Las Vegas’ top student journalists honored in annual contest

Green Valley High School and Southwest Career and Technical Academy took top honors, placing first in the best newspaper and best news website categories, respectively.

“We’re always impressed by the quality of journalism we see from high school students across Southern Nevada,” said Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook. “This year was no different. We hope the Review-Journal awards encourage many of this year’s winners to stick with it and pursue a career in media.”

Of the 23 total award categories, Green Valley’s The InvestiGator took eight additional first-place awards in feature writing, photography and illustration, and Page One design, among others.

InvestiGator journalist Elyse Gamiao took four top honors in addition to her school’s “MVP Staffer” recognition.

“Elyse has become an outstanding journalist over the past four years, improving everything from her design skills to her ability behind a camera,” according to her nomination for the school’s MVP award. “Her dedication to our program will be missed, and we appreciate everything that she has done for her school and the newspaper.”

Southwest Career and Technical Academy’s Southwest Shadow placed first in three additional categories: editing, best digital video storytelling and editorial cartoon.

The categories were judged by Review-Journal staffers.

“It was inspiring to see the next generation of journalists bringing stories of importance to their schools,” said Review-Journal gaming and tourism reporter McKenna Ross. “We were impressed by the talent and potential shown in all entries.”

Added Alan Halaly, water and environment reporter: “These entries are proof that journalism is in good hands. Right here in Southern Nevada, there are young journalists who are telling important stories on and off their campuses.”

The Review-Journal has recognized high school journalists for decades, pausing only during the COVID pandemic.

“As a veteran journalist, it’s rewarding to see a new generation stepping up to fill this exciting and vital role in a democracy and to encourage them to stay at it by recognizing their work,” said reporter Mary Hynes, a member of the newspaper’s investigative team.

Award winners

Best Newspaper

1st Place – The InvestiGator, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – Hillside Hotwire, Foothill High School

3rd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo, Sunrise Mountain High School

Best News Website

1st Place – Southwest Shadow, Southwest Career and Technical Academy

2nd Place – Accolades, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

3rd Place – Silverado Star, Silverado High School

Best Editorial

1st Place – Silverado Star’s staff and editor Jordyn Reynolds, Silverado High School

2nd Place – Southwest Shadow editorial board, Southwest Career and Technical Academy

3rd Place – Eye of the Tiger editorial staff, Bonanza High School

Opinion Writing

1st Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Nia Meunier, Sunrise Mountain High School

2nd Place – InvestiGator staff, Green Valley High School

3rd Place – Southwest Shadow’s Ethan Bull, Southwest Career and Technical Academy

Best Illustration

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Elyse Gamiao, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – The InvestiGator’s Elyse Gamiao, Green Valley High School

3rd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Keryle Ramirez, Sunrise Mountain High School

Best Editorial Cartoon

1st Place – Southwest Shadow’s Arcade Encarnacion, Southwest Career and Technical Academy

2nd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Nia Meunie, Sunrise Mountain High School

3rd Place – The InvestiGator’s Elyse Gamiao, Green Valley High School

Best Sports News Story

1st Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Cristian Morales, Sunrise Mountain High School

2nd Place – Silverado Star’s Mailie Trotta, Silverado High School

3rd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Grecia Carrasco, Sunrise Mountain High School

Best Sports Feature

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Laura Villanueva, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Ariana Cedeno, Sunrise Mountain High School

3rd Place – The InvestiGator’s Bella Smith, Green Valley High School

Best News Story

1st Place – Hillside Hotwire’s Paige Ackerman, Foothill High School

2nd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Raul Castro Moron, Sunrise Mountain High School

3rd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Nia Meunier, Sunrise Mountain High School

Best News Feature Story

1st Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Raul Castro Moron, Sunrise Mountain High School

2nd Place – The InvestiGator’s Ameya Naduvalath, Green Valley High School

3rd Place – Eye of the Tiger’s Robyn Jolly, Bonanza High School

Best Feature Story

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Elyse Gamiao, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Nia Meunier, Sunrise Mountain High School

3rd Place – The InvestiGator’s Eddie-Jae Hager, Green Valley High School

Best Entertainment Story

1st Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Nia Meunier, Sunrise Mountain High School

2nd Place – Silverado Star’s Naomi Jackson, Silverado High School

3rd Place – Eye of the Tiger’s Rose White, Bonanza High School

Best Page One design

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Elyse Gamiao, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – Hillside Hotwire’s Paige Ackerman and Isabelle Simoneau, Foothill High School

3rd Place – Eye of the Tiger’s Anjaea White, Bonanza High School

Best Headline

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Kinsley Priebe, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – Eye of the Tiger’s Yasmin Salas, Bonanza High School

3rd Place – The InvestiGator’s Ameya Naduvalath, Green Valley High School

Best Advertisement (print or web)

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Kinsley Priebe, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – Hillside Hotwire’s Jaycee Haag, Foothill High School

3rd Place – Silverado Star staff, Silverado High School

Best Sports Photo

1st Place – Hillside Hotwire’s Jennette Giarraffa, Foothill High School

2nd Place – The InvestiGator’s Ameya Naduvalath, Green Valley High School

3rd Place – Hillside Hotwire’s Ryan Koontz, Foothill High School

Best News Photo

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Elyse Gamiao, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – Sunrise Mountain Echo’s Aide Acevedo Ramirez, Sunrise Mountain High School

3rd Place – Hillside Hotwire’s Isabelle Simoneau, Foothill High School

Best Feature Photo

1st Place – Hillside Hotwire’s Jennette Giarraffa, Foothill High School

2nd Place – Accolades’ Violet Gude, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

3rd Place – Silverado Star’s Jordyn Reynolds, Silverado High School

Best Photo Illustration

1st Place – The InvestiGator’s Kinsley Priebe, Green Valley High School

2nd Place – The InvestiGator’s Kinsley Priebe, Green Valley High School

3rd Place – Silverado Star’s Cosmo Kitchen, Silverado High School

Best Social Media Engagement

1st Place – Eliana Wehrle, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

2nd Place – Jayce Rodrigues, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

3rd Place – Violet Gude, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

Best Digital Video Storytelling

Southwest Shadow’s Travis McGinnis, Chase Paine and Roxanne Knight-Rosenau, Southwest Career and Technical Academy

Best On-Air Talent (Solo/Duo)

Darren McGee and Caiden O’Hara, KBHS Bonanza High School

Best Editing

Southwest Shadow’s Travis McGinnis, Southwest Career and Technical Academy

MVP Staffer

— Elyse Gamiao, Green Valley High School

— Nia Meunier, Sunrise Mountain High School

— Rose White, Bonanza High School

— Paige Ackerman, Foothill High School

— Ayma Malik, Southwest Career and Technical Academy

— Jordyn Reynolds, Silverado High School

— Khai Huynh, Las Vegas Academy of the Arts

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.