Another successful year!
Scholastic Journalism Awards winners announced
Harper Liller, a student at Boardman High School, has won the Youngstown Press Club's 2026 Scholastic Journalist of the Year award and the accompanying $200 prize.
This is the second consecutive year that a Boardman High School student has earned this award. Last year's winner was Lillian Andrews.
Liller was among 101 students and five student news publications from 14 high schools to enter the club's second Scholastic Journalism Awards competition this year. The contest area included Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties in Ohio and Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania.
A panel of press club members judged contest entries and awarded a total of $1,300 in cash prizes.
The Steeler Nation News at Farrell High School won first place and the accompanying $200 prize for the school in the Best News Publication, Broadcast or Website category.
The Student Prints at Struthers High School took second prize, and the Boardman Bugle at Boardman High School took third prize in that category.
Stephanie Mickler of Struthers High School took the adviser of the year award, accompanied by a $200 cash prize and a pizza party for her newsroom.
Contest sponsors were: WKBN-TV News, Andrea Wood and Dennis LaRue, the Houck Agency, the Anderson Program in Journalism at Youngstown State University and the Laney Fitzpatrick Family Fund.
By recognizing their excellent work, the Youngstown Press Club seeks to encourage high school students to start on the path to a journalism career.
This is the second consecutive year that a Boardman High School student has earned this award. Last year's winner was Lillian Andrews.
Liller was among 101 students and five student news publications from 14 high schools to enter the club's second Scholastic Journalism Awards competition this year. The contest area included Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties in Ohio and Mercer and Lawrence counties in Pennsylvania.
A panel of press club members judged contest entries and awarded a total of $1,300 in cash prizes.
The Steeler Nation News at Farrell High School won first place and the accompanying $200 prize for the school in the Best News Publication, Broadcast or Website category.
The Student Prints at Struthers High School took second prize, and the Boardman Bugle at Boardman High School took third prize in that category.
Stephanie Mickler of Struthers High School took the adviser of the year award, accompanied by a $200 cash prize and a pizza party for her newsroom.
Contest sponsors were: WKBN-TV News, Andrea Wood and Dennis LaRue, the Houck Agency, the Anderson Program in Journalism at Youngstown State University and the Laney Fitzpatrick Family Fund.
By recognizing their excellent work, the Youngstown Press Club seeks to encourage high school students to start on the path to a journalism career.
2026 Scholastic Journalism Awards Winners
Congratulations to all winners in this year's contest!
News Story
1st Place – Gianna Bonini, Struthers High School
2nd Place – Harper Liller, Boardman High School
3rd Place - Jaxson Bell, Landon Primus and Gavin Cindea, Trumbull Career and Technical Center
Feature Story
1st Place – Fallon McCormick, Haylee Tater and Isabella Sanders, Valley STEM + ME2 Academy
2nd Place – Hebah Arida and Tessa Ross, Boardman High School
3rd Place – Kierstin Richoz, Maurissa Keeney, Trent Halowell and Kiera Fraser, Trumbull Career and Technical Center
Honorable Mention – Mary Ramovs, Boardman High School
Sports Story
1st Place – James Westover, Grand Valley High School
2nd Place – Trynty Nail, Struthers High School
3rd Place – James Mitchell, Boardman High School
Editorial / Column / Opinion Piece
1st Place – Wesley Jones, Struthers High School
2nd Place – Aiden Crum, Salem High School
3rd Place – Harper Liller, Boardman High School
Honorable Mention – Layla Colich, Sharpsville High School
Honorable Mention – Madelyn Hanna, Struthers High School
Honorable Mention – Leah Markotan, Struthers High School
Review
1st Place – Mary Ramovs, Boardman High School
2nd Place – Delaney Painter, Struthers High School
3rd Place – Trent Parker, Warren G. Harding High School
Photography
1st Place – Layla Francisco, Grand Valley High School C
2nd Place – Piper Currie, Shenango High School
3rd Place – Symira Footman, Farrell High School
Video Package
1st Place – Jaxson Bell, Trumbull Career and Technical Center
2nd Place – Haylee Tatar and Ariana McCreery, Valley STEM + ME2 Academy
3rd Place - Novella Poole, Ursuline High School
Layout / Design
1st Place – Piper Currie, Shenango High School
2nd Place – Dane Menough, Salem High School
3rd Place – Elise Bender, Salem High School
Best News Publication, Broadcast or Website
1st Place – Steeler Nation News, Farrell High School
2nd Place – The Student Prints, Struthers High School
3rd Place – Boardman Bugle, Boardman High School
Scholastic Journalist of the Year
Harper Liller, Boardman High School
Adviser of the Year
Stephanie Mickler, Struthers High School
1st Place – Gianna Bonini, Struthers High School
2nd Place – Harper Liller, Boardman High School
3rd Place - Jaxson Bell, Landon Primus and Gavin Cindea, Trumbull Career and Technical Center
Feature Story
1st Place – Fallon McCormick, Haylee Tater and Isabella Sanders, Valley STEM + ME2 Academy
2nd Place – Hebah Arida and Tessa Ross, Boardman High School
3rd Place – Kierstin Richoz, Maurissa Keeney, Trent Halowell and Kiera Fraser, Trumbull Career and Technical Center
Honorable Mention – Mary Ramovs, Boardman High School
Sports Story
1st Place – James Westover, Grand Valley High School
2nd Place – Trynty Nail, Struthers High School
3rd Place – James Mitchell, Boardman High School
Editorial / Column / Opinion Piece
1st Place – Wesley Jones, Struthers High School
2nd Place – Aiden Crum, Salem High School
3rd Place – Harper Liller, Boardman High School
Honorable Mention – Layla Colich, Sharpsville High School
Honorable Mention – Madelyn Hanna, Struthers High School
Honorable Mention – Leah Markotan, Struthers High School
Review
1st Place – Mary Ramovs, Boardman High School
2nd Place – Delaney Painter, Struthers High School
3rd Place – Trent Parker, Warren G. Harding High School
Photography
1st Place – Layla Francisco, Grand Valley High School C
2nd Place – Piper Currie, Shenango High School
3rd Place – Symira Footman, Farrell High School
Video Package
1st Place – Jaxson Bell, Trumbull Career and Technical Center
2nd Place – Haylee Tatar and Ariana McCreery, Valley STEM + ME2 Academy
3rd Place - Novella Poole, Ursuline High School
Layout / Design
1st Place – Piper Currie, Shenango High School
2nd Place – Dane Menough, Salem High School
3rd Place – Elise Bender, Salem High School
Best News Publication, Broadcast or Website
1st Place – Steeler Nation News, Farrell High School
2nd Place – The Student Prints, Struthers High School
3rd Place – Boardman Bugle, Boardman High School
Scholastic Journalist of the Year
Harper Liller, Boardman High School
Adviser of the Year
Stephanie Mickler, Struthers High School
Celebrating success!
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Thank you to our 2025-26 Sponsors!
The Scholastic Journalism Awards are generously sponsored by:
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