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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE    
February 26, 2026 

For more information, contact: 
bsadler@lsu.edu 

 

BATON ROUGE— Hundreds of Louisiana’s most talented student journalists gathered at LSU’s Student Union on Monday, February 9, 2026, for the annual (LSPA) Conference, a high-energy celebration of storytelling, creativity, and journalistic excellence hosted by the . 

The half-day conference brought together students and advisers from across the state for hands-on breakout sessions, professional insight from industry leaders, and the highly anticipated announcement of the 2026 LSPA Student Media Competition winners. The competition recognizes outstanding work in newspaper, broadcast, yearbook, radio, and digital media, with entries judged by Manship School staff and faculty. , the Manship School’s Student Engagement and Outreach Manager and one of the event’s stewards, says competitions like this are becoming increasingly important as AI continues to play a role in communication, ensuring original student work continues to stand out. 

Schools that participated in either or both the LSPA Media Competition and the LSPA Conference: 

 
  
 
 
  
 

 




 
  

 

Inspiring Voices and Industry Insight 
The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Kyrin Lewis, Student Engagement Coordinator, and , who emphasized the vital role scholastic journalism plays in fostering ethical storytelling and civic engagement. 

The keynote address was delivered by , who shared insights from his career in broadcast journalism, encouraged students to embrace adaptability, build their network and emphasized the importance of accuracy and passion in reporting. 

Sponsors included Yearbooks, and LSU Admissions. 

Throughout the morning, students participated in breakout sessions covering topics such as investigative reporting, sports communication, yearbook design, artificial intelligence and misinformation, broadcast production, and student media leadership, led by LSU faculty, professional journalists, and industry partners. There were tours leading students and advisors through the live studios of and other publications.  

On-Site Social Media Competition 
A highlight of the day was the Social Media On-Site Competition, where students created and published content live from the conference between 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Entries were judged on engagement, strategy, and creativity, reinforcing ethical and professional digital storytelling practices. , EBR’s Career and Technical Education Center. 

2026 LSPA Student Media Competition Winners 
Below is a curated list of first-place winners by category. 

📰 Newspaper 

• News Story: — Andrew Dunne, Saint Paul’s School
• Editorial Writing:  â€” Luca Rodas, Saint Paul’s School
• Personal Column: — Corbin Dunn, Alexandria Senior High School
• Feature Story: — Charles Richard, Saint Paul’s School
• Headline Writing: — Edward Pope, Saint Paul’s School
• Sports Game/Tournament Coverage: — Lane Hamaker, Saint Paul’s School
• Sports Column: — Jonny McGinnis, Saint Paul’s School
• Sports Feature: — Clint Turrentine, Alexandria Senior High School
• Photo (Excluding Sports): — Nyla Stewart, Alexandria Senior High School
• Photo Essay: — Pineville High School, The Yahoo!
• Best Overall Newspaper: — Saint Paul’s School

📺 Broadcast 

• Sportscast: — CPSB-TV, Sulphur High School
• Sports Feature: — Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC)
• Newscast: — Saint Paul’s School
• News Story: — CTEC
• News Feature: — CPSB-TV, Sulphur High School
• Skit / Narrative / Short Film: — CTEC
• Videography: — WOLF-TV, Saint Paul’s School
• Commercial / PSA / Promo: — CTEC
• Best Overall Broadcast: Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC)

📘 Yearbook 

• Cover Design: — Slidell High School
• Theme & Design Integration: Bruin 2025: Forging the Heart — Catholic High School
• Coverage: — Archbishop Chapelle High School
• Photography: — Pineville High School
• Best Overall Yearbook: The Cannon — Pineville High School 

📻 Radio — First Place Winners 

• Radio Broadcast – News Package: — WBRH, Baton Rouge Magnet High School
• Radio Broadcast – Sports Package: — WBRH, Baton Rouge Magnet High School
• Podcast – News: — Saint Paul’s School
• Podcast – Sports: — Sulphur High School
• Podcast – Entertainment: — WBRH, Baton Rouge Magnet High School
• Sweeper Voiceover: — Baton Rouge Magnet High School
• Sweeper Scriptwriting: — Baton Rouge Magnet High School 
• Best Overall Radio Program: WBRH — Baton Rouge Magnet High School 

📱 Social Media — First Place Winners 

• Single Post: — Saint Paul’s School
• Social Video: — Saint Paul’s School
• Page / Channel Organization: — Saint Paul’s School
• Best Overall Social Media: Saint Paul’s School 

📱 Live Social Media Competition —  

📱 OVERALL SWEEPSTAKES WINNER: St. Paul’s School 

(Second place, third place, and honorable mention winners across all categories are recognized in .) 

Celebrating the Future of Journalism 
The 2026 LSPA Conference once again demonstrated the strength, creativity, and dedication of Louisiana’s student journalists. From investigative reporting to dynamic broadcasts and innovative yearbook storytelling, this year’s winners reflect a vibrant future for media and communication across the state. 

For students, the competition offers meaningful recognition and portfolio-building opportunities. For advisers and schools, it highlights the power of scholastic journalism to inform, inspire, and lead. 

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LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication ranks among the strongest collegiate communication programs in the country, with its robust emphasis on media and public affairs. It offers undergraduate degrees in public relations, journalism, political communication, digital advertising and pre-law, along with four graduate degree programs: Master of Mass Communication, Ph.D. in Media and Public Affairs, Certificate of Strategic Communication and a dual MMC/Law degree. Like us on Facebook , or follow us on X , Instagram and LinkedIn .