Awards

2024-25

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• 1st Place: All New England Print Newspaper (Class I)
• 1st Place: All New England Online Newspaper (Class I)
• Story of the Year, “Decision to pre-record DoRRS speeches sparks debate” by Geo Elasmar
• 1st Place: Newspaper News Story, “Decision to pre-record DoRRS speeches sparks debate” by Geo Elasmar
• 1st Place: Newspaper Sports Story, “Climate change threatens winter sports” by Lily Kleinbaum
• 1st Place: Newspaper News Series, “DoRRS 2025 Controversy” by Marco Neer and Geo Elasmar
• 2nd Place: Newspaper Personality Profile, “CMOTM: Sydney Bueno Linn changes the community” by Ravin Bhatia
• 3rd Place: Newspaper Review, “MFA’s Dalí exhibit goes beyond melting clocks” by Alexa Lieberman
• 3rd Place: Newspaper Feature Story, “Lives of the homeless in Brookline” by Scarlett Rothstein and Jackson Musto
• 4th Place: Newspaper News Story, “DoRRS explained: event, controversies, aftermath” by Marco Neer and Geo Elasmar
• 5th Place: Newspaper Personality Profile, “Remembering Mr. Goldstein: alumni reflect on beloved Baker teacher” by Flannery Poon and Surya Jayashankar
• 5th Place: Newspaper Review, “SZA’s ‘Lana’ is more a doze-y than a doozy” by Marcus Peng
• Honorable Mention: Newspaper News Story: “Spilling the beans: caffeine culture at the high school” by Leena Bhandari Cordoba and Ekaterina Borodina
• Honorable Mention: Newspaper Feature Story: “Teen creativity shines at Artists for Humanity” by Simon Dolev
• Honorable Mention: Newspaper Feature Story: “The art of healing at Boston Children’s Hospital” by Simon Dolev
• Honorable Mention: Newspaper Bylined Column: “We Don’t Talk About That: the municipal golf course is bad for Brookline” by Marco Neer
• All New England High School Journalism Staff: Geo Elasmar

SNO SITES

• Best of SNO: “Meet Joey Elasmar, the high school senior on May’s town election ballot” by Marco Neer
• Best of SNO: “Spilling the beans: caffeine culture at the high school” by Leena Bhandari Cordoba and Ekaterina Borodina
• Best of SNO: “Federal budget cuts raise questions for Brookline schools” by Mira Jogikalmath and Amedeo Bettauer
• Best of SNO: “National Honor Society peer tutoring program fails to deliver actual tutoring” by Geo Elasmar

2024

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Localizing Contest Sixth Place Certificate, “Teen gamblers: Fliff blurs line between risk and fun” by Eva Berkson

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Certificate of Merit: Secondary Coverage, “Crowds on Cypress Field mourn the loss of Nex Benedict” by Laura Cleves
• Certificate of Merit: News Feature, “Community argues for change on Cypress Field” by Marco Neer
• Certificate of Merit: In-depth news/feature story, “Students confront awareness of class disparities” by Julie Montrond and Laura Cleves
• Second Place Certificate: General or humor commentary, “The perfect valentine gifts for your situationship” by Marcus Peng
• Second Place Certificate: Sports features, “Unified Basketball expands access to the court” by Flannery Poon
• First Place Certificate: Computer generated art/illustration, “‘The Boys in the Boat’ doesn’t hold water” by Marcus Peng
• First Place Certificate: Non-fiction article, “Female teachers reflect on their experiences in STEM” by Marcus Peng
• Second Place Certificate: Non-fiction article, “Brookline Thrives fights food insecurity bag by bag” by Allen Yu

2023

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• All-New England: Class I, Print/online
• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online
• Localizing Contest winner, “Brookline Thrives fights food insecurity bag by bag” by Allen Yu
• Localizing contest winner, “Brookline Day spirit shines amidst the rain” by Allen Yu and Connor Quigley
• Localizing contest winner, “LGBTQ Task Force unites students across district” by Flannery Poon
• Localizing contest winner, “Martha Bialek incorporates culture into cuisine” by Marcus Peng
• Localizing contest winner, “Changing mascots, seals and systems: initiatives to reconcile with history” by Anya Rao
• Localizing contest winner, “Brookline High School newspaper to change name” by Eleanor Bergstein, Ella Gertner and Kyla Frey
• Localizing contest winner, “Muslim Student Association raises money for earthquake relief” by Geo Elasmar
• Localizing contest winner, “Heath Elementary School announces name change” by Kiran Bhatia
• Special Achievement: Bylined column, “Educators strike for fair contract” by Anya Rao, Eleanor Bergstein and Anisa Sharma
• Special Achievement: Bylined column, “What heritage speakers have to say about Spanish class” by Lucia Werner
• Special Achievement: Review, “‘Glass Onion’s’ clarity serves as a boon and detriment” by Ravin Bhatia
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Exploring the world of banned books” by Ravin Bhatia
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Day of Racial Reform and Solidarity aims to spark conversation and educate” by Mila Seifert
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Language Virtual supports difficulties in Ukraine with the help of Nova Ukraine” by Valentia Burlak and Audrey Garon
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “APAC and SASA host Diwali celebration” by Ravin Bhatia
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “PSAT testing conditions cause controversy” by Geo Elasmar
• Special Achievement: News story, “Changing mascots, seals and systems: initiatives to reconcile with history” by Anya Rao
• Special Achievement: News story, “Educators strike for fair contract” by Anya Rao, Eleanor Bergstein and Anisa Sharma
• Special Achievement: News story, “Brookline High School newspaper to change name” by Eleanor Bergstein, Ella Gertner and Kyla Frey
• Special Achievement: News story, “Brookline moves to delevel 9th grade” by Connor Quigley and Anisa Sharma
• Special Achievement: News story, “Social Justice class gains insight into incarceration” by Ravin Bhatia
• Special Achievement: News story, “Teachers concerned about future of Non-Resident Tuition Program” by Eleanor Bergstein
• Special Achievement: News story, “Local businesses rely on community during challenging times” by Anya Rao and Kiran Bhatia
• Special Achievement: News story, “Students walk out in support of abortion rights” by Anisa Sharma
• All State High School Journalism Staff: Ezra Kleinbaum

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Silver Medalist: Crown Awards, High School Hybrid News
• First Place Certificate: Digital Media, Nonfiction Interview, “Q & A with Sagamore Faries Gray of the Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag” by Eleanor Bergstein
• First Place Certificate: Digital Media, Nonfiction Article, “Activists unite to protest against a new women’s prison” by Ezra Kleinbaum
• Second Place Certificate: Digital Media, Nonfiction Article, “What heritage speakers have to say about Spanish class” by Lucia Werner
• Third Place Certificate: Digital Media, Nonfiction Article, “Artists with disabilities sell work at Gateway Arts” by Anisa Sharma
• Certificate of Merit: Digital Media, Nonfiction Article, “Heath Elementary School announces name change” by Kiran Bhatia
• Third Place Certificate: Digital Media, Secondary Coverage, “Bringing a dark past close to home” by Ananda Scott
  Certificate of Merit: Digital Media, News Feature, “LEAP advisory gives asian american students a place to explore their identity” by Allen Yu
• Certificate of Merit: Digital Media, In-Depth News/Feature Story, “Brookline High School newspaper to change name” by Eleanor Bergstein, Ella Gertner and Kyla Frey
• Certificate of Merit: Digital Media, Entertainment Reviews, “MFA’s ‘LIFE Magazine and the Power of Photography’ is a stunning display of photojournalism” by Lia Fox

2022

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online
• Localizing Contest winner, “Latinx Fiesta displays pride in identity” by Eleanor Bergstein
• Localizing Contest winner, “Community gathers to colorfully celebrate Holi” by Jean Hur
• Localizing Contest winner, “Paving the way towards accessible, affordable housing” by Alice MacGarvie Thompson, Tai Canetti and Atlas Noubir
• Localizing Contest winner, “Transgender pride flag burned at United Parish” by Allen Yu
• Localizing Contest winner, “Ramadan connects Muslim students around the school” by Hannah Oh
• Localizing Contest winner, “Language Virtual supports difficulties in Ukraine with the help of Nova Ukraine” by Valentia Burlak and Audrey Garon
• Localizing Contest winner, “Community stands together in national queer youth walkout” by Ella Kennedy
• Localizing Contest winner, “You aren’t alone; teachers are stressed too” by Luca Kelley Nielsen and Anya Rao
• Localizing Contest winner, “Years of initiatives fail to address racial disparities in Brookline schools” by Sofia Hauser
• Localizing Contest winner, “The Fragile Femme: Self-expression in fashion” by Jordan Liss-Riordan
• Localizing Contest winner, “History teachers recognize flawed curriculum” by Ava Varrell and Nate Parry Luff
• Special Achievement: News story, “Students walk out to protest racist events at the high school” by Luca Kelley Nielsen, Anika Mayar and Taj Horowitz
• All State High School Journalism Staff: Anya Rao and Serena Ibanez
  

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Silver Medalist: Crown Awards, High School Hybrid News
• Third Place Certificate: Sports Features, “Restrictive weight classes force wrestlers to alter their bodies” by Ansley Washburn

2021

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online
• All-New England: Class I, Print/online
• Localizing Contest winner, “Brookline Educators Union Announces Nov. 3 Strike” by Oliver Fox, Anoushka Mallik, and Elena Su
• Localizing Contest winner, “A Better Brookline strives to change for a fair town government” by Max Jepsen
• Localizing Contest winner, ““Timon of Athens” brilliantly adapts theater to a virtual world” by Oliver Fox
• Special Achievement: News story, “Homeless support networks combat challenges of COVID-19” by Luca Kelley Nielsen
• Special Achievement: News story, “The Novel Kitchen offers a warm and welcoming extension to Brookline Booksmith” by Audrey Garon and Jordan Liss-Riordan
• Special Achievement: News story, “Examining an opaque policing framework” by Graham Krewinghaus
• Special Achievement: News story, “How remote learning amplifies inequities” by Elena Su and Rosa Caramazza
• Special Achievement: News story, “Brookline Food Pantry persists despite COVID-19 challenges” by Zoe Brooks and Mila Seifert
• Special Achievement: News story, “Climate organizers face winding path” by Graham Krewinghaus
• Special Achievement: Sports story, “Being a team captain doesn’t just mean being a leader” by Alice MacGarvie Thompson
• Special Achievement: Sports story, “Rock climbing requires both physical strength and quick problem solving” by Taeyu Kim

2020

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online
• Special Achievement: Personality Profile, “Powerhouse alum takes on fashion design in NYC” by Yiming Fu
• Special Achievement: Personality Profile, “Levine spreads cheer throughout the school” by Charlotte Dresser
• Special Achievement: Feature, “Re-Leaf for NETA” by Jeremiah Levy
• Special Achievement: Sports, “Nagle and Liss-Riordan sprint to success” by Mila Seifert
• Special Achievement: Sports, “Two sports compete for field use” by Tina Little and Emily Trelstad
• Special Achievement: Review, ““Frozen II” uses humor to appeal to older audience” by Phoebe Kallaher
• Special Achievement: Review, ““The Lighthouse” provides psychological horror” by Elena Su
• Special Achievement: Blog, “Thriftamore” by Phoebe Kallaher and Anoushka Mallik
• Special Achievement: Video, “Six Life Hacks” by Jeremy Suh
• Special Achievement: Informational Graphic, “BHS Water Fountains: A Tour” by Phoebe Kallaher
• Special Achievement: Feature, “Staff network helps students fight substance abuse” by Elena Su

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Silver Medalist: Crown Awards, High School Hybrid News
• Third Place Certificate: Digital Media, Personality Profile, “Artist of the Month: Matt Litster” by Jackie Perelman
• Certificate of Merit: Print News, News Writing, “Warrant Article 21’s Sweeping Legacy” by Graham Krewinghaus
• Certificate of Merit: Digital Media, Informational Graphics, “To AP or not to AP?” by Yuen Ting Chow and Taeyeon Kim

2019

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online
• Special Achievement: News story, “Students at Coolidge Corner School reflect on changes” by Renata Shen
• Special Achievement: Sports story, “Boys and girls hockey teams strive to unite as a program” by Jade Kwitkiwski
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Original art complements student-made albums” by Rachel Lee
• Special Achievement: Sports story, “Jordan Dias tackles gender stereotypes” by Cassidy Washburn
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Academic Honesty: To Cheat or Not to Cheat” by Sofia Reynoso
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Artist of the Month: Matt Litster” by Jackie Perelman

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Gold Medalist
• First Place Certificate: Digital Media, Video News Package, “B-Block Protest” by Izzy Gonzales, Lauren Mahoney, and Sascha Wolf-Sorokin
• Second Place Certificate: Digital Media, In-depth news/Feature Story, “Teen dating violence: What is and isn’t love” by Natalie Jew
• Third Place Certificate: Digital Media, Breaking News, “Brookline community recoils from racist videos, looks to future” by Ella Kitterman and Chloe McKim Jepsen
• Certificate of Merit: Digital Media, In-depth news/Feature Story, “High Times at Brookline High” by Natalie Jew

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• First Place for Excellence in News Writing
• Honorable Mention for Excellence in Sports Writing

2018

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Localizing Contest winner, “Brookline community recoils from racist videos, looks to future” by Ella Kitterman and Chloe McKim Jepsen, with video by Sascha Wolf-Sorokin, Lauren Mahoney and Izzy Gonzalez
• Localizing Contest winner, “Annual Cherry Blossom Festival celebrates Japanese culture” by Natalie Jew
• Localizing Contest winner, “DACA: A dream deferred” by Chloe McKim Jepsen, with video by Sofia Reynoso and graphics by Mia Abulaf and Julio (Tree) Demb
• Localizing Contest winner, “High school graduates join City Year to combat educational inequality” by Susanna Kemp
• Special Achievement: News photo, “Kathleen Joss leads the drummers of Odaiko New England” by Gabriel Lee
• Special Achievement: News photo, “Senior Anthony Vieti leads Thursday’s protest” by Renata Shen
• Special Achievement: Review, “Riverdale fails to connect with today’s youth” by Ani Mathison
• Special Achievement: Informational graphic, “Thefts at BHS” by Sofia Reynoso
• Special Achievement: Bylined column, “Muslim woman responds to disapproval of headscarves” by Iman Kha

NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Digital Story of the Year finalist, “Brookline community recoils from racist videos, looks to future” by Ella Kitterman and Chloe McKim Jepsen, with video by Sascha Wolf-Sorokin, Lauren Mahoney and Izzy Gonzalez

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• Honorable Mention for Excellence in Sports Writing
• Honorable Mention for Excellence in Editorial Writing

2017

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online
• All-New England: First Place, Class I, Print/online
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Alumnae teen mothers share their experiences” by Haley Bayne
• Special Achievement: News story, “Diversity hiring committees face complications” by Susanna Kemp
• Special Achievement: Feature story, “Looking down the Sights” by Rosa Stern Pait
• Special Achievement: Informational graphic, “Licenses in Brookline by type” by Sofia Tong
• Special Achievement: Informational graphic, “Teachers address modern-day issues” by Jake Brodsky
• Special Achievement: Informational graphic, “How do you sleep at night?” by Isabel Gonzalez
• Special Achievement: Interactive graphic, “Women’s marches in Boston and Washington, D.C. provide outlet for anger and pride” by Sarah Groustra, Sara Hogenboom and Evan Marohn
• Special Achievement: Special section, “Knocking on the Glass Ceiling” by Haley Bayne, Maya Morris, Jason Altshuler, Sara Hogenboom, Mia Abulaf and Bertina Xue
• Special Achievement: Feature page design, “How comfortable do students feel talking about race in world language classes?” by Lauren Mahoney, Sascha Wolf-Sorokin and Izzy Gonzalez

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• Gold Medalist

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• First Place for Excellence in Sports Writing

2016

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/online
• All-New England: First Place, Class I, Print/online
• Special Achievement: Feature photo, “Ed Wiser desk feature” by Sofia Tong
• Special Achievement: News story, “Pronoun introductions offer greater range of student gender identities” by Jake Brodsky
• Special Achievement: Editorial, “Conservative students deserve a voice“
• Special Achievement: News photo, “Man attends Paris vigil” by Petra Huang
• Special Achievement: Sports story, “Committed Athletes” by Noa Dalzell and Sergei LeFaure

NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION 

• Finalist: 2016 Online Pacemaker

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• Gold Crown Finalist

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• First Place for Excellence in Sports Writing
• Honorable Mention for Excellence in News Writing
• Honorable Mention for Excellence in Editorial Writing

2015

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• Gold Crown Finalist
• Silver Crown Award

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• First Place for Excellence in Sports Writing
• Honorable Mention for Excellence in News Writing

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/Online Newspaper
• Special Achievement: Home Page Design of “The Sag Online” by Eoin Walsh
• Special Achievement: Editorial, “Health classes require supplementation” by Juliana Kaplan, Rosa Stern Pait and Sasha Saias
• Special Achievement: Blog, “Race: Not just Black and White” by Izzy Meyers

2014

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/Online Newspaper

• Special Achievement: Feature, “Teacher Feature: Stephanie Hunt” by Sarah Caldwell Smith
• Special Achievement: Sports story, “Athletes excel in concussion reporting” by Tasoula Burk
• Special Achievement: Blog, “LGBTopics: Sexuality and gender fall along spectrums, not into boxes” by Ben Gladstone
• Special Achievement: News story, “Parents voice opposition at athletic commitments forum” by Alex Friedman

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• Silver Crown Award
• Second Place Certificate: Editorial writing for digital media, Emmanuel D’Agostino and Aaron Sege

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• Honorable Mention for Excellence in News Writing
• Honorable Mention for Excellence in Sports Writing

2013

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• All-New England: Second place, Print/Online Newspaper, Class I
• Highest Achievement: Class I, Print/Online Newspaper 

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• Gold Medal: The Sagamore/thecypressonline.com

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• Honorable Mention for Excellence in Sports Writing

2012

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• All-New England: Class I, Newspaper, Second Place
• Highest Achievement: Class I, Newspaper
• Localizing Contest winner, “Students participate in Occupy Boston protests” by Sabine Shaughnessy and Jackie Merrill
• Special Achievement: Feature, “Teacher Feature: Ben Berman” by Alex Johnson
• Special Achievement: Bylined Column, “Da Wei’s Way” by David Ullmann
• Special Achievement: Opinion Page Design, “Page 7” by Ben Berke
• Special Achievement: Sports story, “Suspension loophole is controversial yet accepted” by Matthew Goroff and Alex Johnson
• Special Achievement: News photo, “Students face crunch” by Sabine Shaugnessy

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• Gold Medalist Certificate

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• First Place in Excellence in News Writing

2011

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Highest Achievement, Newspaper Class I
• Special Achievement: News photo, “Union supporters walk out” by Kerry Grove
• Special Achievement: News story, “Facebook conversation results in two arrests” by Anita Knopov and Ayush Kumar
• Special Achievement: Sports Story, “Students dream of marathon glory” by Rohan Lewis
• Special Achievement: Journalism award, “Students participate in Occupy Boston protests” by Sabine Shaughnessy and Jackie Merrill

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• Silver Medalist Certificate

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY DEPT. OF COMMUNICATIONS & JOURNALISM AWARDS

• The Sagamore: Honorable Mention, News Writing
• The Sagamore: Honorable Mention, Editorial Writing

2010

NEW ENGLAND SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Localizing Contest winner, “NBA welcomes BHS alumnus” by Colby Bermel

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION NEWSPAPER CRITIQUE

• The Sagamore: Gold Medalist
• The Sagamore: All-Columbian Honors, Coverage

SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY GREATER BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL NEWSPAPER COMPETITION

• Honorable Mention for Excellence in Editorial Writing

2008

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION

• Certificate of Merit: Planning a Special, Lindsay Wise & Rebecca Coven