The Southerner won the George H. Gallup Award from Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists. Named for the founder of Quill and Scroll and the Gallup Poll, the award is given only to those publications that achieved and sustained excellence during the 2020-2021 academic year. Gallup Award recognition is based on extraordinary improvement, exceptional service to the school and community, editorial campaigns and in-depth reporting on special issues.