Kpark Media

Kingwood Park Media Wins 82 Awards at Interscholastic League Press Conference; Megan Ortiz named 2026 Max Haddick Texas Journalism Teacher of the Year

Humble ISD

April 14, 2026

News Release Courtesy Kingwood Park Media

Kingwood Park Media wrapped up a successful Interscholastic League Press Conference spring convention in Austin, winning a combined 82 individual awards, including six Tops in Texas and the Journalism Teacher of the Year Award for adviser Megan Ortiz.

Kingwood Park’s newspaper, the Kingwood Park Times, earned Gold ILPC Stars for Social Media, the Print Newspaper and Online Newspaper. The Pride Yearbook received a Bronze ILPC Star.

“I am so happy with all the gold stars that we got,” Kingwood Park Times co-editor Tricia Darcy, a senior, said. “I think it really shows what we’ve been working toward as a staff. We’ve worked really hard as a staff the past year and it is so amazing to see it all be recognized.”

Ortiz, who is in her eighth year of her second stint at Kingwood Park, received the 2026 Max R. Haddick Journalism Teacher of the Year Award.

“There are few places with stronger journalism programs and advisers than in Texas,” Ortiz said. “It is an honor just to work amongst them, let alone be honored for an award like this. I’m grateful for my current and former students who have worked hard to be the voice of their communities with their storytelling.”

Ortiz AwardKingwood Park Times co-editor Sydney Ortiz, a junior, received 25 awards, including Tops in Texas in online news writing and online news-feature writing. Darcy won 17 awards, including Tops in Texas for online sports column writing and online sports feature photo. Senior Chloe Sales won Tops in Texas for video story.

Yearbook editors junior Ella Hickman and senior Emerson Harris won Tops in Texas for Yearbook Academic-focused spread.

“It’s so fun creating the yearbook,” Hickman said. “It’s always awesome to see all of our work paying off, and we are so excited to pass out our 2026 yearbook in a few weeks.”

Pictured Above: Junior Danielle Nalley, junior Sydney Ortiz, senior Tricia Darcy, junior Marin Tippy and freshman Ella Cole represented the Kingwood Park publications at the Interscholastic League Press Conference in Austin on April 10-12. They won three Gold Stars and a Bronze Star for their journalism program publications. Photo by Megan Ortiz.

Staff Ratings

Social Media - Gold Star

Print Newspaper - Gold Star

Online Newspaper - Gold Star

2025 Yearbook - Bronze Star

Tops in Texas (All schools regardless of size)

Sydney Ortiz - Online News Writing

Sydney Ortiz - Online News Feature Writing

Tricia Darcy - Online Sports Column

Tricia Darcy - Online Sports Feature Photo

Ella Hickman and Emerson Harris - Yearbook Academic-Focused Spread

Chloe Sales - Online Video

2025 Yearbook 5A

  • Shelby Townsend, Ella Hickman - 1st - Student-produced marketing campaign

  • Ella Hickman, Shelby Townsend - 1st - Student Life-focused spread

  • Emerson Harris, Ella Hickman - 1st - Academic-focused spread

  • Sydney Ortiz - 1st - Student life feature story

  • Cameron Minatrea - 1st - Academic feature story

  • Sydney Ortiz - 1st - Personalty profile story

  • Tricia Darcy - 1st - Sports Action photo

  • Bishop Scott - 2nd - Academic photo

  • Tricia Darcy, Sydney Ortiz - 2nd - Sports-focused spread

  • Ella Hickman - 3rd - Academic-focused spread

  • Sydney Ortiz - 3rd - Photo portfolio

  • Jacob Dinh - 3rd - Sports feature photo

  • Jacob Dinh - 3rd - Sports feature photo

  • Ella Hickman, Shelby Townsend - HM - Index Spread

  • Sydney Ortiz - HM - Student Life-focused spread

  • Sydney Ortiz - HM - Sports Action photo

  • Sydney Ortiz - HM - Club/Organization photo

Current Year Yearbook (5A)

  • Ella Hickman - 2nd - Blended coverage spread

  • Marie Wakefield - 2nd - Story

Newspaper Print (5A) - The Kingwood Park Times

  • Sydney Ortiz - 1st - Sports Feature Story

  • Cameron Minatrea - 1st - Feature Writing

  • Sydney Ortiz - 1st - Personal Column

  • Tricia Darcy - 1st - Feature Page/Spread Design

  • Tricia Darcy - 1st - Entertainment Page/Spread Design

  • Tricia Darcy - 1st - Photo Portfolio

  • Marie Wakefield, Paisley Thomas, Genesis Murillo, Sydney Ortiz, Tricia Darcy - 1st - In-Depth News/Feature Package

  • Tricia Darcy - 2nd - Sports Feature Photo

  • Cameron Minatrea - 2nd - Portrait

  • Tricia Darcy - 2nd - Sports news story

  • Sydney Ortiz - 2nd - Feature Writing

  • Marie Wakefield - 2nd - Entertainment Review

  • Isabella Munoz, Kalia Powledge - 2nd - Entertainment feature

  • Danielle Nalley - 2nd - Personal Column

  • Marie Wakefield - 2nd - Personal Opinion Column

  • Sydney Ortiz - 2nd - Sports Column

  • Eleanor Durand - 2nd - Cartoon

  • Tricia Darcy - 2nd - Page One News Magazine Design

  • Tricia Darcy - 2nd - Feature Photo

  • Tricia Darcy - 3rd - Entertainment feature

  • Tricia Darcy - 3rd - General News Photo

  • Sydney Ortiz - 3rd - Feature Photo

  • Bishop Scott - 3rd - Sports Action Photo

  • Caleb Kazeem - 3rd - Sports feature story

  • Emerson Harris - 3rd - Portrait

  • Sydney Ortiz - 3rd - News Writing

  • Shawn Chaney - HM - Personal Opinion Column

  • Rocco Huerta - HM - General News Photo

  • Rocco Huerta - HM - Sports Action Photo

Online News (5A) - KPTimes.com