Ayaan Shah, Emmaus High School

​Each year, the Pennsylvania School Press Association (PSPA) invites senior student journalists to submit an online portfolio showcasing their talents and accomplishments during their career as a high school journalist. The Pennsylvania scholarship winner moves on to the national JEA Journalist of the Year competition. 
 
PSPA proudly announces Mr. Ayaan Shah, Editor-in-Chief of The Stinger at Emmaus High School as the 2025 Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year. Of the nine entries that we received, Shah’s rose to the top, specifically because of his commitment to diversity, dedication to the preservation of freedom of the press for student journalists, and his outstanding leadership with The Stinger staff. 

Ayaan’s dedication to journalism both in and outside of Emmaus High School is evident in his acceptance to the prestigious Asian American Journalists Association’s JCamp, and his work with professional media outlets such as The Juggernaut, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Lehigh Valley Press. 

As shown in his required letters of recommendation, supporters for Mr. Shah wrote: 

“His dedication to the truth, justice, and the highest standard of perfection are unreplicated in my decade-long career as an educator… Ayaan has been instrumental in amplifying voices from underrepresented communities, addressing real-world issues, and exploring their impact on our local community.” 
Shelby Ramirez - Adviser, The Stinger  

“As a journalist, and most importantly as a person, Ayaan embodies all the characteristics of a journalist of the year. Take a glance at his work samples and one can glean the thoroughness, attention to detail, and a keen ability to draw quality quotes from sources. But he’s also a competent, sensitive and serious leader to his peers, demonstrating excellence in all he does.”
-Arelis R. Hernandez - National Reporter, The Washington Post

On behalf of PSPA, we couldn’t be more pleased to recognize Mr. Ayaan Shah as our 2025 Pennsylvania Student Journalist of the Year. Mr. Shah will be recognized at the Student Journalism State Finals at Penn State University on April 1, 2025. We wish him the best of luck as he now proceeds to the National level of competition.

PSPA sponsored a Scholastic Journalism Week Trivia Contest the week of February 24-28, 2025. 

The questions were open from 12:01 a.m. until midnight each day. Students had the chance to enter once per day. Correct answers were be entered into a random drawings each day to win PSPA T-shirts. 

Themes and winners are as follows: