Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Wausau West High School Entry Title: Warrior's Word Volume 17, Issue 1 & Warrior's Word Volume 16, Issue 2 Entry Credit: Allison Jagodzinski, Yuri Moua, Davin Yakey, Odelia Holdhusen, Nate Hahn , Norah Martin, Lynn Thao, Parker Jerabek, Grace Huggenvik, Milo Holdhusen, Ava Hamann, Nolan Travis, Nolan Mudler, Aviya Yang, Jocelyn Wolosek, Hunter Bradshaw, Paige Scheel, Peighton Frederick, Gianna Voigt, Sofia Wildman Judge Comment: The students behind Warrior’s Word at Wausau West High deserve top honors for these issues — each well-written, professionally assembled and marked by impressive range and diversity. I enjoyed the in-depth look at how students are grappling with the school’s cellphone policy, which is a major concern in schools all over the country, and which is covered capably here, with thoughtful quotes, a student survey and graphics. There’s a solid mix of movie and music reviews, and an interesting feature about the resurgence of record collecting, with a nice headline: “Needle Drop.” The magazine is well edited, well designed and easy to read throughout. I also appreciated the inclusion of an ethics policy, with entries on factual corrections and anonymous quotes. The other issue is also strong, with a sensitive look at services for students needing extra support leading the pack. Nice work on these!
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Cardinal Columns Entry Title: Cardinal Columns Entry Credit: Cardinal Columns Staff Judge Comment: With Cardinal Columns, student journalists from Fond du Lac High School show a flair for design and a willingness to tackle big topics, as in the cover story of the May 2025 issues, Cutting Back, which documents staff and budget cuts in the wake of a failed school funding referendum. There are solid features throughout these two issues, including on the mental health challenges of teens, and compelling photos and clever headlines like “Fiddle Faddle.” Closer attention to copyediting and correct grammar could lift up the quality of journalism further. Definitely a strong example of what up-and-coming journalists can accomplish.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: The Spartan Spin Entry Title: Spin Cycle Issue 4 Entry Credit: Spartan Spin Staff Judge Comment: The students behind Spin Cycle produced two strong contenders in the general excellence category. A standout feature in the April edition looked at disparate treatment that women and girls face in covering sports. The June issue was heavy on student profiles, but relatively light on news. I’d recommend the journalists at Superior High consider a broader range of topics and approaches.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: The Red 'n' Green Entry Title: The Red 'n' Green Entry Credit: Thomas McCarthy, Taylor Van Ornum, Tasi Ana Sanchez, Hailey Rodriguez, Makayla Trochinski, Camila Villalobos, Emelia Beulen, Emileena Neconish, Jack Gerber Judge Comment: I would encourage the students at The Red 'n' Green to try again next year, making sure to submit two complete editions. This contest entry included only the newspaper's url, and I was unable to find the complete issues from November and October in the archives. It didn't seem sporting to rank this entry alongside schools that followed the contest instructions more closely.
