Broad Run's literary magazine and Rock Ridge's broadcast earned Trophy Class, the top VHSL publications rating. Independence High also won an award.

Student journalists, writers and broadcasters at three Ashburn high schools have won state awards for their work. Two of them took Trophy Class, the top rating in the Virginia High School League’s 2025-26 Publications Awards.

Loudoun County Public Schools announced the results this week. It said students at nine of its high schools earned 20 honors, and six programs reached Trophy Class, according to the district’s announcement.

The Ashburn winners

School Publication Type Rating Adviser
Broad Run High School Unbound Literary magazine Trophy Class Michelle Evans
Rock Ridge High School The Blaze Broadcast Trophy Class Tyler Anderson
Rock Ridge High School The Renaissance Literary magazine Third Class Susan Spengeman
Independence High School Art of the Tiger Literary magazine Second Class Eric Russo and Kim Basinger

Trophy Class is the highest recognition in the league’s evaluation, the district said. The awards cover school newspapers, yearbooks, literary magazines, online news sites and broadcasts.

Elsewhere in Loudoun

The other Trophy Class winners were:

  • Freedom High School’s Aquila yearbook and Freedom Broadcast, in South Riding, about 10 miles south
  • Lightridge High School’s Thoughts of Thunder literary magazine, near Aldie, about 12 miles southwest
  • Loudoun County High School’s Lord Loudoun yearbook and The County Chronicle newspaper, in Leesburg, about eight miles northwest

Woodgrove High School, near Purcellville and about 17 miles west, won the most awards of any Loudoun school. Its five publications all placed, according to the district’s list.

“Student journalism plays an important role in a free society,” Superintendent Aaron Spence said in the announcement. “It gives students the opportunity to ask questions, explore different perspectives, hold a mirror up to their communities and understand the responsibility that comes with sharing information.”

What it means for you

  • Have a student at Broad Run, Rock Ridge or Independence? The awards judged work students produced in the 2025-26 school year. Ask the school’s adviser about joining the staff.
  • The league explains its publications program on the Virginia High School League website.
  • More about each school, including enrollment and ratings, is on our Ashburn schools pages.