IHSPA names WSS staff 2025 News Team of the Year finalist

WSS wins 77 individual awards, including Photographer of the Year, 4 of Iowa’s Top 10 Emerging Journalists

Staff

April 30, 2025

The Iowa High School Press Association announced Gianna Liu ’25 as Iowa’s Photographer of the Year for the second consecutive year. Liu is co-editor-in-chief of the West Side Story print edition.

The Iowa High School Press Association named Gianna Liu ’25 as Iowa’s Photographer of the Year for the second consecutive year.

IHSPA also named top 10 Emerging Journalists for the state of Iowa, and four of them are West journalists: Sophie Bergman ’27, Ella Ciliberto ’27, Lydia Cruce ’27 and Waad Dafalla ’26. Bergman is the video editor for WSS and the social media editor for WSS and Trojan Epic. Ciliberto is the WSS online managing and profiles editor, Cruce is the WSS print profiles editor and Dafalla is the WSS print managing and news editor. Winning portfolios are based on the overall quality of their work, the impact on their school and community, the students’ understanding of the fundamentals of journalism, and the level of experimentation. Each winner is offered a $100 scholarship toward the cost of attending the University of Iowa Summer Journalism Workshops for High School students or the Drake Media Now summer journalism camp.

IHSPA named four of Iowa’s Top 10 Emerging Journalists to West journalists. (Staff)

Additionally, IHSPA named the WSS staff a 2025 News Team of the Year finalist for the ninth consecutive year. IHSPA determines finalists by choosing the schools with the highest number of individual award winners from its annual writing, photography, design and online contests. The WSS staff won a total of 77 individual awards. IHSPA will announce News Team of the Year winners at its annual state conference in October. View a list of all WSS winners below and all state winners here.

WSS Print Photo and Sports Editor Colin Wehrle ’27 won 1st place sports feature photo for this photo of Moustafa “Moose” Tiea ’25 embracing coach Kevin Koffron after his race at the state meet Nov. 1 in Fort Dodge, IA. (Colin Wehrle)

First place winners:

Ads: Encounter Cafe by Tyler Shane
Feature Photo: Oliver Miller by Colin Wehrle
Environmental Portrait: Adel Osman by Lea Abou Alaiwa
Multimedia Story – News: Campaign countdown by Jake Beneke, Mrudani Ramkumar, Shanza Sami
Infographic: Data breakdown by Evelyn Kraber
Magazine – One Page Design: Burnt by the bell cover by Anna Song
In-Depth News Story: Inside the application by Shanza Sami, Henry Timmer-Hackert, Jane Lam
In-Depth Sports Story: Finding a balance: club vs. high school sports by Minna Abdalla, Evelyn Kraber
Photo Story: Through the lens: 2025 Lunar New Year Gala by Lea Abou Alaiwa, Colin Wehrle
Staff Editorial: Disconnected by Carter Birch Houchins-Witt
News Story: School/Local: Gov. Reynolds signs bill ending civil rights protections for transgender Iowans by Evelyn Kraber
Photographer of the Year: Gianna Liu
Illustration or Art: Grammy looks by Vera Tanas
Entertainment: Teachers get quizzed on brain rot by Haneen Eltyeb, Abby Guo
Editorial Cartoon/Comic Strip: Bang! Too much energy! by Yeju Seol
Interactive Graphic: Campaign countdown by Jake Beneke, Shanza Sami
Multimedia Story – Sports: How women’s wrestling found a home in Iowa City by Minna Abdalla, Evelyn Kraber
Podcasting: Tech Talk: Let’s Chat: GPT by Gianna Liu
Multimedia Story – Feature: Musician, poet, artist: Adel Osman by Vera Tanas
Sports Feature Photo: Moose and his coach by Colin Wehrle
Personality Profile: Starboy by Lydia Cruce
Column/Opinion: Extended learning by Marie Stier

WSS Online Photo and News Editor Lea Abou Alaiwa ’27 won 1st place environmental portrait for this photo of Adel Osman ’25 looking at a clip of music he made in the Digital Music Production room. (Lea Abou Alaiwa)

Second place winners:

Social Media Promotion: WSS Staff
Video News Show: West High Weekly 4.15.24 by Abby Guo
Videographer of the Year: Haneen Eltyeb
Ads: Three Samurai by Felicity Aggers
Health/Science: Pop, play and pay by Colin Wehrle
Feature Photo: Throwing up chalk by Josie Schwartz
Multimedia Story – News: A new vision for elementary education by Evelyn Kraber
Infographic: What’s next? by Anna Greenlee
Photo Story: Trojan Bolts secure second place at state championship by Shanza Sami
Staff Editorial: Policy to practice by Henry Timmer-Hackert
Photographer of the Year : Colin Wehrle
News Photo: Lunar New Year by Lea Abou Alaiwa
Interactive Graphic: 2024 Season Recap StoryMap by Haneen Eltyeb
Feature Story: Puzzle Pieces: Iowa City’s generational movement to preserve the prairies by Josie Schwartz
Multimedia Story – Sports: The CC effect by Gianna Liu, Celia Sadewasser, Anna Song
Multimedia Story – Feature: Music on the mind by Lydia Cruce, Shanza Sami
Sports Action Photo: Girls swim conference by Marie Stier
Web Design: Wsspaper.com Staff

WSS Print Design Editor Anna Song ’25 won 1st place one-page design for the cover of the February WSS. (Anna Song)

Third place winners:

Social Media Reporting: WSS Staff
Reviews: Boba, bubbles and bliss by Josie Nabhan-Warren
Health/Science: Substantially limited by Evelyn Kraber, Sophie Singh
Multimedia Story – News: Registration season by Ashlyn Brady, Evelyn Kraber
In-Depth News Story: The working class(room) by Carter Birch Houchins-Witt, Shanza Sami, Henry Timmer-Hackert
News Magazine – Multiple Page Design: Burnt by the bell by Anna Song
Photo Story: 50 years of good times by Colin Wehrle
News Story: School/Local: Three teens charged with first degree burglary by Evelyn Kraber
Entertainment: Are WSS staffers down bad for ‘The Tortured Poets Department?’ by Ashlyn Brady, Sam Rosenthal
Interactive Graphic: The language of flowers Thinglink by Anna Greenlee
Online Innovation: WSS Newsletter by Ashlyn Brady, Evelyn Kraber, Abby Guo
Multimedia Story – Sports: No Cap Recap: fall sports rundown by Minna Abdalla, Keith Moody
Multimedia Story – Feature: Just keep swimming: I’m Glad You Stayed Project makes waves speaking out about suicide awareness by Ashlyn Brady
Sports Action Photo: Jack McCaffery by Colin Wehrle
Sports Feature Photo: Jack Wallace by Josie Schwartz

WSS Artist Yeju Seol ’26 won 1st place comic strip for this comic titled “Bang! Too much energy!” that ran in the November WSS. (Yeju Seol)

Honorable Mentions:

Ads: Heyn’s by Anna Song
Health/Science: Finding green in the gray area by Lydia Cruce, Waad Dafalla, Shanza Sami
Feature Photo: Homecoming by Sophie Bergman
Environmental Portrait: Brittany McConnell by Colin Wehrle
Environmental Portrait: Nate Frese by Colin Wehrle
Multimedia Story – News: Iowa’s 2025 legislative session: an introduction by Evelyn Kraber
Multimedia Story – News: Jazz Collective places second at SEIBA Jazz Festival by Anna Greenlee
Infographic: Blood drive by Anna Greenlee
Staff Editorial: Aim for safety by Staff
News Story: School/Local: ICCSD implements new phone policy by Lea Abou Alaiwa
News Story: School/Local: Iowa City celebrates sustainability through Prompt for the Planet event by Shanza Sami
Social Justice Reporting: West High hosts first Iftar dinner by Gianna Liu
Photographer of the Year: Evelyn Kraber
News Photo: Maya Hanna by Evelyn Kraber
Single Web Story Design: Spice tolerance: how BookTok has ruined romance by Evelyn Kraber, Anna Greenlee, Vivian Williams
Single Web Story Design: The global report card by Kavya Bhatt, Gianna Liu
Interactive Graphic: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month by Anna Greenlee
Multimedia Story – Feature: Marching forward: one year later by Lea Abou Alaiwa, Anna Greenlee, Abby Guo
Sports Action Photo: Nikolai Paulson by Shanza Sami
Sports Feature Photo: Justin Avila by Tyler Shane
Personality Profile: Hey Jude by Henry Timmer-Hackert, Sophie Singh
Column/Opinion: For the boys by Carter Birch Houchins-Witt

WSS Online Art and Copy Editor Vera Tanas ’25 won 1st place illustration for “Grammy looks” that ran on wsspaper.com. (Vera Tanas)

IHSPA also named two West seniors as IHSPA Scholars, seniors Haneen Eltyeb and Vera Tanas. IHSPA Scholar is an academic honor for the state’s top journalism students and rewards them with a certificate and a pin to wear at graduation. Learn more about the IHSPA Scholar requirements here.

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About the Contributors

Colin Wehrle, Print Photo Editor

Colin is a sophomore at West High and is excited for his first year on staff. This year, he serves as the Photo Editor for the print edition of the West Side Story. When he’s not fidgeting with a camera, you can find him running cross country or track, playing saxophone in West High’s numerous ensembles or relaxing at the Java House.

Lea Abou Alaiwa, Assistant Photo Editor and News Co-Editor

Lea Abou Alaiwa is a sophmore and this is her first year on staff. This year, she’s broadcast’s Assistant Photo Editor and News Co-Editor. When she’s not in the newsroom working, you can find her either spending hours practicing trumpet or at Java fueling her caffeine addiction.

Anna Song, Print Design Editor

Anna Song is a senior entering her final year on the West Side Story staff! This year she will be the Design Editor for the print newspaper. Outside the newsroom, she can be found spending time with friends, eating, napping, listening to music/podcasts and browsing Pinterest.

Yeju Seol, Artist and Reporter

Yeju is a junior and this is her second year on staff. She is an artist and a reporter. She likes penguins!

Vera Tanas, Copy and Art Editor

Vera Tanas is a senior, and this is her third year on staff. She is the Copy Editor and Art Editor for the West Side Story website. Outside of journalism, Vera enjoys playing soccer, listening to music and drinking sparkling water.