Recognition
This school year, the McHenry Messenger, its staff and its contributors have earned the following honors from outside organizations…
Illinois Women’s Press Associations’s 2024 High School Communications Contest
Started in 1885, the IWPA is an organization of communications professionals whose objective is to maintain and improve the professional standards of members in mass communications in Illinois, to promote their interest, and to provide for the sharing of ideas and information. First place winners of their annual contest go on to compete in the National Federation of Press Women’s High School Communications Contest.
Rose Wenckebach – 2nd in Sports Photo
Illinois High School Association State Journalism Tournament
Members of the McHenry Messenger’s staff competed alongside their fellow journalists from Warrior Student Media (including The Warrior Weekly and The Warrior) at the IHSA’s State Journalism Tournament. The following students placed in the top six at the tournament’s Sectional competition on April 5, 2025.
Hunter Blake – 2nd in Sports Writing
Maggie Demski – 2nd in Headline Writing
Sydney Boswell – 2nd in Yearbook Caption Writing
Aika Villa – 3rd in Newspaper Design
Aubrey Butler – 3rd in Copy Editing, 4th in Editorial Writing
Stephanie Reyes – 3rd in Yearbook Page Design
Eli Frommes – 4th in Yearbook Copy Writing
Grace Crockett – 4th in News Writing
Berenice Santiago – 5th in Infographics
Grace Summers, Ffion Curtain and Travis Cokinos – 5th in TV News
Noah Outwater – 5th in Radio News
Rose Wenckebach – 6th in Photo Story Telling
Columbia Scholastic Press Association Silver Crown Award
The Crown Awards are the highest recognition given by the CSPA to a student print or digital medium for overall excellence. Both Gold Crown and Silver Crown Awards are given each year. A panel of Crown Judges assembles each year at Columbia University to view all entrants, whether they are newspaper, magazines, yearbooks or online media. This year, the McHenry Messenger was named one of 202 finalists from 540 entries.
On March 21, 2025, the CSPA announced the McHenry Messenger as a recipient of the Silver Crown Award.
Best of School Newspapers Online
School Newspapers Online (also known as SNO) is the platform that the McHenry Messenger uses to publish its online newspaper. They acknowledge the best stories being published on the SNO Sites network by labelling it as “Best of SNO” and republishing it on their website. The following articles have earned such designation this year:
“Worth the risk? by Lily Adams
“No place to hide” by Maggie Demski
“Seven southern Illinois counties want to secede from the state” by Michalina Sotka
“Hit the mats” by Rose Wenckebach
“Torn from the turf” by Aubrey Butler
“Shot clocks to be used in basketball games starting next school year” by Ffion Curtain
NSPA Leadership Award in Student Journalism
To earn the National Scholastic Press Association‘s Leadership Award in Student Journalism, a high school student must serve with distinction for at least two years on the staff of an NSPA-member broadcast, literary arts magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, specialty magazine, website or yearbook. Students must also be in good academic standing and demonstrate journalistic excellence and staff leadership while maintaining the high ethical standards outlined in the NSPA Model Code of Ethics. Inductees are eligible to wear the NSPA Leadership in Student Journalism teal honor cord at graduation. The following students received this honor from the NSPA this year:
Lily Adams
Hunter Blake
Grace Crockett
Maggie Demski
Eli Frommes
Gabe Santos
Michalina Sotka
Aika Villa
Past Recognition
2023-2024
Highlights Include…
- All-State Journalism Team (IJEA)
- Third Best Overall Publication (IJEA)
- Second Place Podcast/Radio Story (IWPA)
2022-2023
Highlights Include…
- All-State Journalism Team (IJEA)
- Third Best Overall Publication (IJEA)
- Fourth Place Team at IHSA State
- First Place in Copy Editing at IHSA State
- First Place Feature Story (IWPA)
- Frank Keegan Award for News (YJI)
2021-2022
Highlights Include…
- Online Pacemaker Nomination (NSPA)
- Third Best Overall Publication (IJEA)
- First Place Feature Story (IWPA)
- First Place in Photo Storytelling at IHSA State
2020-2021
Highlights Include…
- Newspaper/Newsmagazine Pacemaker Nomination (NSPA)
- Second Best Overall Publication (IJEA)
- Third in News Writing at IHSA State
- All-State Journalism Team (IJEA)
2019-2020
Highlights Include…
- Best Wesbite (IJEA)
- Third Best Hybrid Publication (IJEA)
- All-State Journalism Team (IJEA)