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
  • Best of SNO / “One Killed at Brea Apartment Complex; Suspect Apprehended” by Lauren Ko
• 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)