Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Clarke Central High School - ODYSSEY News Magazine Entry Title: Portfolio: Wyatt Meyer Entry Credit: Wyatt Meyer Judge Comment: Once again, this journalist shows a tremendous level of skill. The writing of “After Apalachee” is sensitive to the difficult subject matter, but doesn’t shy away from the topic: “??Without looking up from her laptop screen, a girl toward the back of the classroom asks, ‘If there’s a shooting, can we run?’ Nobody laughs.” In other pieces, the journalist is able to balance informative writing with a light-hearted and personal tone: “So, drink it in, Georgians – no longer are your votes one of the two P’s: perfunctory or protest.” An impressive body of work.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Cedar Shoals High School - BluePrints Entry Title: Tumelo Johnson portfolio Entry Credit: Tumelo Johnson Judge Comment: This journalist has a notable ability to find the story within the story. Whether it’s discussing how black artists fit into the world of country music, or talking to students about xenophobia following a local killing, the writer shows dedication to journalistic storytelling.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Cedar Shoals High School - BluePrints Entry Title: Portfolio - Eva Lucero Entry Credit: Eva Lucero Judge Comment: This journalist embraces the stories of the people in their own community and has a clear passion for making those stories accessible. The portfolio shows the writer’s wide range and ability to adapt a story to fit a given topic, rather than the other way around.
