Alexandria City High’s “Theogony” Wins National Courage in Student Journalism Award

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.

Working with the Student Press Law Center, Theogony leaders drafted and introduced their own policy proposal, “Voices Unbound,” modeled after the nationwide New Voices movement to protect student press rights. When district staff rejected all 12 of their recommendations, the student journalists launched a five-month advocacy campaign.

They rallied support from Alexandria and D.C.-area community members, gained backing from national journalism organizations, and drew coverage from major outlets, including The Washington Post and Nieman Journalism Lab. Former co-editor James Libresco and current co-editor Rozalia Finkelstein also shared their story in a June webinar with SPLC and the Society of Professional Journalists.

“We are deeply honored to be recognized in our fight for editorial independence,” Libresco and Finkelstein wrote in their statement accepting the award. “But the real recognition should go to the hundreds of student journalists around the world who face similar challenges. To those experiencing censorship, no matter how small you think it may be, let this be a call. Stand up and own your space. Dismantle the status quo. You are more powerful than you know.”

The 2024–2025 Theogony staff included Libresco, Finkelstein, and student journalists Casey Donahue, Julia Gwin, Pablo Cruz-Rivera, Max Carpenter, Nadja Duss, Maxwell Jones-Lachance, Isabel Shultz, Noah Sternberg, Leo Maucieri, Liam Brown, Imani Sanders, Christian Orrell, Arafat Somith, and Michael Sweeney. This year’s staff, led by Finkelstein and Gwin, continues to advocate for a stronger student media policy in Alexandria City Public Schools.

Their efforts have helped move the conversation at the local level. The Alexandria City School Board’s Governance Committee recently introduced a proposed policy that incorporates many of the students’ recommendations.

In their acceptance statement, Libresco and Finkelstein expressed gratitude to SPLC, FIRE, NSPA, JEA, SPJ, adviser Ms. Kamilah Lawson, and the thousands of local community members and leaders who supported their campaign, including Mr. Mark Eaton.

“We cannot begin to express what your support has meant to us,” they wrote. “Theogony will continue to speak truth to power, and we hope student journalists around the globe will join us in doing so.”