(l. to r.) Dr. Lesa Lindberg, Kaycee Browning, Salina Fitzhugh, Kylie LaRosa, Chelsea Nwankwo
Bryant Schools announced that “The Sting” yearbook staff from Bryant Middle School earned over 20 awards at the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association convention (ASPA). If you’re counting, it’s 25 awards in all. Congrats to the students and their advisor, Meagan Abo.
The biggest wins of the two-day convention were announced at the Thursday banquet in front of hundreds. While the number of awards given in the mail-in contests were unlimited, only the top scholastic journalist is awarded an “Of-The-Year” Award with few exceptions.
- Browning earned Writer of the Year and
- Nwankwo won first runner-up. Fitzhugh won second runner-up for Photojournalist of the Year.
- Fitzhugh and Browning, co-editors, won the top title of Editors of the Year.
- LaRosa won runner-up for Designer of the Year.
At the same banquet, Bryant Middle School Assistant Principal Dr. Lesa Lindberg accepted her award as Administrator of the Year, making a short speech in which she complimented the accomplishments of the young journalists and encouraged them to follow their passions in pursuit of goals and service to others while maintaining their integrity.
The staff placed in all categories of mail-in contests. Awards for mail-ins were ranked from Honorable Mention to Excellent to Superior.
The staff did well in layout categories.
- Kylie LaRosa, 7th, and Elli Baribeau, 8th, won an Excellent in Student Life Layout;
- Kaycee Browning and Salina Fitzhugh, 8th, won an Honorable Mention in Sports Layout;
- LaRosa won an Excellent in Academic Layout;
- Fitzhugh won an Excellent for Index Layout;
- Karissa Murphy, 7th, and LaRosa won a Superior in People Layout;
- Arielle Kirkley, 8th, Tylee Fullerton and Hattie Woodham, 7th, won a Superior in Advertising Layout;
- LaRosa won a Superior in Clubs Layout; and
- Browning won a Superior in Special Coverage.
In photography,
- Murphy won an honorable mention in Academic Photograph and
- another in Clubs Photograph; and
- Wesley Carr won an Excellent in Sports Photograph and
- an honorable mention in Student Life Photography.
In writing,
- Chelsea Nwankwo, 7th, won a Superior in Academic Copy;
- Fitzhugh won an Excellent in People Copy;
- Nwankwo won an Excellent in Sports Copy; and
- Browning won an Excellent in Student Life Copy.
- The staff as a whole was awarded a Superior in Theme Development.
All attending staff members participated in on-site competitions. These competitions are blind judged and mix all grade levels together from 6th grade to seniors.
- Browning won 1st place in Personal Narrative Writing and
- Via Maines, 8th, was awarded 3rd place for Artistic Photography.
- The staff also won best staff t-shirt.
(l. to r.) Meagan Abo, Yearbook Advisor with Dr. Lesa Lindberg, ASPA Administrator of the Year