Awards & Honors

The Hawkeye, Tempo and program staff members have been recognized for excellence in student media at the local, regional, state and national levels for quite awhile. Here are some of our accolades.

Click here to jump to the Best of Show contests.

Click here to jump to other Awards and Honors

National High School Journalism Competitions (#NHSJC)

2023

Spring 2023 JEA/NSPA @ San Francisco (in person)

2023 Spring WJEA State Awards @ Mountlake Terrace H.S.

2022

Spring JEA/NSPA @ Los Angeles (Could not attend in person)

2022 Spring WJEA Awards @ Mercer Island H.S.

2021

Fall 2021 JEA/NSPA @ Philadelphia (online)

2021 Spring JEA Awards @ Seattle (Online)

2020

2020 Fall JEA Awards @ Orlando (Online)

2020 Spring JEA Awards @ Nashville (Online)

2020 Spring WJEA Awards @ Mercer Island H.S. (Online)

2019

2019 Fall JEA Awards @ Washington, D.C.

2019 Fall WJEA Awards @ J-Day West

2019 Spring JEA Awards @ Anaheim

2019 Spring WJEA Awards @ Cleveland H.S.

2018

2018 Fall JEA Awards @ Chicago

2018 Fall WJEA Awards @ J-Day West

2018 Spring JEA Awards @ San Francisco

2018 Spring WJEA Awards @ Glacier Peak H.S.

2017

2017 Fall JEA Awards @ Dallas

2017 Spring JEA Awards @ Seattle

2016

2016 Spring JEA Awards @ Los Angeles

2016 Spring WJEA Awards @ Auburn H.S.

2015

2015 Fall JEA Awards @ Orlando

2015 Spring JEA Awards @ Denver

2015 Spring WJEA Awards @ Puyallup H.S.

2014

2014 Fall JEA Awards @ Washington D.C.

2014 Spring JEA Awards @ San Diego

2014 Spring WJEA Awards @ Shorewood

2013

2013 Fall JEA Awards @ Boston

2013 Spring JEA Awards @ San Francisco

2013 Spring WJEA Awards @ Inglemoor H.S.

2012

2012 Fall JEA Awards @ San Antonio

2012 Spring JEA Awards @ Seattle

2011

2011 Spring JEA Awards @ Anaheim

2011 Spring WJEA Awards @ Auburn Mountainview

2010

2010 Spring JEA Awards @ Portland

2010 Spring WJEA Awards @ Mountlake Terrace

2009

2009 Fall JEA Awards @ Washington D.C.

2009 Spring JEA Awards @ Phoenix

2008

2008 Fall JEA Awards @ St. Louis

2008 Spring JEA Awards @ Anaheim

2007

2007 Spring JEA Awards @ Denver

2006

2006 Spring JEA Awards @ San Francisco

2005

2005 Spring JEA Awards @ Seattle

2004

2004 Fall JEA Awards @ Atlanta

2004 Spring JEA Awards @ San Diego

Best of Show Awards

San Francisco – Spring 2023

• NSPA Best of Show: Newspapers 1800 or fewer students
  • 7the place – HSM staff, Maggie O’Hara & Cecilia Negash, editors

Philadelphia (online) – Fall 2021

• NSPA Best of Show: Editorial Leadership
  • 2nd place – Ritika Khanal

Orlando – Fall 2020

• NSPA Best of Show: Website schools 1500 or fewer students
  • 9th place – Hawkeye Staff

Seattle – Spring 2017

• NSPA Best of Show: Newspaper Tabloid 17 or More Pages
  • Second place – Hawkeye Staff

Los Angeles – Spring 2016

• NSPA Best of Show: Newspaper Special Edition
  • Eighth place – Hawkeye Staff

Orlando – Fall 2015

• NSPA Best of Show: Newspaper Special Edition
  • Fifth place – Hawkeye staff
  • The Game of Education

Denver – Spring 2015

• NSPA Best of Show – Publication Website Small School
  • Fifth place

Washington, DC – Fall 2014

• Newspaper Special Edition – 6th place
• Publication Website Small School – 2nd place

San Diego – Spring 2014

• Publication Website Small School – 5th Place
• Newspaper Tabloid – 5th place

San Francisco – Spring 2013

• Publication Website Small School – 6th place

San Antonio – Fall 2012

• Newspaper Broadsheet 9-12 Pages – 5th place

Seattle – Spring 2012

• Newspaper Broadsheet 9-12 Pages – 3rd place
• Publication Website Large School – 8th place

Kansas City – Fall 2010

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 3rd place
• Publication Website Small School – 5th place

Portland – Spring 2010

• Newspaper 9-12 Pages – 5th place

Phoenix – Spring 2009

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 7th place

Anaheim – Spring 2008

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 10th place

San Francisco – Spring 2006

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 1st place

Seattle – Spring 2005

• Newspaper 17+ Pages – 2nd place

San Diego Spring 2004

• Newspaper 9-12 Pages – 7th place

Washington, D.C. – Fall 2003

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 8th place

Boston – Fall 2001

• Newspaper 9-12 Pages – 2nd place
• Newsmagazine – 10th place

San Francisco – Spring 2001

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 10th place
• Specialty Newspapers – 4th place

Kansas – Fall 2000

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 5th place
• Specialty News Publications – 6th place

Anaheim – Spring 2000

• Specialty News Publication – 10th place

Albuquerque – Spring 1999

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 3rd place

Seattle – Spring 1998

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 2nd place

St. Louis – Fall 1997

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 1st place

Phoenix – Spring 1997

• Newspaper 17 and more pages – 6th place

Chicago – Fall 1996

• Newspaper 13-16 Pages – 1st place

San Francisco – Spring 1996

• Newspaper 17+ Pages – 3rd place

Kansas City – Fall 1995 

• Newspaper 9-12 Pages – 2nd place

Portland – Spring 1995

• Newspaper 9-12 Pages – 10th place

Other Awards and Honors

2022-2023

• 2023 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
  • This is the 10th year in a row and the 13th time overall
• WJEA Special Commendation – The Edmonds School District Board of Directors, Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Miner, Asst. Sup. Greg Schwab, Principal Greg Schellenberg, Asst. Principals Dan Falk & Kathleen Daspit
  • For leadership in developing and unanimously approving the district’s new student freedom of expression policy. The Student Press Law Center’s top lawyer, Mike Hiestand, was in the audience for the presentation and bluntly stated that this policy is the “best in the country.”
• 2023 NSPA Leadership Award in Student Journalism – to the HSM leadership staff for their role in helping create and pass the new student freedom of expression policy in the Edmonds School District (see above):
  • Cecilia Negash, Maggie, O’Hara, Hunter Michaelson, Arabella Devera, Rodney Budden, Mika Raring, Phuong Lam, Kaylee Miyamoto, Seras Bryner, Emmalee Harmon, Kaitlyn Miller, Rachel Davis, Denise Muñoz, Terina Papatu & Jacob Nacanaynay.
• WJEA Dorothy McPhillips Distinguished Service Award – adviser Vince DeMiero became the 7th person in the history of WJEA to receive this honor.

2021-2022

• 2022 First Amendment Press Freedom Award

2020-2021

• 2021 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – Ritika Khanal

2019-2020

• 2019 WJEA Newspaper Emerald Award
  • Editor: Nolan DeGarlais
• 2019 WJEA Website Emerald Award
  • Editor: Nolan DeGarlais
• 2020 Washington Journalist of the Year – Nolan DeGarlais
• 2020 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• 2020 National Online Pacemaker Award Winner
  • Editor: Nolan DeGarlais

2018-2019

• 2018 WJEA Newspaper Emerald Award
  • Editors: Annika Prom and Ben Eyman
• 2018 WJEA Website Emerald Award
  • Editors: Annika Prom and Ben Eyman
• 2019 Washington Journalist of the Year – Annika Prom
• 2019 National Journalist of the Year Runner-up – Annika Prom
• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – Nolan DeGarlais
• 2019 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• 2019 National Online Pacemaker Award Finalist
  • Editors: Annika Prom and Ben Eyman

2017-2018

• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – Annika Prom
• 2018 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• NSPA 2018 Podcast
  • Finalist – Ben Eyman
  • Prep Chatter
• NSPA 2018 Interactive Graphic
  • Finalist – Sam Johnson
  • At Look at Men’s Basketball

2016-2017

• 2017 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• 2016 Washington Journalist of the Year – Stephi Smith

2015-2016

• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – Stephi Smith
• 2016 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• NSPA 2015 Story of the year: Sports story
  • Honorable Mention – Irvin Zhang
  • Old Man Pete
• NSPA 2015 Story of the Year: Multimedia
  • Third place – Paxtyn Merten & Isaac Otis
  • Terrace students more aware of rights than American adults
• NSPA 2015 Story of the Year: Editorial
  • Second place – Hawkeye staff
  • Editorial: Why gun arguments against gun control are flawed

2014-2015

• 2015 Washington Journalist of the Year – Nick Fiorillo
• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – Paxtyn Merten
• 2015 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• WJEA Superior in Emerging Technology
  • Editor: Nick Fiorillo & Paxtyn Merten
• 2014 Multimedia Story of the Year: Multimedia Feature
  • Honorable Mention – Jaira Arcilla
  • Kayla Wheeler: Nothing she can’t do
• 2014 Story of the Year: News Story
  • Honorable Mention – Nick Fiorillo
  • The devastating impact of prescription drug abuse hits home

2013-2014

• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – Nick Fiorillo
• 2014 First Amendment Press Freedom Award
• WJEA Best of Show for Emerging Technologies
  • Editor: Erick Yanzon
• WJEA Award of Excellence for Newsmagazine
  • Editor: Nick Fiorillo
• WJEA Best of Show for Video Broadcast: Hawk TV

2012-2013

• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – Will Khadivi
• 2013 National Online Pacemaker Award Winner
  • Editor: Erick Yanzon
• 2012 Medal of Merit Award – Vincent DeMiero

2011-2012

• Al Neuharth Free Spirit Scholarship – AnhViet Nguyen

2008-2009

• Special recognition award

2006-2007

• First Amendment Free Press Award
• Society of Professional Journalists – Honorable Mention
• American Scholastic Press Association – 1st place

2005-2006

• 2006 First Amendment Free Press Award
• Society of Professional Journalists – 3rd place
• Washington state Adviser of the Year – Vincent DeMiero

2003-2004

• Two staff members were named National Winners

• Best of the Net: Editorial Content – Honorable Mention
• Multicultural Journalism Award Winner – Print
• National Newspaper Association “Photo News-Feature” Sweepstakes Winner – Eric Nusser
• Story of the Year: News – 1st place: Joey Roberts, Bradey Day, Simon Farretta, Eric Nusser
• National Pacemaker Award Finalist

• Courage in Student Journalism Award: Stacey Burns
• National Pacemaker Award Finalist
• NSPA/Associated Collegiate Press/Student Press Law Center Scholastic Press Freedom Award – Stacey Burns
• Dow Jones Newspaper Fund National High School Journalism Teacher of the Year – Vincent DeMiero, named one of four Distinguished Advisers in the nation
• JEA Student Impact Award – Stacey Burns and the 1994-1995 Editorial Board
• Washington Press Association – 1st place – “General Excellence”
• Society of Professional Journalists – 1st place – “Excellence in Journalism”

1994-1995

• Washington Press Association – 2nd place – “General Excellence”
• WJEA Adviser of the Year – Vincent DeMiero
• Runner-up Student Journalist of the Year – Stacey Burns
• Society of Professional Journalists – 1st place – “General Excellence”

The Gordon McLaughlin Scholarship

Hawkeye Most Valuable Staff Member

Tempo “Clarion” Most Valuable Staff Member

CTE Leadership Award