Students from Starr’s Mill and McIntosh high schools recently brought home a trove of state and national honors in journalism.
Seven students from McIntosh High and Starr’s Mill High schools are among the 1,300 high school scholars and student journalists across the nation to be inducted into the National Scholastic Press Association Honor Roll of Student Journalists, said school system spokesperson Melinda Berry-Dreisbach.
The students are Natalie Spellman from McIntosh High, and Bekah Algaze, Ben Barkley, Caylee Cicero, James Hindy, Jordan Owens, and Victoria Sponar, all from Starr’s Mill High.
In addition to serving for at least two years on a student media staff, in broadcast, newspaper, magazine, online or yearbook, the students have earned a 3.5 or higher grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Publication advisers and journalism instructors nominate students for the honor, said Berry-Dreisbach.
Berry-Dreisbach said all honor roll inductees received a certificate of recognition and are listed in the association’s Best of the High School Press, a yearly publication showcasing the winners in the association’s student media competitions. Inductees are also eligible to wear a special honor cord at graduation.
Even more students from McIntosh and Starr’s Mill brought home honors awards from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association’s Spring Awards.
Berry-Dreisbach said high school student journalists, writers, broadcasters, designers and photographers from McIntosh High and Starr’s Mill High earned a number of honors from the 2020 GSPA Spring Awards.
The All Georgia Award is the highest honor that GSPA gives, representing the best entries in the competition. Starr’s Mill High received seven of them in three different categories:
Literary Magazine
Caroline Carle, “Time Loop,” Poem, Starr’s Mill High, Mussings
Aaron Lawson, “The Colors of Flowers,” Short Story, Starr’s Mill High, Mussings
Jacqueline Reardon, “Untitled Photography,” Photograph, Starr’s Mill High, Mussings
Katie Linker, “Moonshine,” Cover Design, Starr’s Mill High, Mussings
Staff, “Love Page Spread,” Spread Design, Starr’s Mill High, Mussings
Newspaper/News Magazine/News Website
Mary Jane Gagliano and Victoria Sponar, “Head 2 Head – Take the AP, Don’t Take the AP,” Opposing Viewpoints, Starr’s Mill High, The Prowler
Caption Writing
Daniel Stackhouse, Starr’s Mill High, The Prowler
Students at both McIntosh High and Starr’s Mill High schools collectively earned six Superior Awards in the Newspaper/News Magazine/News Website category:
Izzy Pullias, “Izzy Mary Poppins,” Feature/Entertainment Photograph, McIntosh High, McIntosh Trail
Joslyn Weber, “Seniors Shine Bright on Senior Night,” Photo Essay, Starr’s Mill High, The Prowler
Emily Davis, “Catching Memories: Childhood Interest Helps Son Remember Late Father,” Feature Story, Starr’s Mill High, The Prowler
Caylee Cicero, “From Family Past Time to Prime Time,” Feature Profile, Starr’s Mill High, The Prowler
Daniel Stackhouse, “No Quit,” Sports Game Coverage, Starr’s Mill High, The Prowler
Ben Barkley and Bre Kozusko, Caption Writing, Starr’s Mill High, The Prowler
Additionally, McIntosh sophomore Izzy Pullias, a photographer for the school’s newspaper, McIntosh Trail, won a superior award for, “Izzy Mary Poppins,” in the Newspaper/News Magazine/News Website category.
