MIPA is so happy to honor nearly 1,100 state winners in Overall and Individual contests this year.
A complete list of winners is available at: https://mipajournalism.com/j-day-awards-lists/
We would like to thank our nearly 80 judges who reviewed the roughly 1,800 entries this year. Judges range from journalism teachers and professors to professional journalists from across the country.
| Alicia Archuleta | photojournalist, journalism teacher, yearbook sponsor |
| Amanda Wood | owner/photographer at Dphotography |
| Amanda Krenos | graphic designer at KCPT – Kansas City PBS |
| Amanda Reynolds | consumer marketing manager, Balfour Yearbooks and former yearbook rep |
| Ann Visser | retired adviser, Pella Community Schools, JEA mentor, NSPA board member |
| Annie Sidesinger | art director |
| Bethany Drobeck | former yearbook adviser |
| Bill Book | adjunct faculty, Missouri School of Journalism |
| Brett Laxton | UPI photographer/chief photographer The Kansas City Kansan |
| Brian Eriksen | teacher, adviser, radio broadcaster |
| Brooke Rhoads | online editor-in-chief |
| Cal Butcher | director, Media Crossroads and Faculty, William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas |
| Chris Brown | newspaper photojournalist |
| Christina Unger | commercial photographer/owner/designer Unger Photographic Designs |
| Christy Jung | broadcasting journalism professor, HLGU |
| Cindy Carey | English teacher/journalism mentor |
| Daniel Jones | MU men’s basketball reporter, Columbia Daily Tribune |
| Diane Davis | editor, Missouri School Boards’ Association |
| Elizabeth Whittington | Upper School humanities teacher and advised yearbook and newspaper |
| Erin Coggins | journalism teacher (newspaper, yearbook, online) |
| Felicia Rateliff | freelance PR/marketing/writer |
| Homer Hall | retired journalism teacher |
| Jack Kennedy | executive director, Colorado Student Media Association |
| Jamie Greber | assistant professor and managing editor |
| Jason Offutt | senior instructor |
| Jeanne Abbott | associate professor, MU School of Journalism; managing editor, Missourian |
| Jeanne Miller Wood | photo editor |
| Jennifer Nelson | senior information specialist – Reynolds Journalism Institute, former news editor of Osceola (Iowa) Sentinel-Tribune |
| Jill Cowburn | journalism teacher |
| Jill Flanagan | teacher |
| Jim Brochin | journalism teacher/newspaper advisor |
| John Baccala | communications director- NHSD- City of Kansas City, Missouri |
| Jonah McKeown | videographer |
| Julia Copeland | education specialist at Balfour Yearbooks; 25-year yearbook and newspaper adviser and photojournalism teacher |
| Julianne McClain | teacher |
| Justin A. Cobb | staff writer, Campbell Publications |
| Karen Black | retired newspaper adviser |
| Kathy Allen | former adviser |
| Katie Purnell | senior interaction designer |
| Kevin Young | digital editor, NBC Dallas |
| Kia Breaux | Midwest Regional Director, The Associated Press |
| Kimberlee Ried | Public Affairs/Programs Specialist |
| Kristy Ladd Culp | brand manager, Girl Scouts of NE Kansas & NW Missouri |
| Kristy Nyp | high school journalism teacher |
| Kyle Quick | news website manager for Radio News Station KLPW |
| LeAnne Wiseman | retired ASNE |
| Leland Mallett | publications adviser |
| Linda Drake | journalism/graphic arts instructor, publications adviser – Chase County Jr.-Sr. H S |
| Louisa Avery | teacher/newspaper adviser |
| Lucas McCain | Jostens sales representative |
| Martin Keller | former publisher/advertising editor for Mexico Ledger |
| Mary Patrick | yearbook adviser at Maize South Middle School; workshop speaker/director |
| Michael Rennaker | broadcasting |
| Michelle Peters | journalism teacher |
| Minerva Howard | retired journalism teacher |
| Molly Baker | Herff Jones sales representative |
| Nick Carey | operations for minor league baseball |
| Nicolette Martin | editorial manager and layout designer at Lifestyle Publications |
| Paige Kesler | Lifetouch yearbook customer service |
| Petre Thomas | Ole Miss Athletics photographer |
| Randy Raley | advertising director, on air personality |
| Russell Hill | high school journalism adviser |
| Shane Epping | affiliate graduate faculty member, School of Journalism |
| Shannon Rennaker | former newsmagazine adviser |
| Shari Adwers | adviser, North Pointe newspaper, NorthPointeNow.org, Valhalla yearbook |
| Sharon Koontz | owner/artist Color Me Bleu studio |
| Stacey Woelfel | associate professor and director of the Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism; former news director of KOMU-TV |
| Stan Zoller, MJE | lecturer / journalism — Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, Ill. and president, Chicago Headline Club |
| Sue Brimer-Jones | special education process coordinator |
| Susan Tantillo | adjunct at Kent State University teaching reporting for mass media (online) |
| Tanya Katnic | journalism and yearbook adviser |
| Thomas E. Winski | assistant professor of journalism |
| Tiger Rotenberger | owner, tioptic photo arts |
| Tracy Tuley | Walsworth sales representative |
| Trevor Hayes | broadcast associate at FOX Sports |
| Trevor Ivan | teacher, former grad assistant at Kent State Center for Scholastic Journalism, former NSPA contest coordinator |
| Whitney Baker | Balfour yearbook representative and former yearbook/newspaper adviser |
![Sophomore Grant Dinges (12) catches the ball to get a pickoff of junior Noah Johnson (5) of the Lafayette Lancers. Summit defeated the Lafayette Lancers on April 14 with a final score of 12-4. “I [call a pick] whenever there is a fast runner at second or their lead is getting really big,” Dinges said.](https://mipajournalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_7204-GRACE-PODJESKI-1200x751.jpg)
