For the third consecutive year, the Roxbury Review has achieved first place for overall excellence in the Garden State Scholastic Press Association’s (GSSPA) annual journalism competition. For the second time in two years, the Roxbury Review has been awarded first place for overall excellence in the Garden State Scholastic Press Association’s (GSSPA) annual journalism competition.
The newspaper also received the New Jersey Distinguished Journalism Award for the second time. The competition’s judges determined the award for overall excellence, while the award for distinguished journalism means the Review staff accumulated the highest point total in all contest categories. The newspaper also received the New Jersey Distinguished Journalism Award. The award for overall excellence is given by the competition’s judges, while the award for distinguished journalism means the Review staff accumulated the greatest overall score in all categories.
Senior staff members Amanda Travers, Dani Cummings, and Carol McLaughlin accepted the award on behalf of the staff at the GSSPA’s annual fall meeting on October 30th at Rutgers University. More than 70 high school newspaper and yearbook staffs attended the conference. Editor-in-chief Paul Hoferer accepted the award on behalf of the staff, along with last year’s editor-in-chief, Megan Alfieri at the GSSPA’s annual fall meeting held Oct. 24 at Rutgers University; the conference was attended by more than 70 high school newspaper and yearbook staffs.
The two designations are the highest awarded by GSSPA, the statewide organization for high school journalists and their advisers. The awards represent “validation that the Review continues to represent the best of scholastic journalism in New Jersey,” said Jane Hopper, adviser. The Review won in the large-school category (schools with populations greater than 1,500 students).
The two top awards were achieved under the editorial leadership of last year’s editor-in-chief, Maren Morsch, and managing editor, Emily Baltz. “Maren and Emily not only upheld the highest journalistic standards in leading the Review,” said Hopper, “they worked together as a team and were a continuous source of support and encouragement to their staff members.” Morsch currently attends The College of New Jersey and Baltz is enrolled at the University of Richmond.
In addition Review staff members won 22 individual and team awards, including eight first-place awards, three-second places, two third places, and nine honorable mentions. The recipients were as follows:
First Place Awards:
Maren Morsch, News Writing, “Schedules, Class Sizes Hurt by Budget Cuts” (September 14, 2005)
Tamara Gomez and Caroline Kiernan, Feature Writing, “Defining, Deciding Value of Virginity” (February 13, 2006)
Sophie Guderian, Sports Writing, “Women’s ACL Injuries Occur ‘Left and Right’” (May 24, 2006)
Amanda Travers, Editorial Writing, “Pledge Provokes Many to ‘Stand’ for Choice” (April 18, 2006)
Dani Cummings, Opinion Writing, “Science Pushes Evolution at Cost of Truth in Classroom” (December 19, 2005)
Sean Mulhearn, Columns, “Rare Brain Condition Takes Writer on Difficult Quest…” (Two parts, March 20 and April 18, 2006)
Team: In-depth Reporting, “Constitutional Controversies” (April 18, 2006): Emily Baltz, editor; Carol McLaughlin, assistant editor; Mandy Mortillaro, Michelle Rosenberg, Amanda Travers, staff writers. Suzy LaSpisa, Layout and Design, “Welcome to the Garden State” (June 14, 2006)
Second Place Awards:
Jesse McDonough, Sports Writing, “Weight Room Overcrowded” (May 24, 2006)
Kathy Peng, Editorial Cartooning, Pledge editorial cartoon (April 18, 2006)
Team: In-depth Reporting, “Teens and Money” (October 26, 2005): Wenjing Qi and Christine Hopkins, editors; Helen Chen, Helen Goot, Amanda Travers, staff writers.
Third Place Awards:
Team: In-depth Reporting, “Megatrends” (May 24, 2006): Wenjing Qi, editor; Peilin Cui, Tamara Gomez, Allison Hadley, Caroline Kiernan, Dan Mills, Lyndsie Moran, Taylor Pettit, Michelle Rosenberg, staff writers. Artist: Jeff Koroski, Dani Cummings, Layout and Design, “Diet: Winning at the Losing Game” (May 24, 2006)
Honorable Mention:
Emily Baltz, Layout and Design, “Constitutional Controversies” (April 18, 2006)
Dani Cummings, Feature Writing, “Winning at the Losing Game” (May 24, 2006)
Kathy Peng, Artwork and Illustration, Family Ailment illustration (May 24, 2006)
Taylor Pettit, Reviews and Entertainment, “Senior Idol Scores” (February 13, 2006)
Amanda Travers, Opinion Writing, “Dining Hall Title Too Fancy” (October 26, 2005)
Mia Raths, News Writing, “Termites Feast on Floorboards” (April 18, 2006)
Mo Chen, Editorial Cartooning, Free press cartoon (March 20, 2006)
Maren Morsch, Editorial Writing, “Summer Work System Signals Need for Change” (October 26, 2005)
Kat Buckley, Layout and Design, “Metropolitan Mania” (October 26, 2006)