The WNA Foundation on Friday, March 7 celebrated Wisconsin’s outstanding student journalists, announcing the winners of its 2024 collegiate and high school Better Newspaper Contests during an awards ceremony held as part of the 2025 WNA Convention at the Madison Concourse Hotel in Madison.
Amherst High School Senior Katie Lechton, a staff writer and editor for the Talon since its online launch more than three years ago, placed first in the sports story category and was among the high school students honored at the annual awards contest luncheon.
The ceremony highlighted all winning entries of the contest’s top prizes, General Excellence and Collegiate Journalist of the Year. The 2024 WNAF Collegiate Better Newspaper Contest featured 287 entries from 15 campus newspapers across 20 categories. The high school contest featured 115 entries.
“This is a prestigious and well-deserved honor for Katie,” said William Van Lannen, who accompanied Lechton to the luncheon along with yearbook adviser Merry Dudley. “It’s a testament to her productivity and passion for the craft of journalism. As a school community we know her to be an outstanding broadcaster, adding an award in sports news writing speaks to her journalistic versatility and vast potential.”
