Photojournalism Contest Grand Winner
By Tony-JunLin Pan
(Full articles are linked beneath the quotes)
School of The New York Times — Congratulations to the 2025 Photojournalism Challenge Winner! (10/06/2025)
“The spine-like shape of the wings of the Oculus fittingly framed the One World Trade Center. The composition symbolizes how freedom and liberty are the spines or backbones that continue to uphold American democracy,’ says Tony.
“At a time of growing polarization and political instability, the image serves to remind us that—despite our wide ranging differences in culture and identities—we are still bound together by our shared vision for peace, freedom, and democratic values,” he added.
Read the full article here!
LONG ISLAND PRESS — Jericho’s Tony Pan wins New York Times high school photojournalism contest (10/09/2025)
“It took a long time to settle in… the realization that I would be published in the New York Times,” he said.
Pan said the accomplishment is especially close to home because he has been reading the New York Times since middle school.
“Knowing that the Times photographers really value my work and can see what I saw in my photo is really powerful to me,” he said.
Since his first time capturing photos on his dad’s old camera, he said he has upgraded his equipment. However, he said that camera gear isn’t the most important aspect of photography.
“It’s also about what you see, and what you’re able to create,” he said
Read the full article here!
