Youth and Journalism”; Maine Center for Student Journalism 13th Annual Newspaper Contest and Conference
Contact: Shannon E. Martin at (207) 581-1281 or Sundari Pai at (207) 581-1939
ORONO–On Wednesday May 17 more than 100 students and advisors met at the University of Maine for the 13th Annual Maine Center for Student Journalism Newspaper Contest and Conference. Entrees from a dozen high schools representing all areas of the state competed for nine categories of newspaper writing, layout, design, photography and general excellence awards.
This year’s keynote speaker was the 2004 Bob Drake Young Writer of the year award winner Justin Ellis. The conference was sponsored by the Maine Daily Newspaper Publishers Association and hosted by the University of Maine Department of Communication and Journalism. The awards ceremony and workshop sessions were held at Nutting Hall on the UMaine campus.
Winners in this year’s Maine Center for Student Journalism High School Newspaper Contest included:
1. Feature Writing Category – Judge: Robert Wallack
First Place: Lucy Marshall of Ramblings, Deering High School; Second Place: Katie Poirier of The Roar, Biddeford High School; Third Place: Katie Peabody of Word, Times Record; Honorable Mention: Melanie Prescott of Eagle Times of Bonny Eagle High School;
2. Writing for the Arts (Reviews) Category – Judge: Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News
First Place: Jeanette Merrill of Ramblings, Deering High School; Second Place: Rachel Denger of The Roar, Biddeford High School; Third Place: Jennifer Vincent of Eagle Times, Bonny Eagle High School; Honorable Mention: Krysta Koncinsky of RamPage, Bangor High School, Katie Peabody of Word, Times Record, Ali Donahue of Cape Insight, Cape Elizabeth High School;
3. Photography Category — Judge: EJ Hersom, Sanford News
First Place: Nate Foster of The Inside, Orono High School; Second Place: Derek Guimond of Ramblings, Deering High School; Third Place: Jolene Belanger of RamPage, Bangor High School; Honorable Mention: Dustin Turin of Cape Insight, Cape Elizabeth High;
4. Sports Writing Category — Judge: Kevin Sjoberg, Star Herald
First Place: Ryan Rudman of The Roar, Biddeford High School; Zak Boisvert of Ramblings, Deering High School; Third Place: Joan Tsang of RamPage, Bangor High School; Honorable Mention: Chelsea Allen of Word, Times Record, Ben Rautenberg of Cape Insight of Cape Elizabeth High School;
5. Editorial/Opinion Category- Judge: Robert and Mary Rossi
First Place: Kristin Higgins of Eagle Times, Bonny Eagle High School; Second Place: Samantha Danis of The Roar, Biddeford High School; Third Place: Dan Stearns of RamPage, Bangor High School; Honorable Mention: Dustin Turin of Cape Insight, Cape Elizabeth High School;
6. Editorial Cartoon Category- Judge: George Danby, Bangor Daily News
First Place: Jolene Belanger of RamPage, Bangor High School; Second Place: Patrick Harpin of The Inside, Orono High School, Third Place: Ansell Hague of Eagle Times, Bonny Eagle High School; Honorable Mention: Kyle Toot of Cape Insight, Cape Elizabeth High School;
7. News Writing Category- Judge: Jeff Ham, Portland Press Herald
First Place: Dan Stearns of RamPage, Bangor High School; Second Place: Patrick Harpin of The Inside, Orono High School; Honorable Mention: Conor Hankinson of Cape Insight, Cape Elizabeth High School & Moriah Duval of Ramblings, Deering High School;
8. Layout & Design Category- Judge: Brian Hewitt, York County Coast Star
First Place: Patrick Harpin of The Inside, Orono High School; Second Place: Ali Donahue and Lindsay Duffy of Cape Insight, Cape Elizabeth High School; Third Place: Entire staff of The Roar, Biddeford High School; Honorable Mention: Chelsea Johnson, Sonya Kakuca and Kara Masse of Ramblings, Deering High School;
9. General Excellence Category- Judge: Dieter Bradbury, Andrew Russell & Grace Murphy, Portland Press Herald
First Place: Tara Hackett, Dan Stearns, Joanne Tsang and Matt Donahue of RamPage, Bangor High School, Second Place: Staff editors Samantha Danis and Brittany Brown of The Roar, Biddeford High School; Third Place: Entire Staff of Ramblings, Deering High School; Honorable Mention: Whitney King of Eagle Times, Bonny Eagle High School.