March was a remarkable month for Ladue Publications, as our talented student journalists and dedicated advisers received prestigious national and state honors!

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) awarded Ladue’s Panorama newsmagazine a Gold Crown and the Rambler Yearbook a Silver Crown. A Crown Award is among the highest distinctions in scholastic journalism, recognizing publications demonstrating excellence in design, coverage, writing, and visuals.

Two of Ladue’s student-led publications, the Melodrama literary magazine, and the Rambler yearbook, were named Pacemaker Finalists by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA). Often referred to as the “Pulitzer Prize of student journalism,” the Pacemaker Award is the most prestigious honor in high school journalism. They eagerly await the final results, announced in late April at the Journalism National Convention in Seattle!

In a groundbreaking achievement for the program, Arti Jain, a Ladue Horton Watkins High School (LHWHS) senior, was named the 2025 Missouri Student Journalist of the Year! Jain, the executive editor-in-chief of Ladue Publications, oversees all five of Ladue’s student publications, including Panorama, ID magazine, Melodrama, Rambler, and LaduePublications.com. With three years on staff, Jain has demonstrated exceptional leadership and talent and plans to continue her passion for journalism in college.

Two outstanding Ladue journalists, Senior Emily Liu, and Junior Vincent Hsiao, were selected for the 2025 Missouri All-State Journalism Team, an elite recognition for the most accomplished student journalists in the state.

Emily Liu, the design editor-in-chief of Panorama and editor-in-chief of Melodrama, has been on staff for three years. NSPA also named her National Designer of the Year last fall. Meanwhile, Vincent Hsiao, the photography editor-in-chief, leads the photography efforts for all five publications. NSPA honored him as the National Photographer of the Year last fall.

Behind every thriving journalism program is a dedicated adviser, and Sarah Kirksey has been recognized as the 2025 Missouri Journalism Teacher of the Year! Now in her ninth year at LHWHS, Kirksey, who was recently named the Ladue Schools’ District Teacher of the Year, advises Rambler, Panorama, ID, Melodrama, and LaduePublications.com, helping students achieve excellence in storytelling, design, and photography.

Ladue Publications continues to set the standard for excellence in high school journalism, and we couldn’t be prouder of our talented students and dedicated adviser. Congratulations to all our honorees for their incredible achievements! Stay tuned for the Pacemaker Award results later this month!