Kansas Scholastic Press Association
The Kansas Scholastic Press Association (KSPA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2026 KPSA Regional Journalism Contest, which awarded the best student journalism from more than 1,800 entries across the state.
In the Regional Contest, students competed in 27 different categories and 11 different classifications organized by geography and school size. Students who finished first through sixth place earned the chance to compete in the state contest.
Salina Central won the Wakarusa Regional, and the following students won awards:
● Katherine Chelvan: first in copy editing, first in feature writing, third in news writing, third in editorial writing, fourth in yearbook copy writing.
● Carissa Winebrenner: first in infographic design, first in headline writing, fourth in news page design.
● Danielle Peckham: first in sports writing, second in yearbook sports writing, third in yearbook copy writing, fifth in editorial writing.
● Tenille Toelle: first in student life photography, second in sports feature photography, second in sports action photography, fourth in sports media photography, fourth in social media.
● Brecklyn Smith: fourth in sports feature photography, fifth in advertising design, fifth in cutline writing, sixth in academic photography.
● Ava Weaverling: first in news writing
● Zach Fritz: first in yearbook sports writing
● Gabby Merry: second in sports media photography, fourth in academics photography
● Elizabeth Yoxall: second in cutline writing
● Gabriel Freeland: second in advertising design
● Holli Crawford: fifth in digital illustration
● Ashlee Bell: fourth in digital illustration, fourth in feature writing
● Zari Barnes-Franklin: second in editorial cartoon, sixth in editorial writing
● Jazlyn Parham: second in infographic design
● Alex Kelley: fourth in headline writing and design, sixth in feature writing
● Hannah Peckham: second in sports writing
● Elizabeth Yoxall, Alex Kelley and Brecklyn Smith: fifth in social media
“Regionals push students to tackle a variety of challenges as they write stories on deadline or craft content to meet contest prompts,” KSPA executive director Barbara Tholen said. “I’m always impressed with the creativity that students bring to these contests.”
KSPA enlists the help of journalism teachers, professional journalists, university faculty members and other journalism experts to judge the entries. In addition to receiving feedback on their own entries, students will also get to see compilations of winning work.
That feedback can help guide students as they prepare entries for the KSPA State Journalism Contest. Based on results from the State Contest, KSPA will determine the sweepstakes trophy winners — the top schools in 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A. Students who finish in first through third place at state receive medals.