A group of young athletes huddles around their football coach, Michael Stewart, celebrating their victory. Loud roars and cheers erupt from pure excitement.  

The team had just secured a spot in the district title games, winning 42-14 over Seckman high school. 

“It was a crucial win and a moment of intense emotion and camaraderie among the players,” Stewart said. 

Off to the side, Gemma Speichinger, senior, snaps a picture of that moment. One of the photos she would later submit to the 2023 St. Louis Public Radio Teen Photojournalist Contest, which won Speichinger Best of Show over 350 other submissions. 

“The photo that won the award is incredibly powerful and moving,” Stewart said. “It captures a moment of raw emotion and shows the human side of sports that is often overlooked.”

Stewart first heard about the award after the announcement on the St Louis Public Radio. He said he felt proud her work as a photojournalist was being seen and praised. 

“It’s always exciting to see young people excel in their passions,” Stewart said. “It’s a testament to her hard work and talent.”

Speichinger has been taking photos since she was in fifth grade, but only started taking it seriously her junior year after she took Photography 1 her sophomore year. 

With her main focus on action and sports photography, Speichinger took the opportunity to submit her work to the contest after her friend had urged her to do so. Some time later, she got a call from the organizers. 

“I was really proud to not only have the best in the category that I submitted, but the best photo overall,” Speichinger said. 

Speichinger plans to take her skills to Auburn University, where she hopes to get involved in athletic and portrait photography. 

“Photography is a way to freeze time,” Speichinger said. “In sports, it showcases what they were going through at that moment.” 

Abbey Gradle, photography teacher, has taught Speichinger Photography 1 and 2, and said she continues to see growth with Speichinger everyday. 

“She’s really great about capturing emotions and being able to be in the mix of things as a photojournalist,” Gradle said. 

When Gradle saw the specific photo that won the award, she said she felt very proud about Speichinger’s potential as a creative photographer.

“That is something really exciting about photos that even if you weren’t there, you can get the full picture about what it was like,” Gradle said.