowed to speak freely, assemble peacefully, and petition my government,” wrote First Place High School Editorial Writer Rylie Kranich.
“As Americans, we are fortunate to have these freedoms, while many nations still struggle to grasp the concept of true expression. Yet even here, the meaning of free speech is tested every single day,” First place Middle School Editorial Writer Majid Mohamed wrote.
Returning for a fifth year, the contest asked students to convey their opinion about an issue related to the First Amendment through editorial writing or an editorial cartoon.
Twelve students will receive cash awards, certificates, and the opportunity to be published by newspapers across the state.
A total of 27 entries were received in the editorial writing contest and 35 entries were received for the cartoon contest.
“These were the strongest entries I can remember for our editorial writing competition,” said Editorial Writing Judge Rusty Cunningham. He was inducted into Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2024.
“I counted 27 entries this year, which is pretty impressive,” said fellow Editorial Writing Judge Scott Peterson, who is being inducted into the Wisconsin Newspaper Hall of Fame in 2026.
Cartoon entries were judged by Phil Hands, the editorial cartoonist for the Wisconsin State Journal.
Writing Contest
High School
1st place – Rylie Kranich – Waterford Union High School – 11th grade
2nd place – Tessa Tkachuk – Slinger High School – 11th grade
3rd place – Olivia Fiore – J.I. Case High School, Racine – 10th grade
Middle School
1st place – Majid Mohamed – Madinah Academy of Madison – 8th grade
2nd place – Yazmin Abdullahi – Madinah Academy of Madison – 8th grade
3rd place – Kate Rectenwald – Edgewood Campus School, Madison – 8th grade
Cartoon Contest
High School
1st Place – Leela Benson – Middleton High School – 12th grade
2nd Place – Kohl Zahn – Vel Phillips Memorial, Madison – 10th grade
3rd Place – Naomi Lukas – Adams-Friendship High School – 12th grade
Middle School
1st Place – Declan Ghaboussi – Velma Hamilton Middle School, Madison – 7th grade
2nd Place – Theodore Zvenyach – Hamilton Middle School, Madison – 8th grade
3rd Place – Esmae Klewin – East Troy Middle School – 7th grade
The contest is sponsored by the WNA Foundation, which is a not-for-profit organization created in 1980.
WNAF works to improve the quality and future of Wisconsin’s newspaper enterprises, the industry and the communities they serve. The foundation solicits, manages and disburses funds and other resources for the benefit of Wisconsin’s newspaper industry and, ultimately, the citizens of Wisconsin.
Download all materials – winning entries, photo of winners, logos/graphics and guest column
Guest Column: Rusty Cunningham retired in 2020 as executive editor of the La Crosse Tribune, Chippewa Herald and River Valley Media Group. He previously had served as publisher of the group. He is a longtime board member of the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation.
