Sponsored by the MDDC Press Foundation, the Michael S. Powell High School Journalist of the Year honors an outstanding senior staff member of a Maryland, Delaware or District of Columbia high school newspaper. The winner receives a $1,500 cash award and is honored at the MDDC Editorial Awards in the Spring.
Previous winners of the Michael S. Powell High School Journalist of the Year award:
| Year | Winner | School | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Karina Serio | Tome School | Colora, Maryland |
| 2021 | Marijke Friedman | Montgomery Blair High School | Silver Springs, Maryland |
| 2020 | Joel Lev-Tov | Springbrook High School | Colesville, Maryland |
| 2019 | Lauren Mitchell | River Hill High School | Clarksville, Maryland |
| 2018 | Matthew Cohen | Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School | Bethesda, Maryland |
| 2017 | Alexandra Marquez | Montgomery Blair High School | Silver Spring, Maryland |
| 2016 | Andrew Kostka | Richard Montgomery High School | Rockville, Maryland |
| 2015 | Greta Anderson | Rockville High School | Rockville, Maryland |
| 2014 | Ben Fox | Winston Churchill High School | Potomac, Maryland |
| 2013 | Michelle Chavez | Montgomery Blair High School | Silver Spring, Maryland |
| 2012 | Jacob Bogage | Sherwood High School | Sandy Spring, Maryland |
| 2011 | Stephanie Haven | Walt Whitman High School | Bethesda, Maryland |
| 2010 | Kate Froehlich | John Carroll High School | Bel Air, Maryland |
| 2009 | Samuel Greenberg | Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School | Rockville, Maryland |
| 2008 | Justin Schecker | Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School | Rockville, Maryland |
| 2007 | Aubrey Kubetin | Montgomery Blair High School | Silver Spring, Maryland |
| 2006 | Jody Pollack | Montgomery Blair High School | Silver Spring, Maryland |
| 2005 | Dan Rasmussen | St. Alban’s School | Washington, D.C. |
| 2004 | No winner chosen | ||
| 2003 | Joel Kilksberg | Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School | Rockville, Maryland |
| 2002 | Julia Kay | Montgomery Blair High School | Silver Spring, Maryland |
| 2001 | Melissa Robbins | Walt Whitman High School | Bethesda, Maryland |
| 2000 | Yoni Brook | Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School | Rockville, Maryland |
| 1999 | Matthew Smith | Montgomery Blair High School | Silver Spring, Maryland |