Iowa City High Schools Earn 47 Journalism Awards
Local student journalists took home numerous honors at the Iowa High School Press Association Fall Conference.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Student journalists from City, Liberty, and West High Schools combined to win 47 awards at the Iowa High School Press Association Fall Conference. The event, held in Iowa City, recognized excellence in student writing, photography, design, and multimedia storytelling.
Why it matters
This collective achievement highlights the strength of local student journalism programs and their role in fostering skills among young reporters and designers. The annual conference serves as a key platform for these students to learn, collaborate, and showcase their professional growth.
Local students earned 47 total awards, including first-place honors for individual design and reporting. Liberty High also secured a third-place ranking for their reader-services cover.
The players
Iowa High School Press Association
This professional organization supports secondary school journalism programs by hosting conferences and workshops for students and advisers.
City High School
This educational institution in Iowa City maintains a student journalism program that was named a News Team of the Year.
West High School
This local school received multiple accolades, including News Team of the Year and Yearbook of the Year.
Liberty High School
This area high school participated in the state journalism conference and earned recognition for its design work.
The details
City High and West High were both awarded News Team of the Year honors, while the West High staff additionally secured the Yearbook of the Year title. Individual students also earned top recognition, including Kelsey Herrig and Nina Renaud for music divider design and Callie Gao for a sports story.
Timeline
October 2026: The Iowa High School Press Association Fall Conference occurred.
Culture Shift
The success of these students underscores a broader commitment to scholastic media in a time when digital storytelling is rapidly evolving. It reflects a growing emphasis on high-quality student journalism as a vital part of the educational experience at the secondary level.
For local families and residents, this recognition reinforces the quality of instruction and creative opportunities available within the city's high schools. It validates the time and effort students invest in extracurricular media programs throughout the academic year.
The takeaway
Student journalism provides a practical environment for building skills that transfer well beyond the classroom. Engaging in these programs allows students to develop professional-grade portfolios that can serve them in future collegiate or career paths.
Further reading
Learn more about local academic initiatives in the Secondary Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KGAN.
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