SIPA honors high school students and educators for excellence in scholastic journalism

High school journalists, publication advisers and professionals in print and electronic journalism attended the annual Southern Interscholastic Press Association's (SIPA) convention and competition March 4-6.

Convention attendees had the opportunity to compete in 22 carry-in contests and six onsite contests and to apply for scholarships to help with their freshman year at the School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

SIPA awarded one C. E. Savedge Scholarship and three SIPA scholarships at the Saturday night banquet and also named the Dr. Kay Phillips Administrator of the Year.

Stephanie Marshall of Lexington High School in Lexington, S.C. received the C.E. Savedge Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to an outstanding yearbook staff member. Marshall has worked on her school’s yearbook, the Cat's Paw, for the past three years and has also been involved with the school’s broadcast program. She plans to continue journalism in college by getting a degree in broadcasting.

Marshall said she is very interested in understanding what is going on in the world. "It is important that the public be well informed on issues that could possibly affect their lives and well-being," she said.

Marshall said she hopes one day she will change lives through her news coverage.

Blake Arambula, Jessica Berger and Megan Herring received a SIPA Scholarship.

Arambula of Carolina Forest High School in Myrtle Beach, S.C. serves as the entertainment editor on his school newspaper, The Prowler. He said he wants to work for SPIN magazine in the future.

Arambula's adviser describes him as a voracious reader, writer and learner who constantly strives to learn more. "He is more than willing to teach others the computer skills he has," she said.

Another of his teachers said, "His laughter, his insightful comments, and his pleasant disposition add to class discussions making him a wonderful presence in the classroom."

At USC Arambula hopes to write for The Garnet and Black, USC’s literary magazine, and other magazines in the Columbia area to gain experience.

Berger of Irmo High School in Columbia, S.C. has worked on her newspaper, the Stinger, for the past two years and has been involved with journalism the last three years.

In writing about how high school journalism has affected her, Berger said, "To have compelled a high school student to read something and enjoy it is an amazing feeling, even if the story is only a movie or milkshake review. Journalism can empower the reader and the writer in a way that no other subject on earth does."

Berger said she is looking forward to attending the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at USC in the fall and said she "realizes that this is where [she] needs and wants to be."

Herring of Carolina Forest High School in Myrtle Beach, S.C. has been the editor in chief of her high school newspaper, the Prowler, for two years. One of her former teachers describes Herring as intelligent, quick-witted and hard-working. "She possesses a zest for learning that extends far beyond the school day," she said.

Herring said journalism has taught her "not to be scared by a fierce opponent, no matter how much he can bench press."

She said some rules are made to be broken. However, breaking someone’s trust by using false information will destroy you as some professional journalists have proven during the last two years. Herring is looking forward to writing for a more mature audience on edgier topics once she is in the journalism program at USC this fall.

Velna Allen of Carolina Forest High School in Myrtle Beach, S.C. received the Dr. Kay Phillips Administrator of the Year Award. To be considered for this award an administrator must provide support for more than one publication, aid in the acquisition of the school’s journalism programs’ physical needs, support the professional growth of the advisers and allow student memberships and critiques by state, regional and national organizations.

Allen goes above and beyond these requirements according to her nominator who said, "She has always supported the advisers at Carolina Forest by offering as many journalism classes as possible. She has also helped revive the literary magazine after it was not offered for a few years."

Allen not only encourages membership in state, regional and national organizations but also helps the advisers obtain the district’s permission to take their respective staffs to workshops, conventions and conferences regardless of their locations."

She does everything in her ability to see that the staffs have the equipment, the time and the students to make the journalism department the best in our district. "No one could ask for a stronger supporter," her nominator said.

At the advisers luncheon Saturday, SIPA awarded five Distinguished Service awards. Recipients of this prestigious award were Beth Fitts of Oxford High School in Oxford, Miss.; Jane Speidel of Astronaut High School in Titusville, Fla.; Carolyn Terry with the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation; Flip Schulke, world-famous photographer from Florida, and Rhonda Moore of McCallum High School in Austin, Texas.

SIPA's mission is to encourage a high degree of professionalism in scholastic journalism and mass communications in the Southeast. SIPA was founded at Washington and Lee University in 1926 and moved to the University of South Carolina in 1972. Members are from 15 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

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