by Linda Heacox, Youth Projects Chair
The Future is Now
by Linda Heacox, Youth Projects Chair
The future of journalism appears to be in good hands judging by the nearly 300 entries in the 2006 IWPA High School Journalism Contest. Nearly 300 entries from student journalists from 29 high schools throughout Illinois were submitted resulting in 24 first place winners being sent to the national competition sponsored by the National Federation of Press Women.
Winning entries ranged from features on a female champion kickboxer and the methamphetamine crisis to extensive investigative reporting on the dismissal from school of students guilty of computer hacking. Young journalists entered work in 12 categories -- cartooning, columns, editorials, feature photography, features, graphics, news, opinion, single page layout, sports, and sports photography. Twenty judges from newspapers and academia considered the works on the basis of technical skill (writing ability), reporting skill if applicable (depth, intensity, difficulty) and creativity. Entries were ranked and given numerical scores by the judges.
Awards were given to two first, second and third place winners and to one or two honorable mentions. The Gargoyle, the newspaper of University Lab High School in Urbana takes the prize for most awards by a single school with 13.
The awards will be presented at the May 20 luncheon meeting of IWPA at the Chicago Athletic Association. The keynote speaker will be Katie Kirby, public relations director for the Chicago White Sox.