Metea Valley alumnus Nirmal Mulaikal was named a 2016 Multimedia Story of the Year Finalist by the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) on Sept. 20. 30 finalists were named in the multimedia division. Winners will be announced at the NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Indianapolis on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016.

NSPA, a non-profit organization providing journalism education services across the United States, annually honors the best individuals in high school scholastic journalism in their national contest.

The multimedia category recognizes stories incorporating strong reporting and other media such as graphic design and photojournalism. Mulaikal’s story, coverage on the Metea Valley’s first victory over Waubonsie Valley during the 2015-2016 football season, was accompanied by photography by alumna Madison Mohns and junior Brittany Coates, and video footage by alumnus Joey Marasco.

“It means a lot [to be nominated]. It’s always great to be recognized and with that story, I really felt like I informed students beyond the fact that it was a football game,” Mulaikal said.

The Stampede and Metea Media are the official news publications of Metea Valley High School. Their missions are to educate, inform, and highlight the stories that walk Metea Valley’s halls while providing a designated public forum for students.