WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 10, 2025 – The White House News Photographers Association® (WHNPA) proudly announces the winners of the Digital Storytelling categories in the Digital Storytelling division of its 2025 ‘Eyes of History®’ visual journalism competition.
WHNPA President Jessica Koscielniak commented, “This year’s digital storytelling competition is a reminder of the rapidly changing landscape in visual storytelling. The winners display the very best of multimedia storytelling, it brings together deep and thoughtful journalism with impactful visual reporting.”
The competition’s panel of judges included independent visual journalists Soo-Jeong Kang, Lauren Schneiderman, and Mia Tramz. Reflecting on the entries, Schneiderman noted, “The first-place winners demonstrated great care in how their stories were executed. Every element seamlessly worked together, and it was fascinating to see how different platforms creatively use social media for storytelling.”
Kang added, “What stood out to me was the exceptional quality of the visuals—cinematography, photography, and the overall perspective. The story on sheriff abuse, for example, stood out for its strong backstory, central theme, and the thoughtful craftsmanship of its visual elements and layout.”
Honors went to Alice Li, Hadley Green, Whitney Shefte, Jabin Botsford, Drea Cornejo and McKenna Ewen for their outstanding work in the competition.
After reviewing over 36 stories across five categories in one day, the top winners of the still, video, digital, and student contests will be celebrated at the annual ‘Eyes of History®’ gala on September 6, 2025, in Washington. This black-tie event will honor all the winning visual journalists.
The White House News Photographers Association® is a 104-year-old nonprofit organization committed to supporting Washington’s professional visual journalists. WHNPA provides professional development and educational outreach through scholarships, programming, its annual competition, and a celebration of the industry at the ‘Eyes of History®’ gala.
For more information, please contact Jessica Koscielniak at [email protected] or Executive Director Heidi Elswick at [email protected].