School newspaper earns 18th straight Star Award

By Melinda L. Lucas

The staff of the Lions Roar, the student newspaper for Albany High School, won an 18th consecutive Star Award, as well as three Tops in Texas honors and over 40 individual achievement citations at the annual Interscholastic League Press Conference in Austin last weekend.

The state-level convention for middle and high school journalism students was held on the campus of the University of Texas and includes workshops and the announcing of awards for the current school year.

The Lions Roar received an overall highest rating of Distinguished Merit and was nominated to be considered for a Star Award by a separate set of judges.

Earning a Bronze Star, the Lions Roar was one of just 12 newspapers statewide to be awarded a Star, making it one of the top newspapers in the state among all classifications.

This year there were a total of five Gold Stars presented, four Silver Stars and three Bronze Stars.

Over the past 18 years, the newspaper has received a total of eight Gold Stars, seven Silvers, and three Bronze.

“The kids were hoping to move back up to a Gold or Silver Star this year after winning a Bronze Star last year,” newspaper adviser Donnie Lucas said. “The criteria was raised about three years ago making it more difficult to earn a Star Award, but I again reminded them that receiving a Star Award of any color is quite an achievement, especially considering that the rest were given mainly to 5A and 6A schools.”

Tops in Texas

The student newspaper also earned three Tops in Texas awards this year, which means those entries were the very best of entries received for a particular category among the Individual Achievement Awards.

Albany was entered in the 1A/2A division, winning 14 first places, 10 second places, 12 third places, and five honorable mentions.

“We submit entries in over 30 individual contests in our division such as news writing or sports photos that are judged against our entries in our division,” Lucas said. “However, they take the first place winners from each division and judge them again against each other to pick the top winner in each for the entire state among all sizes of schools.”

Lucas said that this is the largest number of Tops in Texas Awards that Albany has received in a single year.

Senior Leddie Leech earned Tops in Texas for Page One Design.

The headline writing team of Ashley Richards, Mayson Garcia, and Leech, all seniors, won the top award in that contest among 1A through 6A schools.

Finally, Albany also won Tops in Texas for the photo story entry published in the December issue featuring the state football championship. That team consisted of Adam Hill as designer, and Leech and Julia Vega as photographers.

“It is a really a big deal for students from the smallest category to compete with all the big schools and win,” Lucas said. “I am extremely proud of their efforts and the recognition they received.”

IAA Awards

The winners in the 1A/2A Individual Achievement Awards are (2 entries are allowed from each school in each category):

News writing – 1. Sidney Russell. HM Brooklyn Abbate.

News feature – 3. Ashley Richards.

Editorial writing – 3. Avery Everitt.

Sports news – 1. Tyler Chapman.

Sports feature –2. Tyler Chapman.

Feature writing – HM Robyn Trail.

Entertainment  review – 3. Braylyn Abbate. HM Braylyn Abbate.

Entertainment feature – 1. Brooklyn Abbate. 2. Brooklyn Abbate and Cambree Clegg.

Photo story – 1. Adam Hill, Leddie Leech, and Julia Vega. 2. Adam Hill, Leddie Leech, and Brooklyn Abbate.

Personal column – 1. Mayson Garcia.

Personal opinion column – 3. Ashley Richards. HM Ashley Richards.

Sports column – 2. Sidney Russell. 3. Sidney Russell.

In-Depth News/Feature package – 1. Sidney Russell, Ashley Richards, Robyn Trail. 3. Robyn Trail, Avery Everitt, Sidney Russell.

Sports page design – 1. Sidney Russell. 2. Sidney Russell.

Feature page design – 1. Robyn Trail.

Entertainment page design – 2. Brooklyn Abbate, Cambree Clegg.

News page design – 1. Braylyn Abbate. 3. Mayson Garcia.

Editorial page design – 1. Ashley Richards. 2. Ashley Richards.

Page one design – 1. Leddie Leech. 2. Leddie Leech.

General news photo – 2. Julia Vega. 3. Leddie Leech.

Entertainment photo – 3. Brooklyn Abbate.

Sports action photo - 3. Leddie Leech.

Sports feature photo – 3. Julia Vega. HM Leddie Leech.

Portrait photo – 1. Julia Vega. 2. Julia Vega.

Photo Portfolio – 1. Julia Vega.

Headlines - 1. Albany, Ashley Richards, Mayson Garcia, Leddie Leech.