Here are the 2024 winners of the Sun Sentinel’s annual high school journalism contest

For nearly 30 years, the South Florida Sun Sentinel has honored the best high school journalists. Students from 15 schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties entered the annual contest with material published in the 2023-24 school year. Congratulations to the young journalists of tomorrow.

News writing

First Place: Graeme Melcher of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, for “Reshaping the Square.”
Second Place: Jasmine Bhogaita of Eagle Eye News at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, for “Diyas and Days Off: Hindus in Broward County petition for Diwali to become a school holiday.”
Third Place: Daniel Morrison of The CHAT at Pembroke Pines Charter High School, for “Jags witness one of nature’s biggest spectacles until 2044.”
Honorable Mention: Karmiah Smith of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, for “The Silent Epidemic.”
Honorable Mention: Jad Dargam of The Legend at Suncoast Community High School, for “No Money, More Problems.”
Honorable Mention: Patrick Gohl of Tornado Times at Pompano Beach High School, for “Parent permission required by district for students to take AP Psychology.”

Feature/Entertainment writing

First Place (tie): Samantha Maynes and Veronika Egorova of The Paw Print at Boca Raton Community High School, for “Addressing Stereotypes.”
First Place (tie): Brynn Schwartz and Andie Korenge of the Eagle Eye News at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, portfolio.
Second Place: Sienna Rose Sossi of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, portfolio.
Third place: Sanaiya Pinnock of Calibre at Western High School, portfolio.
Honorable Mention: Priya Gowda and Lila Goldin of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, for “Up in Smoke.”
Honorable Mention: Madison LeMaster of The Torch at Olympic Heights High School, for “Changing the Lives of Struggling Readers One by One.”
Honorable Mention: Eric Tovin of The Navigator at Fort Lauderdale High School, for “Coach Terry Portice Inducted into HSBN Hall of Fame – Welcomed into Baseball Paradise!”
Honorable Mention: Summer Mcelroy of The Sword & Shield at South Plantation High School, for “Girlhood.”
Honorable Mention: Alexandra Kimbrell of West Boca Bullseye at West Boca Raton Community High School, portfolio.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel honored high school student journalists from Broward and Palm Beach counties at an event Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Deerfield Beach. The award presentation included a tour through the media company's printing plant. — The South Florida Sun Sentinel honored high school student journalists from Broward and Palm Beach counties at a Thursday event Thursday in Deerfield Beach. The award presentation included a tour through the media company’s printing plant. (Kathy Laskowski/South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Commentary

First Place: The Eagle Eye News Editorial Board at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, for “Compromised Student Safety: Global Conflicts Should Not Affect the Safety of Students.”
Second Place: Daniel Morrison and Kara Warren of The CHAT at Pembroke Pines Charter High School, “Rethinking the future of standardized testing: the Digital SAT.”
Third Place: Natalia Vasquez and Savannah Ghibaudy of The Galleon at Spanish River High School, for “Face-Off: Movies vs. books.”
Honorable Mention: Amelia Welch of The Torch at Olympic Heights High School, for “Lion Zen Day.”
Honorable Mention: Jad Dargam of The Legend at Suncoast Community High School, for “Form 2680.”
Honorable Mention: Annika Karbstein of The Legend at Suncoast Community High School, for “Mary Jane, Yes or No?”
Honorable Mention: Patrick Gohl and Cali Jade Berrios of Tornado Times at Pompano Beach High School, for “Resiliency training: noble cause, lacking implementation.”
Honorable Mention: Daniel Wu of Cobra Chronicle at Park Vista High School, for “Professional Athletes Unjustified Salaries.”
Honorable Mention: Gonzalo Taype of Cobra Chronicle at Park Vista High School, for “Phone Holders: Worth it or Worthless?”
Honorable Mention: Gavin Leser of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, for “The Top Five Trees on Campus.”

Sports writing

First Place: Isaac Edelman of West Boca Bullseye at West Boca Raton Community High School, portfolio.
Second Place (tie): Barkley Wyckoff of Cobra Chronicle at Park Vista High School, portfolio.
Second Place (tie): Gavin Murray of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, portfolio.
Third place: Michael Smith of The Bulldog Bark at South Broward High School, for “From Under Dog to Top Dog; SBHS Boy’s Soccer team wins first state championship in school history.”
Honorable Mention: Peyton Blythe of The Galleon at Spanish River High School, for “Dancing With the Sharks.”
Honorable Mention: Santiago Illarramendi of The Sword & Shield at South Plantation High School, portfolio.
Honorable Mention: Daniel Morrison of The CHAT at Pembroke Pines Charter, for “Pickleball — the game you may have never played — may be Charter’s newest sport.”
Honorable Mention: Isabelle Dimant of The Torch at Olympic Heights High School, for “The 2023 Ballon d’Or Debate.”
Honorable Mention: Jessie Gesund of Eagle Eye News at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, for “Fall, Fumble, Fracture: MSD student athletes sustain injuries participating in high school athletics.”
Honorable Mention: Caroline Walsh of Calibre at Western High School, for “Reversing the Narrative” and “Flip the Script.”
Honorable Mention: Casey Brodnicki of The Legend at Suncoast Community High School, for “Sliding Into Next Season.”

Photography

First Place: Ashwin Kishor of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, for “Block Party.”
Second Place: Carolina Ochoa Lozano of Eagle Eye News at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, for “Baseball Slide.”
Third Place: Saarah Juman-Welch of The Bulldog Bark at South Broward High School, for “Soccer State Win.”

Social Media

First Place: Arik Karim and Gavin Murray of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, for “Snap Out of It.”
Second Place: The Galleon at Spanish River High School, for “Galleon Promotion.”
Third Place: West Boca Bullseye at West Boca Raton Community High School, “Football Game Day drone.”
Honorable Mention: Eagle Eye News of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, for “False Threats.”
Honorable Mention: The Sword & Shield of South Plantation High School, for “Sword & Shield is out.”
Honorable Mention: Isaac Edelman of West Boca Bullseye at West Boca Raton Community High School, for “Football Postgame Interview.”
Honorable Mention: The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, “Man on the Street: Pink Friday.”
Honorable Mention: The Galleon at Spanish River High School, for “Pep Rally and Club Rush galleries.”

Layout/Design

First Place: The Galleon at Spanish River High School, portfolio.
Second Place: Daniela Penafiel of The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, portfolio.
Third Place: Andie Korenge of Eagle Eye News at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, for “Chronically Online.”
Honorable Mention: The Sword & Shield of South Plantation High School, portfolio of pages.
Honorable Mention: The Paw Print at Boca Raton Community High School, for mental health and coping series.
Honorable Mention: Juliana Lopez Candelaria of Cobra Chronicle at Park Vista High School, for “Coffee, Tea or …”
Honorable Mention: Alison LaTorre of Eagle Eye News at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, for for “Up All Night.”

Best Overall

First Place: The Muse at Dreyfoos School of the Arts, Adviser Carly Gates.
Second Place: Eagle Eye News at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Adviser Melissa Falkowski.
Third Place: Cobra Chronicle at Park Vista High School, Adviser Cynthia Schector.
Honorable Mention: The Paw Print at Boca Raton Community High School, Adviser Aurora Dominguez.
Honorable Mention: The CHAT at Pembroke Pines Charter High School, Adviser Faren Fagen.
Honorable Mention: The Bronco Beat at Palm Beach Central High School, Adviser Eric Jourgensen.
Honorable Mention: The Galleon at Spanish River High School, Adviser Suzanne Delenay.
Honorable Mention: The Legend at Suncoast Community High School, Adviser Traci Lowe.