High School View wins top honors
Posted May 17, 2007
The work of the student journalists who produce the High School View shared first place honors in the All-New England section of the New England Scholastic Press Association's (NESPA) annual competition.
Helen F. Smith, executive director of NESPA, announced the award, given for overall excellence in scholastic journalism, at the organization's 59th annual conference held at Boston University on May 4. Although the View has won awards in the past, this is the first time since its founding in 1987 that it has won first-place recognition.
In addition to the Division II, All-New England award, the student journalists won the highest achievement award at the state level for excellence in scholastic editing and publishing.
Seven students earned individual special achievement journalism awards:
High School View staffers (from left to right) are: Mariah Hallbilsback, Marlan Sigelman, Danielle Fogg, Ray Ewing, Rachel Schubert, Tiffany Smalley, Alida Dean, Dan Sharkovitz (faculty advisor), Alaina Aristide, Jen Amazeen, Sarah Nelson, Mike Coulter, Samantha Rabin (editor), Molly Bangs (editor), Jonah Lipsky, and Matthew Scott.
Tiffany Smalley, news writing, "Students Visit the Dead"; Noah Mayrand, news photo, "Students Visit the Dead"; Adam Herman, bylined column,
"Casting My Line"; Emily Regan, artwork illustration, "Possibility of Drug Search Looms"; Sarah Nelson, masthead art, March 8, 2007 issue; and Jonah Lipsky and Jen Amazeen, feature story, "Students Welcome Home Parent-Soldiers."
Forty-five full- and part-time journalists participated this year in producing the View, according to regional high school English teacher Dan Sharkovitz, the paper's faculty advisor.
Seniors Samantha Rabin and Molly Bangs, the newspaper's editors in chief, welcomed the award notification. "We had a great group of student journalists. Many of our assistant editors really came through, writing stories and mentoring younger reporters," said Ms. Bangs.
And Ms. Rabin added, "We had a lot of different kinds of talent on our staff. Though our writers worked hard, this year it was not just about the articles. Our artists and photographers really took their own initiative in adding their own creative voices to our paper to make it more interesting and more visually compelling."
"I think the fact that these students have done so well in journalism across New England is a tribute to both the school and the MV Times, as well as the community that supports all of these endeavors," said high school principal Peg Regan. "I think our kids genuinely see the results of their work in a real publication. Across the board, they've done so well. Tying for first place is a huge benchmark for us - so the next year's editors are gearing up and feeling like they need to meet the challenge."
"The part that struck me is that for the first time in our school history, they got first-place honors, which is truly awesome," said superintendent of schools James Weiss. "It's nice to see the High School View in the newspaper every other week or so, and good to see it honored by the New England Scholastic Press Association."
The High School View is prepared by students at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School and published during the school year as a page in The Martha's Vineyard Times, with the support of many Island businesses and individuals.
"Congratulations to the editors, staff, and to advisor Dan Sharkovitz of The View," Martha's Vineyard Times editor Doug Cabral said this week. "The Times is proud to have hosted The View annually for nearly 20 years. It's been for us a rewarding association, and one in which we've been repeatedly impressed with the hard work and accomplishments of the many young people who've staffed the high school paper over all these years. That The View and its staff have now received regional recognition is not a surprise to us. Great job."
NESPA is an association based in Boston University's College of Communication. Its mission is to promote all forms of student journalism, including print and broadcast journalism, yearbook production, and literary magazines. The program offers journalism awards for excellence in scholastic writing, editing, and publishing, and is open to all New England secondary schools.
