Lookout's 2026 Student Journalism Scholarship winners

At Lookout Santa Cruz, we believe local journalism begins with listening. This year’s Student Journalism Scholarship reminds us just how powerful that act can be – especially when it’s practiced by young people. Launched in October 2022, the Lookout Santa Cruz Journalism Scholarship invites local high school students to step into the role of a journalist, and this was our biggest cohort of applicants so far!

This was also the first official year of our Lookout for Teachers program – offering free memberships, in-person workshops with Lookout staff and media literacy curriculum – to the fabulous middle and high school teachers who have supported their students in this scholarship challenge. Lookout for Teachers has limited space remaining. If you are – or know – a local secondary teacher, please sign up here to activate your account!

After reading hundreds of submissions from high school students across Santa Cruz County this year, our editorial team selected 10 standout finalists whose stories captured the quiet leadership shaping our community. What these students submit is not just good writing; it’s empathy; it’s curiosity; it’s civic engagement in its earliest, most hopeful form.

We were proud to honor the top three student journalists at the annual Your Future Is Our Business luncheon last Friday, Feb. 27, awarding each a $500 scholarship and celebrating the community members they uplifted.

Honoring the 2026 scholarship winners

Jesus Heredia Collazo, from Watsonville High School, profiled his environmental science teacher, Satina Ciandro, a woman who has spent nearly three decades turning her classroom into a launchpad for leadership and service. In her room, learning doesn’t stop at the bell – students engage in real environmental projects, partner with local organizations and step into responsibility now, not someday. In his story, Jesus showed that education isn’t only about information, it’s about giving students the confidence to believe they belong in the future they’re being asked to protect. Read his winning profile here.

Brady Clark, from Coast Redwood High School, wrote about Kurt Edwards, the heart behind the San Lorenzo Valley High School community pool. Coach, teacher, mentor and business owner, Kurt has taught thousands of students to swim – and many more how to persevere, show up and care for one another. Brady’s story reminds us that public spaces matter and that the people who keep them alive are often the ones shaping a community’s health and spirit the most. Read his winning profile here.

Valeria Marquez, from Watsonville High School, wrote a deeply personal profile of Daisy Nuñez, a counselor and self-described “hope-ologist” who supports students through grief, fear and uncertainty. Daisy stays late, answers the extra call and meets students where they are – reminding them they are not alone. Through telling that story, Valeria shows us that when we share our experiences with honesty, we give others permission to heal as well. Read her winning profile here.

Celebrating the 2026 finalists

These students did more than write profiles. They practiced community listening. They paid attention. They learned what it means to tell someone else’s story with care. They used their voices to lift others. They experienced a snippet of what being a journalist is all about.

Supporting young journalists also means supporting the teachers who inspire them.

Through Lookout for Teachers, Lookout Santa Cruz expands access to trusted local news for middle and high school educators across the county. This year, thanks to community donors and members, we’re offering 450 free memberships for local secondary teachers.If you are or know a middle or high school teacher, please help spread the word or sign up here.