Lions Roar wins 17th Star
By Melinda L. Lucas
The staff of The Lions Roar, the student newspaper for Albany High School, earned a 17th consecutive Star Award along with a Tops in Texas and almost 50 individual honors announced by the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) last weekend.
The annual state-level journalism convention was held in Austin for the first time in two years, although judging was held and awards issued in both 2020 and 2021 despite the pandemic.
The Lions Roar received an overall rating of Distinguished Merit, qualifying the publication to be considered for a Star Award. The Lions Roar was one of just 13 papers statewide to be awarded a Star, making it one of the top student papers in the state among all classifications.
The Stars were announced at an awards ceremony on Sunday morning, while the special and individual awards were given on Saturday evening.
“With the exception of two 4A private schools that got Gold, every other staff that got a Star award was either 5A or 6A,” newspaper adviser Donnie Lucas said. “We were the only 2A, and there was not a 3A staff at all at that level.”
There were other schools nominated that didn’t receive a Star award, Lucas said.
This year, a total of only 13 Star Awards were given, including five Gold, three Silver, and five Bronze, fewer than in any of the previous years that Albany has entered the ILPC competition.
Over the past 17 years, the Lions Roar has received eight Gold Stars seven Silver Stars, and two Bronze Stars.
“Some staff members were disappointed that we didn’t get Gold or Silver this year, but I kept trying to remind them about the company they’re keeping and the size schools they’re competing against,” Lucas said. “Our kids remain competitive with newspaper staffs from much larger schools across the state.”
He added that he definitely sees a trend among Texas high schools toward a different type of journalism.
“We were the only traditional full-size newspaper to be given a Star award,” said the adviser. “The rest were all tabloid or magazine format, which calls for a totally different type of writing style.”
Lucas added that he hasn’t made the switch because UIL journalism events, such as the news writing and editorial writing contests that Albany students medaled in last week, have remained consistent in what they require.
“Veering away from a traditional style would not prepare the kids for UIL competition or even for what they can expect to have write in college classes,” Lucas said.
Special Awards
Albany senior Luke Ivy won a Tops in Texas this year for Page One Design.
The first place winners in each division, including the combined 1A-2A division as well as the 3A-4A, 5A, and 6A entries are judged again to determine one single winner across the state in each contest.
Ivy received his Tops in Texas during the Saturday evening ceremony.
In addition to the overall rating for the paper, staff members competed in the 1A-2A division for individual awards, earning close to 50 honors.
Each paper is allowed to submit two entries in each of the 30 contests.
Individual Winners
News Writing - 2. Cambree Clegg
Feature - 2. Ty Everitt
Editorial Writing - 1. Luke Ivy
Sports News Story - 1. Brooks Neece, HM Braylyn Abbate
Sports Feature Story - 1. Leddie Leech, 3. Brooks Neece
Feature Story - 2. Mayson Garcia
Entertainment Review - 3. Sarah Cotter
Entertainment Feature - 1. Susie Cormack, 2. Susie Cormack
Personal Column - 1. Sarah Cotter, 2. Susie Cormack
Personal Opinion Column - 3. Susie Cormack
Sports Column - 1. Luke Ivy, 2. Luke Ivy
In-Depth News/Feature Package - 1. Ty Everitt, Robyn Trail, 2. Ty Everitt, Sydney Russell
Student Art - 1. Ashley Richards
Infographic/Sidebar - 2. Sidney Russell
Cartoon - 1. Ashley Richards, 2. Ashley Richards
Sports Page/Spread Design - 1. Brooks Neece, 2. Brooks Neece
Feature Page/Spread Design - 1. Susie Cormack, Ty Everitt, 3. Ty Everitt
Entertainment Page/Spread Design - 1. Susie Cormack, 2. Susie Cormack
News Page/Spread Design - 1. Ty Everitt, HM Ty Everitt
Editorial Page/Spread Design - 1. Sarah Cotter, 2. Sarah Cotter
Page One Newspaper Design - 1. Luke Ivy, 2. Luke Ivy
General News Photo - 1. Ty Everitt, 2. Ty Everitt
Feature Photo - 2. Ty Everitt, 3. Ty Everitt
Entertainment Photo - 1. Ty Everitt
Sports Action Photo - 1. Braylyn Abbate, HM Susie Cormack
Sports Feature Photo - 2. Susie Cormack, 3. Leddie Leech
Portrait - 1. Susie Cormack, 2. Ty Everitt
Portfolio - 1. Ty Everitt
Headline - 2. Lions Roar Staff