Awards

2025-2026

Photo of the Year comeptition:

 

 

Texas Association of Journalism Educators:

Honorable Mention to Sophia Clapp and Marilyn Rutschman for yearbook theme package

Excellent first year photo by Hazel Villafuerte

Excellent sports feature story by Peightyn Eddings

 

Westwood University Interscholastic League Invitational:

Sophia Clapp – 3rd in feature writing

Sophia Clapp – 5th in editorial writing

Austin Connelly – 1st in editorial writing

Austin Connelly – 3rd in newswriting

 

Round Rock University Interscholastic League Invitational:

Ari Tower – 4th in feature writing

Austin Connelly – 6th in editorial writing

Sophia Clapp – 5th in feature writing

Sophia Clapp – 6th in editorial writing

 

UIL District competition:

Ari Tower – 2nd in copy editing

Austin Connelly – 3rd in copy editing

Ari Tower – 1st in newswriting

Sophia Clapp – 2nd in newswriting

Sophia Clapp – 2nd in feature writing

Ari Tower – 5th in feature writing

Austin Connelly – 3rd in headline writing

 

UIL Regions competition:

Sophia Clapp – 2nd in feature writing

Ari Tower – 6th in newswriting

 

UIL State competition:

Sophia Clapp – 2nd in feature writing

 

Interscholastic League Press Conference Awards:

Second runner-up for Yearbook Editor of the Year awarded to Sophia Clapp

Honorable mention to the Lair staff and Sophia Clapp for clubs/organizations-focused spread

Honorable mention to Sophia Clapp for student-life-focused spread

Honorable mention to the Lair staff for feature spread

Ari Tower – 1st in clubs/organizations feature story

 

Tops in Texas:

Ari Tower – 1st in clubs/organizations feature story

 

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2022-2023

• • CSPA Silver Crown

  • NSPA Gold Medalist

  • NSPA IAA Clips & Clicks – Second Place Feature Photo

  • NSPA IAA Clips & Clicks – Third Place Infographic Spread

  • NSPA IAA’s (Waiting)

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2021-2022

• • ILPC Bronze Star Award

  • CSPA Gold Crown

  • NSPA Gold Medalist

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2020-2021

• • ILPC Bronze Star Award

  • CSPA Silver Crown 

  • CSPA Gold Medalist

  • NSPA Gold Medalist

  • Balfour Sample Book

  • 2021 Balfour Yearbooks Yearbooks – Recognized for Yearbook Excellence

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2019-2020

• • ILPC Bronze Star Award

  • CSPA Gold Medalist

  • NSPA All-American with Four Marks of Distinction

  • NSPA Pacemaker Winner

  • Balfour Sample Book

  • 2020 Balfour Yearbooks Yearbooks – Recognized for Yearbook Excellence

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2018-2019 

• • ILPC Silver Star

  • CSPA Silver Crown Winner

  • CSPA Gold Medalist

  • NSPA Gold Medalist

  • Balfour Sample Book

  • 2019 Balfour Yearbooks Yearbooks – Recognized for Yearbook Excellence

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2017-2018 

• • ILPC Bronze Star Award

  • CSPA Gold Medalist with Columbian Honors in Design and References

  • NSPA First Class 

  • Balfour Sample Book 

  • 2018 Balfour Yearbooks Yearbooks – Recognized for Yearbook Excellence

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2016-2017 

• • ILPC Bronze Star Award 

  • CSPA Gold Medal

  • NSPA All-American with Five Marks of Distinction

  • Balfour Sample Book 

  • 2017 Balfour Yearbooks Yearbooks – Recognized for Yearbook Excellence

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2015-2016 

• • NSPA First Class with One Mark of Distinction

  • NSPA Pacemaker Finalist

  • CSPA Gold Medal

  • ILPC Bronze Star Award 

2024-2025

UIL District competition:

Sophia Clapp – 2nd in feature writing

Osiris Rodriguez – 6th in feature writing

Ari Tower – 1st in nwwswriting

Sophia Clapp – 3rd in newswriting

Nithya Poola – 3rd in headline writing

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2020-2021

UIL State 

• Feature Writing – Arielle Shaver

• Headline Writing – McKenzie Henningsen

• Copy Editing – McKenzie Henningsen

UIL Regionals – 1st Place as a team

• Headline Writing – 1st Place McKenzie Henningsen

• Copy Editing – 3rd Place McKenzie Henningsen

• Feature Writing – 2nd Place Arielle Shaver; 5th Place Kaitlyn Mahan

UIL District – 2nd Place as a team

• Headline Writing – 1st Place McKenzie Henningsen

• Copy Editing – 1st Place McKenzie Henningsen, 2nd Place Jharna Kamath, 6th Place Hailey Williams

• Feature Writing – 1st Place Kaitlyn Mahan, 2nd Place Arielle Shaver

• News Writing – 3rd Jharna Kamath

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The Roar 

2016-2017

NSPA Second Class with One Mark of Distinction

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2015-2016

Publication Awards:

NSPA Online Pacemaker Finalist

NSPA First Class Rating

• Mark of Distinction for Coverage/Content

• Mark of Distinction for Design/Navigation

• Mark of Distinction for Rich Media

ILPC Gold Star

SNO Distinguished Site

• SNO Site Excellence Badge

• SNO Continuous Coverage Badge

• SNO Writing Excellence Badge

• SNO Story Page Excellence Badge

• SNO Multimedia Excellence Badge

• SNO Audience Engagement Badge

Individual Awards

Jack Densmore – Online Newspaper Editor in Chief of the Year, Outstanding UIL Writer (ILPC), Texas A&M Communications Workshop Multimedia Award

Gigi Allen, Natalie Ditsler, Aimee Bozoudes – Outstanding Writer Awards

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2014-2015

Publication Awards:

ILPC Silver Star

SNO Distinguished Site:

• SNO Site Excellence Badge

• SNO Continuous Coverage Badge

• SNO Writing Excellence Badge

• SNO Story Page Excellence Badge

• SNO Multimedia Excellence Badge

• SNO Audience Engagement Badge

Individual Awards:

Siandhara Bonnet – Outstanding Feature Writer (ILPC)

Claire Kyllonen – Excellence in Opinion Writing (ILPC)

Winner – Texas A&M Communications Workshop Multimedia Award

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2013-2014

Publication Awards:

SNO Site Excellence Badge

SNO Writing Excellence Badge

SNO Story Page Excellence Badge

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2015-2016

Publication Awards

NSPA Online Pacemaker Finalist

NSPA First Class Rating

• Mark of Distinction for Coverage/Content
• Mark of Distinction for Design/Navigation
• Mark of Distinction for Rich Media

ILPC Gold Star

SNO Distinguished Site

• SNO Site Excellence Badge
• SNO Continuous Coverage Badge
• SNO Writing Excellence Badge
• SNO Story Page Excellence Badge
• SNO Multimedia Excellence Badge
• SNO Audience Engagement Badge

Individual Awards

Jack Densmore – Online Newspaper Editor in Chief of the Year, Outstanding UIL Writer (ILPC), Texas A&M Communications Workshop Multimedia Award

Gigi Allen, Natalie Ditsler, Aimee Bozoudes – Outstanding Writer Awards

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2014-2015

Publication Awards

ILPC Silver Star

SNO Distinguished Site

• SNO Site Excellence Badge
• SNO Continuous Coverage Badge
• SNO Writing Excellence Badge
• SNO Story Page Excellence Badge
• SNO Multimedia Excellence Badge
• SNO Audience Engagement Badge

Individual Awards

Siandhara Bonnet – Outstanding Feature Writer (ILPC)

Claire Kyllonen – Excellence in Opinion Writing (ILPC)

Winner – Texas A&M Communications Workshop Multimedia Award

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2013-2014

Publication Awards

SNO Site Excellence Badge

SNO Writing Excellence Badge

SNO Story Page Excellence Badge

Memberships:

• National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA)

• Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA)

• Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC)