St. Louis Public Radio Announces Teen Photo Contest Winners

By Raymond A. Lowenstein On Apr 12, 2022

St. Louis Public Radio has selected eight winners for the 2022 St. Louis Public Radio Teen Photojournalist Awardincluding Kirkwood High School Lainey Hoggwhich won Best in Show (winning photo above), Best Sports Feature photography and Best Pandemic Life photographer.

Other category winners include:

Best Scenery: Ava Carson of the Nerinx room
Best Feature: Kate Viglione from Lafayette high school
Best Sporting Action: Kyle Button from Francis Howell North High School
Best portrait (tie): Luke Sewell from Ladue Horton Watkins High School and Lily Kleinhenz from Clayton High School

The competition received 202 applications from students from 48 schools in the Saint-Louis and Rolla regions. The submissions represent a range of perspectives from up-and-coming young photographers and journalists who have visually documented the world through their lenses.

See the category winners below.

Best Scenery

Ava Carson

Nerinx Hall High School

Crows fly over the “Hunters Moon” on October 19, 2021, crossing the St. Louis skyline.

Best Feature

STLPR Photo Award - 03.JPEG — Drawn to the glow of the flame, Rylan Retych watches the bubbles in his hands ignite on Nov. 15, 2021. Honors chemistry students had the opportunity to pick up methane bubbles and watch the flame phenomenon s ignite in their hands. “I was a little worried, but once it happened it was absolutely stunning. I can’t believe I can say I held the fire,” Retych said.

Best Sports Action

Rookie Kaylee Lohnes slides home on September 29, 2021. Lohnes of Francis Howell North HS scored the first of seven runs the Knights played against Ritenour HS. The FHN Knights defeated Ritenour 7-2. Lohnes went 1-3 at the plate, with a single and a run scored. She batted for a .354 batting average this season, the second-highest on the team. — Freshman Kaylee Lohnes slides home plate Sept. 29, 2021. Lohnes, of Francis Howell North High School, scored the first of seven runs the Knights tackled against Ritenour. The Knights defeated Ritenour 7-2. Lohnes went 1-3 at the plate, with a single and a run scored. She had a .354 batting average on the season, the second highest on the team.

Better sports functionality

Ringing the Frisco Bell, senior Brady Nauman and his teammates celebrate a 65-0 victory over Webster in the annual Turkey Day match on November 25, 2021.

Best Portrait (Tie)

Nate Gibson and Jean Haldiman pose for a portrait. — (Left) Nate Gibson carefully holds an old studio light in preparation for portraits in St. Louis on June 21, 2021. He stopped directly under a skylight, where a beam of sunlight shines on his face. (Right) Jean Haldiman, a senior at Clayton High School, in her racing helmet. Shortly after getting her license, she became interested in competitive driving. In the male-dominated sport, Jean is not only the youngest but also usually the only female to compete.

Better Pandemic Life

Hugging around each other, senior Ceci Escudero and Phebe Hammond sing alma mater Hail Kirkwood at the graduation ceremony on May 7, 2021. — Hugging around each other, seniors Ceci Escudero and Phebe Hammond sing alma mater Hail Kirkwood at the graduation ceremony on May 7, 2021.

No prizes were awarded for the general information category.

Honorable mentions:

Countryside: Sid SuratieMarquette High School
Countryside: Zaire Rose HarrellMary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School
Countryside: Cinthia TalbottRitenour High School
Countryside: Maxwell GrellnerSaint Louis University High School
Feature: Andrew Paul PoertnerFrancis Howell North High School
Feature: Nick SanderSaint Louis University High School
Sports activity: Maya CulianFrancis Howell Central Secondary School
Sports feature: MacHuffmannLadue Horton Watkins High School
Sports feature: Ava CarsonNerinx Hall High School
Pandemic life: Catherine UyJohn Burroughs High School
Portrait: Mekhi BrownPattonville High School
Portrait: Somo DedkhadPattonville High School
Portrait: Miles SchulteSaint Louis University High School
Portrait: Sruthi RameshWentzville-Liberty High School

View all winning photographs including honorable mentions on the contest page.

Winners will be honored at a public reception on May 12 at the St. Louis Public Radio headquarters in Grand Center at 3651 Olive St.

Photos will be framed and displayed on the gallery walls in the St. Louis Public Radio lobby from May 12 through mid-June, on the big screen in the Public Media Commons outside the STLPR offices and in line. on the contest page and The STLPR Instagram page. To view the framed exhibit, come to the opening reception or make an appointment for another time by emailing [email protected]

The Best in Show winner will receive $800 in gift certificates, and each category winner will receive $200 in gift certificates. Category winners and honorable mention recipients are invited to a masterclass with STLPR photojournalist Brian Munoz.

Judges for the competition included St. Louis Post-Dispatch photojournalist Laurie Skrivan, freelance photographer Michael B. Thomas, STLPR digital and special projects editor Brian Heffernan, and STLPR photojournalist Brian Munoz. The contest received the generous support of sony Electronics Inc. and the Trudy B. Valentine Foundation of the St. Louis Community Foundation.

The St. Louis Public Radio Photojournalism Award is an annual award, with nominations accepted again next spring. Watch stlpublicradio.org and follow us on instagram for updates and details.

Brian Munoz is a photojournalist and multimedia reporter for St. Louis Public Radio. You can reach him by email at [email protected] and follow his work on instagram and Twitter at @brianmmunoz.