OXFORD, Miss. The Mississippi Youth Media Project won several high-school journalism awards from the highly competitive Mississippi Scholastic Press Association during YMP’s first year as a member.
YMP, which includes Jackson-area teenagers in high schools without school newspapers, not only placed but won key awards in categories that included schools such as Oxford High School, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.
Morghan Thompson won first place in the Individual News Publication Best Feature Story category. Ava Washington and the reporting team of Taylor Brandon and Charlton “CJ” Davis tied for top honors in the Individual News Publication Best Depth Reporting category.
“I’ve been doing this for 13 years and this is the first time I’ve ever seen a tie,” MSPA Director R.J. Morgan told those gathered at the awards ceremony on March 31.
Other YMP students finished as finalists in three categories.
The journalists won for deeply systemic reporting on health equity—their focus for summer 2025—in their communities, with rich storytelling driving the narratives. Their work is published on their journalism site, jxnpulse.com.
“We believe strongly that this is really the only kind of reporting, writing and storytelling that can challenge false narratives and inspire those with the power to move needles to provide services and tools needed to bring real change to all our communities,” Mississippi Free Press CEO and Youth Media Project Founder Donna Ladd.
The program has been funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation every summer for the past 10 years.
See the full list of honorees and their stories below.
2026 YMP Awards/Finalists, Mississippi Scholastic Press Association
Winners (tie): Depth Reporting
1. Ava Washington — Youth Media Project
“Breaking the Silence: The Mental Battles Men Face Alone”
2. Taylor Brandon & Charlton Davis — Youth Media Project
“A Long Way From Home: Mississippi Father Faces Deportation as His Family’s Future Hangs in the Balance”
Judges: “Both of these entries had extensive first-person research and reporting. Among many very good entries, these stood out for their relevance and clarity of writing. Good story-telling technique, too.”
Finalist: Laila Henderson & Lula Davis — Youth Media Project
“From Phrenology to Tuskegee: Racist Doctors’ Long Abuse of Black Americans”
Other finalists: St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science
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Winner: Feature Story: Morghan Thompson — Youth Media Project
“Hidden in Plain Sight: The Reality of Teen Mental Health Today”
Judges: “Thorough treatment of a serious topic, good use of an exemplar to draw readers into the broader story, includes hard data, multiple sources and good use of quotes that add color to the story.”
Finalist: Hannah Evans – Youth Media Project
“The Struggle for Equitable Healthcare”
Other finalists: Hernando High, Oxford High, Presbyterian Christian School
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Finalist: News Story: Jakara Guston — Youth Media Project
A Shot at a Healthy Future: Vaccinating Mississippi’s Children
Other finalists/schools: Oxford High (winner), Hernando High, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science