Star reporters and photographers won several awards for their reporting, writing, and photography on March 12 at the annual Chicago Scholastic Press Association and McCormick Media Foundation luncheon.
The annual media awards competition is open to any public or private high school in Chicago.
“I am so happy that the Star continues to be recognized as one of the outstanding high school newspapers in the city,” adviser Sharon Schmidt said. “While the point of a school publication is not to win awards but to increase the learning of the student journalists and to inform and entertain the school community, it does feel great to add a few more certificates to the wall.”
The Star received the following awards:
“Excellent” overall website and website design
“Superior” feature story
“Excellent” news story
“Excellent” editorial/opinion column
“Excellent” sports photo
“Superior” entertainment review
no images were found
Praise for good work
Contest judges – faculty members and friends of the Department of Communication at Roosevelt University – commented on the Star entries.
Angleica Lopez and Camelita Mendez’s article on school lunches won a “Superior” for feature story because of their “good lede, good quotes, great localization of broader issue, good sources and quotes.”
Alejandro Hernandez won a “Superior” for entertainment review (of “The Interview”) because he “displayed a maturity and humor in his writing that made [the judge] laugh out loud.”
Emily Santiago and Gissel Mendoza’s “Excellent” piece on school uniforms was a “good solid news story with good quotes and sources.”
Marisha Reynolds received an “Excellent” opinion column for her “long review of how girls suffer stereotypes” that “leads into to examples of a double standard in school.”
Yadiara Abarca won an “Excellent” for her sports photo. The judges said her “image captures the action of the moment and the struggle to control the ball.”
Co-editors-in-chief Dalia Mena and Jalan Veal received an “Excellent” for the website: “Content is simple and to the point. The site is well organized and easy to navigate.”
Also given a “good job” were Rosemary McGurn’s personality profile of teacher Dave Gonzalez and Brenda Villegas’ drawing advertising the the Steinmetz Star: “This drawing a journalism ‘star’ has nice lines and color.”
