STLPR celebrates the best in student photography with 2026 Teen Photojournalist Prize

Judges have selected eight honorees in the 2026 St. Louis Public Radio Teen Photojournalist Prize, including sophomore Logan LaVear of St. Louis University High School, selected as this year's Best in Show prize winner for his photograph "Bathed in Blue."

"This image was a clear contender for our grand prize recognition based on its composition and the emotion documented from the high school's kickoff of the football season," said STLPR Visuals Editor Brian Munoz. "The photographer wasn't afraid to get close to the moment and fill their frame."

Other category winners include:

• Best General News: Senior Jack Auer of St. Louis University High School
• Best Landscape: Junior Andrew Hammond of St. Louis University High School
• Best Portrait: Senior Vincent Hsiao of Ladue Horton Watkins High School
• Best Animals and Wildlife: Junior Ivan Leung of Parkway South High School
• Best Feature: Senior Vincent Hsiao of Ladue Horton Watkins High School
• Best Sports Action: Senior Jack Auer of St. Louis University High School
• Best Sports Feature: Freshman Bethany Newsome of Westwood Baptist Academy
  

STLPR's Teen Photojournalist Prize is open to high-school-aged students from all over the St. Louis region. This year, the Prize received entries from students representing 48 schools across the station's St. Louis, Quincy and Rolla listening areas. Photographs were taken on digital, film and phone cameras.

Each year, the juried contest hosts a panel of photojournalists and media professionals to evaluate the photos in an anonymous judging process. Judges look for images that excel in capturing a moment, have strong image composition, display creativity and have compelling captions that reflect the student's thoughts about the image.

"The strength of the images we receive in this competition has impressed us every year," said STLPR Visual Communications Specialist and contest judge Cristina Fletes-Mach. "We had the unenviable task of picking a top image and limiting our honorable mentions. Even photos that ultimately didn't get honored were spiritedly advocated for. This was a difficult contest to judge - in the best way possible."

This year's winning Animals and Wildlife image by Ivan Leung of Parkway South High School, titled "Just Missed," caught the attention of longtime St. Louis sports photographer and contest judge Scott Rovak. "The timing here is pretty impeccable," said Rovak. "Waiting and preparing for the moment makes this image strong."

It's not often that a particular school pulls off a sweep, but this year, St. Louis University High School students were the recipients of three first-place category awards and the Best in Show prize.

In addition to the Best in Show and category winners, judges awarded 15 honorable mentions across the seven contest categories.

Brayden Cook of Granite City High School repeatedly caught the judges' eye, earning three honorable mention photos in Feature, Sports Feature and the Animals and Wildlife categories.

Honorable mentions:

Feature: Junior MaryKate Stroud of Liberty High School

Feature: Senior Brayden Cook of Granite City High School

General News: Junior Jalen Jenkins of Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience High School

General News: Junior Itai Lerman of Clayton High School

Landscape: Junior Westerly Woods of Pattonville High School

Portrait: Senior Sam Estrada of Metro Classical and Academic High School

Sports Action: Sophomore JP House of Christian Brothers College High School

Sports Action: Junior Ari Duel of John Burroughs High School

Sports Feature: Senior Brayden Cook of Granite City High School

Animals & Wildlife: Junior Mason Novak of Christian Brothers College High School

Animals & Wildlife: Senior Brayden Cook of Granite City High School

Landscape: Junior Damon Mason of Sumner High School

Portrait: Senior Lydia Fite of Alton High School

Sports Action: Freshman Bethany Newsome of Westwood Baptist Academy

Sports Feature: Sophomore JP House of Christian Brothers College High School

The exhibition

All 23 winning photos and honorable mentions will be featured in a framed gallery exhibition and giant screen display in the Public Media Commons at St. Louis Public Radio. The exhibition kicks off with a free, celebratory reception at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19. STLPR members and the general public are invited to attend, along with honorees and their guests. Please register to attend.

At the gallery opening, the best in show winner will receive an $800 prize and category winners will receive $200 prizes.

Photojournalism master class

Category winners and honorable mention recipients are invited to a master class with STLPR Visuals Editor Brian Munoz. For the past three years, the class has been open on a first-come, first-served basis to all of the contest participants.

The 2026 judges

The 2026 STLPR Teen Photojournalist Prize judges include:

• Scott Rovak, team photographer for the St. Louis Blues and the St. Louis Cardinals; contract photographer for Imagn Images (formerly USA Today Sports)
• Cristina Fletes-Mach, STLPR visual communications specialist
• Jessica Rogen, STLPR digital editor
• Brian Munoz, STLPR visuals editor

The St. Louis Public Radio Teen Photojournalist Prize is an annual award and educational program. Entries are accepted each spring. This year's contest was made possible through the generosity of The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum and St. Louis Public Radio members.

You can view all of the winning entries at stlpr.org/prize.