Washington fares well at national conference once again

The NSPA/JEA spring (I hear that term was used loosely) national conference in Denver, Colo., wrapped up this past weekend, and, as usual, a number of Washington schools brought back plenty of hardware.

Here's a list of all of the honorees, according to the NSPA and JEA Web sites. (If I've forgotten anyone, please let me know ...)

NSPA Yearbook Pacemaker finalists:
Tenas Coma, Mt. Si HS
WaWa, Wenatchee HS

NSPA Best of Show winners:

• Wright in the Middle, Charles Wright Academy
  3rd Place, Middle School Newspaper
• The Phoenix, Peninsula HS
  9th Place, Literary Arts Magazine
• The Commoner, Gov. John R. Rogers HS
  8th Place, Newsmagazine
• The Sound, Gig Harbor HS
  1st Place, Special Edition
• The Apple Leaf, Wenatchee HS
  5th Place, Newspaper (17+ pages)
• The Peninsula Outlook, Peninsula HS
  7th Place, Newspaper (17+ pages)
• WaWa, Wenatchee HS
  4th Place, Yearbook (275-324 pages)
• The Sound, Gig Harbor HS
  2nd Place, Newspaper (13-16 pages)
• The Viking Vanguard, Puyallup HS
  5th Place, Newspaper (13-16 pages)
• Tenas Coma, Mt. Si HS
  3rd Place, Yearbook (225-274 pages)
• Cat Tales, Mt. Si HS
  8th Place, Newspaper (1-8 pages)
• InView, Auburn Mountainview HS
  10th Place, Newspaper (1-8 pages)

All told, 61 students came home with awards in the JEA Write-off competitions (remember, no more than 10 percent of entrants in a contest receive a superior rating):

• News Writing -- Excellent: Andrew Talevich (Mount Si High School), Jordan Dieckmann (Richland High School); Honorable Mention: Sharon McClintock (Mountlake Terrace High School), Natalie Bryant (Wenatchee High School)
• Editorial Writing -- Excellent: Sara Chemodurow (Gov J R Rogers High School), Katy Verwest (Kamiakin High School), Ashley Thompson (Puyallup High School), Matt Little (Richland High School); Honorable Mention: Alex Fisher (Timberline High School)
• Feature Writing -- Superior: Katie Potasky (Gov J R Rogers High School); Excellent: Mackenzie Helgerson (Auburn Mountainview High School), Jenny Draper (Kamiakin High School), Katie Webster (Richland High School)
• Sports Writing -- Honorable Mention: Chris Stocke (Gov J R Rogers High School), Jordan Gisler (Mountlake Terrace High School), Brittany Ward (Puyallup High School), Kara Mcmurray (Richland High School)
• Review Writing -- Excellent: Janelle Jordan (Oak Harbor High School), Ingrid Jans (Wenatchee High School); Honorable Mention: Mary Rose Breskovich (Peninsula High School), Kasey Eickmeyer (Richland High School)
• Editorial Cartooning -- Excellent: Megan Harris (Auburn Mountainview High School)
• Commentary Writing -- Superior: Taylor Buck (Peninsula High School); Honorable Mention: Quinn Hopkins (Mount Si High School)
• Copy Editing/Headline/Caption Writing -- Superior: Kristen Suver (Timberline High School); Excellent: Danny Serna (Puyallup High School), Tim Seguin (Wenatchee High School); Honorable Mention: Corina Cheever (Mountlake Terrace High School), Larissa Miller (Peninsula High School)
• Newspaper Layout -- Honorable Mention: Claire Meuleman (Wenatchee High School)
• Newsmagazine Layout -- Excellent: Kendra O'Halloran (Mountlake Terrace High School), Abby Williamson (Peninsula High School); Honorable Mention: Summer Yates (Emerald Ridge High School)
• Advertising -- Superior: Ji Mun (Mountlake Terrace High School), Nicole Pinto (Peninsula High School); Excellent: Danny Canham (Emerald Ridge High School); Honorable Mention: Stephany May (Puyallup High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Sports -- Excellent: Caylene Castagno (Mount Si High School), Naomi Lindsey (Peninsula High School); Honorable Mention: Caity York (Emerald Ridge High School), Tommy Lammert (Wenatchee High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Academics -- Superior: Bruno Shilot (Mount Si High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Clubs -- Honorable Mention: Avery Hutcherson (Mount Si High School), Allison Bangs (Wenatchee High School)
• Yearbook Copy/Caption: Student Life -- Excellent: Xandy Evans (Mount Si High School), Hannah Schultz (Wenatchee High School)
• Yearbook Layout: Theme -- Excellent: Kate Gruver (Emerald Ridge High School)
• Yearbook Layout: Inside Pages -- Superior: Daniel Langager (Wenatchee High School)
• Literary Magazine: Layout -- Honorable Mention: Hannah Leahy (Oak Harbor High School)
• Computer Design: Infographics -- Excellent: Sarah Hiraki (Peninsula High School)
• Computer Design: Advertising -- Superior: Patrick Renie (Peninsula High School); Excellent: Breanna Stanek (Oak Harbor High School)
• Newspaper Sports Photography -- Excellent: Elaine Olbertz (Peninsula High School)
• Yearbook Student Life Photography -- Superior: Brandon Knapp (Gig Harbor High School)
• Newspaper News/Feature Photography -- Honorable Mention: Mackenzie Knapp (Gig Harbor High School), Ian Ostericher (Peninsula High School)
• Photography Portfolio -- Superior: David Kasnic (Wenatchee High School)
• Video Feature Story -- Superior: James Luce (Peninsula High School), Travis King (Peninsula High School); Excellent: Caitlin Ulvin (Mountlake Terrace High School); Honorable Mention: Stephen Dold (Edmonds-Woodway High School)
• Video Commercial/PSA -- Honorable Mention: Kaytie Henson (Oak Harbor High School)
• Videography -- Excellent: Daniel Gilmore (Oak Harbor High School)
• Video Commentary -- Excellent: Nathan Yaffee (Edmonds-Woodway High School)

Congratulations to all of our winners!