The Centerburg High School Town Crier newspaper captured the state's highest overall award for high school journalism, with staff members taking home 35 individual awards.
Ohio Scholastic Media Association (OSMA) bestowed the awards April 14 at its state convention at Kent State University. The award reflects excellent work in coverage, writing, photography, artwork, design and leadership.
Five staff members received superiors: One earned by senior editor-in-chief Ali Crouse for editorial page layout, two by junior staff member Cameron Arter for non-editorial art and ad design, one by junior staff member Ella Neighborgall for a personality profile and one by junior media editor Maddie Donabauer for a general feature.
Adviser Karen Allen credited the hard work of this year’s journalism staff and contributors.
“Our staff is very small this year,” she said. “We only have five bonafide staff members, but we have some very valuable contributors, and everyone has worked really hard.”
Crouse said that, overall, she is very proud of her staff.
“It was really just a shock when the awards ceremony got to the overall newspaper awards,” she said. “When they got to the All Ohio award, the presenter said our name, and I was just so happy. I am elated that all of the preparations paid off, even thinking back at the hard times.”
Crouse said that she took the judges’ comments from last year seriously and transformed the paper from text-heavy to more graphic with the help of staff member Cameron Arter.
Ella Neighborgall said she hopes to follow in Crouse’s footsteps and continue the staff’s success when she becomes editor-in-chief next year.
“I was very impressed with how many awards we got, especially with how small a staff we have and especially compared to larger schools,” she said.
Maddie Donabauer is a member of the OSMA Student Board and worked with fellow journalism students from around the state to lead sessions at the convention.
“Being on the student board has given me the opportunity to learn from students who have the same passion for journalism as I do,” she said.
Neighborgall was selected to join Donabauer on next year’s OSMA Student Board.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for me to learn about what journalism is like at other schools,” she said.
