(Source: NFPW press release)
Student journalists from Noblesville High School won top honors in the 2026 National Federation of Press Women’s annual high school communications contest, the organization announced May 13.
“Perils of Parlays” was the cover story for the March 24, 2025, issue of the school newspaper, the Mill Stream. The story was written by Max Arnold, Aiden Caddell, Rebecca Garber and Jude Naville. The story also won first place in the sports writing category of the national contest before being selected as the best entry in the national contest.
The “Perils” story offered readers a look into the rapidly expanding world of online sports betting, and how sports books have recently found methods to target teen gamblers, an audience legally prohibited from the gambling world. The story looks at how online gambling addiction is rapidly becoming a national health crisis, and how teenagers are particularly vulnerable targets for unscrupulous wagering corporations.
“Our student journalists tackled an important and urgent story that was incredibly challenging to report and write. They had to navigate issues like how to refer to the students they spoke to, who were technically breaking the law, and in some cases, showing signs of gambling addiction,” said Joe Akers, Noblesville High School journalism adviser.
The Mill Stream’s magazine and website, millermedianow.org, are recipients of multiple state and national awards, including the prestigious Hoosier Star designation from the Indiana High School Press Association.
“Scholastic journalism is done right in Joe Akers’ program in Noblesville. His students are curious, courageous, tenacious, thorough and ethical in covering difficult topics — topics that readers need to know about but are too often not covered,” said Elizabeth Granger, WPCI’s director of the Indiana high school journalism competition. The entry won first place in the sports category in the Indiana state communication contest before advancing to the national contest.
The entry competed against nearly 2,000 student entries in this national contest sponsored by the NFPW Education Fund. Student entries first competed in a state-wide communication contest. First-place winners were selected to advance to the national round of competition. The first-place winning entries all 23 categories in the contest then are judged by new judges, who selected the Noblesville students’ work as Best of the Best winner.
National first place winning entries receive a $100 prize, and the Best of the Best award prize is $500.
Here are other Indiana high school student winners:
Max Arnold, Aiden Caddell, Rebecca Garber and Jude Naville, Noblesville High School, Noblesville, first place, sports story.
Jayla Bailey and Paola Ramirez, Ben Davis High School, Indianapolis, third place, yearbook layout.
Shawn Feng, Carmel High School, Carmel, honorable mention, opinion.
Maria Fuenmayor-Mora and Meryem Yildirim, Noblesville High School, Noblesville, honorable mention, single page layout.
Riva Jain and Ryan Sharp, Carmel High School, Carmel, second place, feature story.
Lucy Len Dim, Southport High School, Indianapolis, honorable mention, columns or blogs.
Lili Perez, Hamilton Southeastern High School, Fishers, third place, news or feature photo.
Graham Toner, Hamilton Southeastern High School, Fishers, honorable mention, graphics/photo illustration.
Carson Trotter, Hamilton Southeastern High School, Fishers, first place, sports photo.
Jasa Triplett and Sceptre Yearbook Staff, Hamilton Southeastern High School, Fishers, honorable mention, yearbook photo.
Andra Veleta, Center Grove High School, Greenwood, honorable mention, editorial.
