Awards
Since 2009, the Wildcat has been the most-awarded scholastic publication in Orange County by the National Scholastic Press Association, placing 16 times in the top 10 nationally in a variety of categories including Sports Writing, Sports Photography, Cover Design, Center Spread Design, Illustration, and Cartooning.
- 2023-2024
- 2022-2023
- Best of SNO / “Embracing the ‘B’ in HBCU” by Gaby Smith
- 2021-2022
- Best of SNO / “Think Before You Post: Social Media Activity Impacts College Admissions” by Doyon Kim
- Best of SNO / “Teen Drivers Hit Hard by Soaring Gas Prices” by Karis Choi, Jasmine Youn
- Best of SNO / “517 Days Later: Students, Staff React to First Week Back” by Karis Choi, Jasmine Youn
- 2020-2021
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Comic Strip (Makayla Huerta / 1st Place)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Comic Strip (Makayla Huerta / 5th Place)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Editorial Cartoon (Makayla Huerta / 4th Place)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Illustration (Makayla Huerta / Honorable Mention)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best News Story (Doyon Kim / Honorable Mention)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award News Writing (Doyon Kim / 1st Place)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Headline Writing (Doyon Kim / 3rd Place)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Computer Generated Art/Illustration (Makayla Huerta / 1st Place)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Cartooning (Makayla Huerta / 1st Place)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Cartooning (Makayla Huerta / Certificate of Merit)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Hand Drawn Illustration (Makayla Huerta / 2nd Place)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Hand Drawn Illustration (Makayla Huerta / 3rd Place)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Cartoon Portfolio of Work (Makayla Huerta / 1st Place)
- Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circle Award Spot News Photograph (Alexis Alexander / 3rd Place)
- Best of SNO / “The Klapp Family: Two Generations of Softball Success” by Cheyenne Arredondo
- Best of SNO / “Barrera (’09) Builds Bodies and Communities as Owner, CEO of Faster Fitness Gym” by Doyon Kim, Karis Choi
- Best of SNO / “The Lies of Diet Culture” by Jasmine Youn, Karis Choi
- Best of SNO / “A Dark Day on Capitol Hill” by Melissa Perez, Callie Yates
- Best of SNO / “BOUSD Board of Education Seat Determined by Roll of Dice” by Doyon Kim
- Best of SNO / “Blue Ridge Fire Forces Evacuations” by Doyon Kim and Jared Corona
- 2017-2018
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Infograph (Matthew Moon / Honorable Mention)
- 2016-2017
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Infograph (Matthew Moon / 4th Place)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Illustration (Amy Yoon / Honorable Mention)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Cartoon (Deziree Cervantes / Honorable Mention)
- 2014-2015
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Page Design (Astyr Ko / Honorable Mention)
- 2013-2014
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Sports Writing (Noelle Gracia / Honorable Mention)
- 2012-2013
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Sports Photo (Trent Preston / Honorable Mention)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Illustration (Megan Moberly / Honorable Mention)
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Infograph (Selina Che / 5th Place)
- Orange County Journalism Education Association Division I Print Best of Show
- 2011-2012
- Fullerton College Journalism Department Best Overall Newspaper (1st Place)
- 2010-2011
- National Scholastic Press Association Best Page One Design (Deborah Kim / 2nd Place)
- Fullerton College Journalism Department Best Overall Newspaper (1st Place)
- 2009-2010
- National Scholastic Press Association Online Pacemaker/Best Website (Chelsea Yeh / Finalist)
- 1957-1958
- Santa Ana College Journalism Workshop Best News Story (Priscilla Taylor / 2nd Place)
- Santa Ana College Journalism Workshop Best Sports Story (Ron Butterfield / Honorable Mention
- Santa Ana College Journalism Workshop Best All-Around Journalist (Gregg Hopkins / Honorable Mention)