Artists have the powerful gift of being able to find meaning in both the littlest details and biggest revelations, capturing it in a single image that speaks for itself. St. Stephen’s is a campus that blooms with artists of all disciplines — from Scholastic award-winning essayists to stage-commanding actors, they all find opportunities to hone their skills and showcase their stunning works.
Journalism, despite popular belief, is also an art form that goes hand-in-hand with photography. Both are storytelling mediums that require a keen eye for details, as well as knowledge of how light, color, and lines work together. Art’s emotional and expressive elements also play their part in photography — the right moment must be captured in order for the artist’s message to come across.
The editorial team at The Bell wanted to create more opportunities for Spartan artists to showcase their work. Thus, the idea of our first-ever Photojournalism Contest was born, and St. Stephen’s students came in with their best shots!
Our theme for this year’s contest was “Soul of the School,” where Spartan photographers were tasked with capturing what St. Stephen’s means to them in a single picture. Other than these guidelines, students had full freedom to interpret the theme however they wanted. All of the entries took the theme in many different directions, reflecting the diversity and beauty these photographers recognize in the world around them. Take a look at our winning entries below!
1st Place and “The Most Inspiring”: Facing Endangerment
Photographer: Setara Manasa ‘28
“This is a white rhino named Matopos and my mom staring at each other shown through a car mirror. I took this photo to highlight the irony of who is in danger. The people are afraid of the animal we are killing. I hope this photo inspires people to be less afraid of animals, and more afraid of what we are doing to them. This shows St. Stephen’s spirit through our commitment to the environment, our sense of adventure, and our artistic eye.”
1st Place and “The Most Unique”: The Guardian of the Universe
Photographer: Eric Xu ‘25
“Wandering on St. Stephen’s campus, you might find a spider residing on a web at the paddle court. Yes, it’s small, but it has total control of its web—it occupies the center confidently. The web shines bright with the night sky behind it, like silver threads weaving the stars in the universe together. Likewise, at St. Stephen’s, students shine in various areas with confidence but are ultimately bonded together into a strong, cohesive web founded upon the numerous opportunities at our school.”
2nd Place: “Campus in Bloom”
Photographer: Cindy Maroney ‘27
“Flowers picked from a hike around St. Stephen’s last spring!”
2nd Place and “The Funniest”: Cheesin’
Photographer: Darby Osborne ‘26
“This is a candid picture taken of a student walking out of the library and smiling.”
3rd Place: Dorm Life
Photographer: Jack He ‘28
“Another day in the dorms…It’s always that fall sunset that grabs your attention in the deep conversations you have with dorm-mates. Thinking about what life would bring for us in the future, how school is going, accompanied with the crickets chirping and the “rose red fingers” going back down again. Life always hits different then.
Chill and enjoy this moment before it’s all memory…”
The Bell is grateful for the support and the beautiful entries we received for this contest. We truly appreciate the dedication our Spartan photographers have to their craft and their vulnerability in sharing what their work means to them. The arts thrive when we have a chance to showcase our creations, hone our skills, and see the world through other perspectives. Hopefully, this contest will grow into a yearly tradition for everyone to find joy in.
Until then, keep your lens and your mind open… beauty and inspiration can be found anywhere!