Alexandria, VA – Theogony, the student newspaper at Alexandria City High School, is the winner of the 2025 Courage in Student Journalism Award. The Student Press Law Center (SPLC) and the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) made the announcement earlier this month.
The national award recognizes student journalists who show exceptional determination in defending press freedom in the face of resistance. This year, student journalists in San Diego and San Jose, California, were also recognized as finalists. The honors were announced at the Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Theogony students drew national attention when they pushed back against proposed changes to Alexandria City Public Schools’ student media policy that would have allowed district staff to approve stories expected to generate a “high level of interest.” The students publicly highlighted the proposal as a form of prior review and a step toward censorship.
The conflict arose after Theogony’s investigative reporting on issues such as transportation delays and the removal of popular administrators. Those stories sparked community conversation and, in some cases, change—while also drawing scrutiny from district officials…