The 2021-2022 volume of the Torch was awarded All-American recognition by the National Scholastic Press Association, also known as the NSPA. Torch earned 465 out of 500 points and all four possible marks of distinction, including “Coverage and Content,” “Text,” “Visuals” and “Presentation.” 

“[Earning the recognition] didn’t really shock me because we weren’t really working towards that goal, we didn’t need an award,” said 2021-2022 Managing Editor Rachel Cha. “I think we just got it just because we did what we did.”

The Torch has earned six All-American recognitions in the last 13 years.

This award can also be meaningful for readers, 2021-2022 Editor-in-Chief Jenna Amusin said.

“Not every community or school community has a paper that can achieve this award,” said Amusin. “They don’t necessarily have these kinds of writers [and Torch adviser Bryan Halpern] to help with the process that [are] able to publish a paper that can inform you as the reader, and [readers should] take advantage of that.”