NEWS

FIRST PLACE:

Zoom class bombed, by Isabelle Coburn, California High School 

SECOND PLACE:

First student member of the 70-year-old MDUSD governing board, by Natalie Villard, Northgate High School

THIRD PLACE

Student proposes African-American studies course, by Marisa Guerra Echeverria and Lyanne Wang, Acalanes High School 

HONORABLE MENTION:

Distance learning, by Adaley Perez, Making Waves Academy

Alumnus candidate for the Danville Town Council, by Samantha Shah, San Ramon Valley High School

FEATURE

FIRST PLACE:

Covid choice, by Angela Deanne Paloma and Ronnie Gogoi, California High School

SECOND PLACE:

The good deed, by Glendy Jimenez, Pinole Valley High School

THIRD PLACE (Tie):

Diversify, by Jason Shin, Clayton Valley Charter High School

Alum directs Pixar film, by Jacque Peacock, Haley Rurka, and Irene Meklin, Acalanes High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

Added sugar: The pandemic we forgot about, by Vikram Gill, De Anza High School

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FIRST PLACE:

Madrigals and Belle Voce sing out in countrywide a capella virtual concert, by Mia Allyson Montifar, Northgate High School

SECOND PLACE:

Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, by Shiphrah Moses, California High School 

THIRD PLACE (Tie):

“The Queen’s Gambit” sheds light upon female experiences with addiction that media has lacked for too long, by Jade Wang and Nihal Singh, Dougherty Valley High School

Despite pandemic, Monte Vista Sings On, by Claire Sohn, Monte Vista High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

Acalanes weighs in on controversial 2021 Grammy Award nominations (see page 30), by Marisa Guerra Echeverria, Haley Rurka and Lyanne Wang, Acalanes High School

SPORTS

FIRST PLACE:

Sexualized female athletic uniforms devalue women’s sports, by Aria Khalique and Riya Mehta, Dougherty Valley High School

SECOND PLACE:

Quarterback Russel Diep takes command (see page 12), by Henry Hill, Miramonte High School 

THIRD PLACE:

Acalanes athletes face college recruitment in quarantine (see page 40), by Marisa Guerra Echeverria and Daniel Adri, Acalanes High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

Spectacular sports moments, movements and memories leave their mark in 2020, by Alex Hong, Northgate High School

EDITORIAL

FIRST PLACE:

Priorities for SRVUSD school board, by Isaac Oronsky, California High School

 SECOND PLACE:

Navigating racial consciousness (see page 18), by Leda Abkenari, Acalanes High School

THIRD PLACE:

Choosing a language? Northgate’s shrinking selection leaves much to be desired, by Vivian Tanforan and Gabriella Toranski, Northgate High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

Polarization, by Henry Hill and Jonathan Pham, Miramonte High School

Abortion is a choice, by Alyssa Earnest, De Anza High School

OPINION

FIRST PLACE:

Reconsider the SRO program, by Nick Harvey, California High School

SECOND PLACE (Tie):

NPS threatens endangered tule elk at Point Reyes National Seashore, by Eva Shen, Dougherty Valley High School

Breaching the digital divide (see page 30), by Erin Hambidge, Acalanes High School

THIRD PLACE:

The teenage mind, by Adaley Perez, Making Waves High School

HONORABLE MENTION

Implications of de-platforming a president, by Lawrence Feng, Monte Vista High School

Netflix should renew shows that tackle real-life issues, by Malyna Chang, Miramonte High School

INVESTIGATIVE/ENTERPRISE

FIRST PLACE:

Body image: Piecing together the broken reflection, by Jamie Lattin and Binti Sohn, Acalanes High School

SECOND PLACE (Tie):

Students demand release of investigative report (see page 2), by Emma Leibowitz, Miramonte School

Disproportionate discipline of Black students in SRVUSD threatens equity, by Sanjana Ranganathan and Jade Wang, Dougherty Valley High School

THIRD PLACE:

Should we re-elect, recall, or at least review the electoral college? By Gabriella Toranski, Northgate High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

A victory for food equity, By Owen Spargo, Ananda Mayuri Chakkenchath, and Hannah Wang, Dougherty Valley High School

EDITORIAL CARTOON

FIRST PLACE:

Classroom, by Reese Whipple, Campolindo High School

SECOND PLACE:

Performance, by Udita Jonnala, Dougherty Valley High School

THIRD PLACE

Fly (see page 33), by Sabrina Agazzi, Acalanes High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

Plague, by Jay Warren, California High School

PHOTO OF THE YEAR 

FIRST PLACE:

Homework, by Meredith Edmonston, Clayton Valley Charter High School

SECOND PLACE:

Window, by Eva Shen, Dougherty Valley High School

THIRD PLACE

Wildfire smoke, by Ben Olsen , California High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

Direction/Arrow, by Anna Yiannikos, Acalanes High School

PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO

FIRST PLACE:

Lockdown, by Lue Van Handel, Acalanes High School

SECOND PLACE:

Lights, by Caroline Lobel, Dougherty Valley High School

PODCAST

FIRST PLACE:

Miramonte High School: Fast Fashion with Ryan Gottschalk

SECOND PLACE:

Acalanes High School: Zack Lara’s Good Ones! 

THIRD PLACE:

California High School: Bear With us Dear Freshmen

HONORABLE MENTION:

Dougherty Valley High School: Wildcat Tribune’s Rapid Reviews #14

WEB DESIGN

FIRST PLACE:

California High School

SECOND PLACE:

Acalanes High School

THIRD PLACE:

Miramonte High School

HONORABLE MENTION:

Dougherty Valley High School

OVERALL PUBLICATION EXCELLENCE – Journalism Class

FIRST PLACE (Tie)

Acalanes High School

Miramonte High School

SECOND PLACE

California High School

THIRD PLACE:

Dougherty Valley High School

OVERALL PUBLICATION EXCELLENCE – Journalism Club

FIRST PLACE

Northgate High School

SECOND PLACE:

Clayton Valley Charter High School

THIRD PLACE:

San Ramon Valley High School

SPECIAL RECOGNITION – ENTERPRISING STUDENT JOURNALIST

Karina Mascorro, Richmond High School, for her reporting on the impact of COVID-19 on high school students. 

ADVISER RECOGNITION 

Karen Jenkins, Northgate High School

Giana Lillig, San Ramon Valley High School

Rachel Decker, Dougherty Valley High School 

OUTSTANDING STUDENT EDITORS

Allison Petek, Miramonte High School

Audrey Allen, Miramonte High School

Alisha Nazar, Miramonte High School

Jason Shin, Clayton Valley High School

Adelaide Berrett, Northgate High School

Jamie Lattin, Acalanes High School

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS

FIRST PLACE ($1,000):

Macie Calvert, Monte Vista High School

SECOND PLACE ($500):

Christine Oh, California High School

THIRD PLACE ($250):

Henry Hill, Miramonte High School

Judges for the 2001 Lesher Awards were CC Spin Writing Coaches Jim Finefrock, Bruce Koon, Carol Pogash, and Dick Rogers and Director Stephen O’Donoghue. The Podcast category was judged by Devin Katayama, host of The Bay podcast from KQED News. 

Coverage of 2021 Lesher Awards ceremony and the  2020 Lesher Awards.