Timberland grad and senior; finalists
September 23, 2009
Wentzville School District
The National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) has named Timberland alumnus Dean Kelly and Timberland Senior Nikki McGee as finalists for the Design of the Year and Story of the Year Awards, respectively.
The Design of the Year Award is co-sponsored by Adobe Systems and online submissions were accepted for the first time this year. Students from across the country entered their work which was judged in one of six categories.
Kelly’s submission, which was a back page design he did last spring for the Timberland newspaper Wolf’s Howl, was in the Newspaper Page/Spread category.
This year’s contest yielded a total of 427 entries. First place winners in each category will receive software complimentary of Adobe Systems.
The Story of the Year Award is co-sponsored by the American Society of News Editors. The categories included: News, Feature, Editorial, Sports and Diversity.
McGee is the current Wolf’s Howl Co-Editor and submitted a feature story she wrote for the high school newspaper last year entitled “A Long Road to Recovery” about a fellow classmate’s challenges following a devastating car accident.
The first place winners in each category will compete for the $1,000 Brasler Prize, which is judged by Wayne Brasler of University High School in Chicago.
“I am so excited for Timberland to have two national finalists,” said THS Journalism Teacher and Publications Advisor Cathy McCandless. “Dean’s back-page design on Exodus was amazing. He worked hard on it and it shows his skills so well. Nikki worked hard on the feature story immersing herself in the story by doing hours of interviews with the family of the boy who was injured in a car accident. I could tell that the story made an impact on her, so I wasn’t surprised when she wrote such a great feature. I’ve learned a great deal from both students. That’s what teaching and learning is all about.”
Winners for both awards will be announced for the first time at the JEA/NSPA Fall National High School Journalism Convention in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14.
From the Wentzville School District.
Copyright 2009 Neighbors About Town
