Student Journalists from Irvine’s Northwood High School were recognized as Southern California’s best high school newspaper this past weekend in the annual Journalism Education Association Contest.
El Camino College in Torrance hosted the annual conference, where more than 200 students from 21 schools across Orange, Riverside and LA counties gathered to recognize exceptional scholastic journalism.
“While journalism as a profession is at a crossroads, students studying journalism are learning so many skills that will help them be successful in whatever career they pursue.” said Adriana Chavira, who teaches journalism at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School.
As a region, Orange County placed particularly well in the contest, sweeping all three categories of the Newspaper Sweepstakes section, with Fullerton’s Sunny High Hills High School taking second place after Northwood High and Anaheim’s Oxford Academy placing in third place.
Awards varied from sports photography to best broadcast, to feature writing.
Voice of OC Publisher and Editor In-Chief, Norberto Santana Jr. was invited to speak at the event to offer advice to the student journalists who are striving for more.
In addition to the awards, student journalists gathered to learn more about how to expand their journalistic scope outside their respective school papers.
Santana offered advice to the students on how to reach out to local newsrooms and different ways to help them advance as journalists, despite their age and limitations from their school papers.
He added that archival photos, breaking news, city council, school board and civic commission coverage are all great ways for student journalists to get published in local newsrooms.
Voice of OC is exploring a local high school journalism corps.
“High school journalists are capable of great things,” Santana said, adding “we’re hoping to see more of them publishing on local civic coverage.”