The UIL Interscholastic League Press aims to emphasize journalistic writing and thinking in high school students by awarding them for their efforts at the State level. This year the newspaper and yearbook staff collectively won seven first place awards, four second place awards, nine third place awards and fourteen honorable mentions.

After entering pieces in each of the 37 print newspaper categories, the staff was awarded 14 times in 14 different categories.

“Each year we do really well,” journalism adviser Casi Thedford said. “This year we continue to improve. It’s exciting and they worked really hard all year. This is where they get recognized and the hard work pays off.”

Thedford, the head of the journalism department, teaches newspaper and yearbook by evaluating their work and serving as a consult for each student.

“Without Mrs. Thedford I don’t think I would’ve stayed in newspaper as long as I have,” senior Editor in Chief Ash Thomas said. “She pushes me to write my best and enter competitions so without her I wouldn’t be who I am today.”

Yearbook award winners are grateful for her help as well as her encouragement to win their award.

“It validated the fact that I had been making progress in photography,” senior Gwen Murphy, award winner for Academic Photo.

Mrs.Thedford and her newspaper and yearbook staffs will host the first ever journalism banquet May 16 where they will recognize the ILPC winners and Quill and Scroll members for the 2015-2016 school year.

ILPC Award Winners

Print Newspaper Awards (Raider Reader and The Raid)

• 1st: Nameplate/Folio/Standing Heads
• 1st: Entertainment Review: Ash Thomas
• 1st: Student Art: Anita Ocampo
• 2nd: Editorial Page Design: Brooke Vincent
• 2nd: General News Photo: Kelly Petterson
• 3rd: Photo Story: Jessica Blakeley, Gwen Murphy, Olivia Gabriel
• 3rd: Feature Photo: Maribeth Mills
• 3rd: Sports Feature Photo: Luke Pendley
• HM: Personal Opinion Column: Camila Garcia
• HM: Personal Opinion Column: Caroline May
• HM: Page One Design: Brooke Vincent
• HM: Sports Page Design: Maria Restrepo
• HM: News Page Design: Kailee Zercher
• HM: Sports Action Photo: Jessica Blakeley
• HM: Photo Portfolio: Jessica Blakeley

Online Newspaper Awards (Blue Print)

• 1st: Photo Portfolio: Jessica Blakeley
• 1st: Sports News Story: Michael Turner
• 1st: In Depth News: Brooke Vincent
• 2nd: Social Media
• 2nd: Entertainment Review: Rhapsody Kilgore
• 3rd: Personal Column: Ash Thomas
• 3rd: Personal Opinion Column: Caroline May
• 3rd: Cartoon: Jessica Blakeley
• 3rd: Portrait: Jamie Tourtillott
• 3rd: Blog: Jessica Blakeley
• HM: Sports Action Photo: Ashley Hennigan
• HM: Blog: Maria Restrepo

Yearbook Awards (The Dynasty)

• Award of Distinguished Merit
• 1st: Academic Photo: Gwen Murphy
• 3rd: Club Photo: LeAnn Cao
• HM: Class Spread: Madison Jennings
• HM: Cub Spread: Haleigh King
• HM: Academic Story: Brooke Vincent
• HM: Portrait: Caroline Witty
• HM: Tribute Ad Spread: Madison Jennings, Caroline Witty, Sophia Cruiel

Read ILPC stories from previous school years:

Newspaper, yearbook staffs win big at ILPC

Yearbook receives highest ILPC ranking

Publication staffs win state awards