2017 Fall ESNA Winners

Advertising

Class B:

• 1st Place – Brandon Elledge, Sword & Shield, Laurens District 55 HS
  Comments: Fun headline!

Art

Class A:

• 1st Place – David Bishop, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
  Comments: Clever character. Fish qualities should be emphasized more.
  

• 2nd Place – Max Del Pilar Gonzalez, SPIN, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Scary, moody piece. Definitely makes an impression.

• 3rd Place – Omina Tukhtasunova, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: The lettering should be more considered as it is a bit hard to read. Some of the labels are unnecessary.

Class B:

• 1st Place – Patrick Aherne, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
  Comments: Effectively communicates the traffic frustration.
  

• 2nd Place – Zachary Rish, Sword & Shield, Laurens District 55 HS
  Comments: Clever illustration for Seussian article. Hillary’s face could be less realistic.
  

• 3rd Place – Preston Lyerly, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
  Comments: Not sure what a close-up of Trump’s eyes is trying to communicate.
  

Centerspread

Class A:

• 1st Place – Kate Baker and Ellie Pobis, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: I really like how you used images here. The gray box is a nice touch, too, with the older statues.
  

• 2nd Place – Darcy Roberts, SPIN, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Good use of color and good symmetry.
  

• 3rd Place – Sarah Heming and Rob Lee, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
  Comments: Good leading lines and spot color.
  

Class B:

• 1st Place – Gracie Barnett, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
  Comments: The illustration bars on the side really frame the spread quite nicely. Nice typeface selection. Be careful with the crowded line space (leading) on the right page.

• 2nd Place – Lydia Gardner and Laurel Thorp, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
  Comments: Clean cut-outs. Move byline to beginning of story.
  

• 3rd Place – Staff, Sword & Shield, Laurens District 55 HS
  Comments: Diverse coverage and good cut-out. Include infographics or side bars.

Columns

Class A:

• 1st Place – Tatiana Brown, SPIN, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Awesome work at taking a national topic and threading it not only with a personal story, but weaving back into that national and local framework. Powerful last statements.
  
• 2nd Place – Israaa Mashreque, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments:Great job at breaking down exactly what DACA is and who it affects so the reader becomes educated on facts while also getting a personal opinion on the issue. Avoid hyperbolic statements like “no chance of America succeeding.” Pair that back to something realistic and relatable.
  
• 3rd Place – Anna Mock, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
  Comments: Nice job at taking an issue that’s broad and finding a way to place it in daily life. Look for ways to make it applicable to readers who might not quite identify with your specific situation, too. Finding a way to ebb that story back out to the reader will make columns more approachable. 

Class B:

• 1st Place – Zach Green, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
  Comments: This column looked like it was going down one path and veered into a serious topic. I liked how you kept the readers interested by showcasing that one bad click leads to parts unknown on the internet and that can lead to false/fake news and information. Great piece.
  
• 2nd Place – Natalie Tinsley, Sword & Shield, Laurens District 55 HS
  Comments: This column reads like a fun conversation with a friend and leaves me wanting to know more about how this experiment went. Great job!
  
• 3rd Place – Abigail Knight, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
  Comments: This column offers not only observations and facts, but also solutions; I like that. Break the numbers down even further to show how many people in your audience age range are affected so it’s more relatable.

Computer Graphics

Class A:

• 1st Place – Emily Guy and Kathryn Rabon, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
• 2nd Place – Kayla Thomason, SPIN, South Pointe HS

Class B:

• 1st Place – Bethany Houston, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
• 2nd Place – Preston Carlton, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
  
• 3rd Place – Jessica Xayasane, Norse News, Spartanburg HS

Design (single-page layout)

Class A:

• 1st Place – Anna Mock, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
• 2nd Place – Casey Collins, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
• 3rd Place – Diego Rodriguez and Darcy Roberts, SPIN, South Pointe HS

Class B:

• 1st Place – Patrick Aherne, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
• 2nd Place – Preston Lyerly, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
• 3rd Place – Staff, Sword & Shield, Laurens District 55 HS

Editorials

Class A:

• 1st Place – Lina Saleh, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: The sixth graph is an impeccable take on what an editorial should be – reflective and offering a firm stance on an issue. The rest of the editorial does a fine job backing up that stance with facts on law and execution of the law. Knowing this issue on art is so subjective, the editors pull no punches in showing administration creative minds will not be denied outlets.
• 2nd Place – Anna Mock and Sarah Heming, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
  Comments: I like the approach of taking something people look at idyllically like Wonder Woman and comparing that to reality. I think giving examples of historically people who were great leaders and left a legacy of great leadership – men and women – would make the piece even stronger.
  

Class B:

• 1st Place – Carly Cashatt, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
  Comments: I like that you take breaking news and bring it into the realistic daily realm of student life. Leading the editorial with the chosen statement and date from CNN automatically dates the piece, especially if it didn’t come out until the September issue. So always look at leads and ask if it’s the strongest lead in possible.
• 2nd Place – Staff, Norse News, Spartanburg HS
  Comments: Tackling a difficult topic like this is admirable. It’s not something I expect most teenagers to be concerned with in their daily lives. Taking the topic and showing how the tax could affect their gas bill each month, or affect the emissions tests their cars has to pass would better showcase the issue for students. Saying an average family would pay $2,500 isn’t relatable because we don’t know what an average family looks like and teens aren’t paying the overall tax bill. The idea of ending with something from Al Gore, sounds great in effect, but weakened the overall message the staff wants to send to students because it take the issue back to a national level where it’s a little over readers’ heads.
  

Features

Class A:

• 1st Place – Lina Saleh, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
• 2nd Place – Autumn Rost, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
• 3rd Place – Diego Rodriguez, SPIN, South Pointe HS

Class B:

• 1st Place – Haley Havelock, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
• 2nd Place – Kailey Cota, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
• 3rd Place – Sharon George, Norse News, Spartanburg HS

Front Page Design

Class A:

• 1st Place – Darcy Roberts, SPIN, South Pointe HS
  Comments: This captivating photo makes a very strong cover. It really makes me want to read the story! Nicely done.
  
  
• 2nd Place – Kate Baker and Casey Collins, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
• 3rd Place – Anna Mock, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS

Class B:

• 1st Place – Lydia Gardner and Zach Green, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
  Comments: Very “Saul Bass” of you! Great control of type and color here.
• 2nd Place – Cecelia Hilton and Kailey Cota, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
• 3rd Place – Staff, Sword & Shield, Laurens District 55 HS

News Features

Class A:

• 1st Place – JR Smith and Lina Saleh, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
• 2nd Place – Anna Mock, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
• 3rd Place – Danielle Parker and Lily Harb, SPIN, South Pointe HS

Class B:

• 1st Place – Lauren Insinger, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
• 2nd Place – Julia Lako, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
• 3rd Place – Bryson Leopard, Sword & Shield, Laurens District 55 HS

Photography

Class A:

• 1st Place – Ella Rayl, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
• 2nd Place – Vy Mai, SPIN, South Pointe HS

Class B:

• 1st Place – Claudia Ottinger, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
• 2nd Place – Emma Lindenberg, The Wave Breaker, Summerville HS
• 3rd Place – Elizabeth Messier, Knight Life, West Florence HS

Reviews

Class A:

• 1st Place – Casey Collins, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: The review places the plot of the movie and the production/release of the film itself into important context. Effectively addresses underrepresentation of women in films today and in the work force in the 1960s.
• 2nd Place – Sarah Heming, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
  Comments: Great descriptions and voice. Work on lead and add more about the characters/plot.

Class B:

• 1st Place – Alejandra Robinson, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
  Comments: Great attention to details of ingredients and flavors.
• 2nd Place – Elizabeth Messier, Knight Life, West Florence HS
  Comments: Good job comparing and contrasting to original without over-focusing on the older version.
• 3rd Place – Helen Nowatka, Norse News, Spartanburg HS
  Comments: I love how you consider how their music/style has changed from previous albums. 

Sports

Class A:

• 1st Place – Alex Brooks, The Cavalier, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: Brilliant, crisp writing that makes the reader feel like they are in that locker room. Great detail, sourcing and storytelling.
• 2nd Place – David Bishop, Palmetto Leaf, Camden HS
  Comments: Detailed story with good structure.
• 3rd Place – Melvin Crawford, SPIN, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Good energy, but further edits are needed for both content and grammar. 

Class B:

• 1st Place – Morgan Carpenter, Tribal Tribune, Wando HS
  Comments: This story borders (and even sometimes crosses) the line for objective reporting, but the quality of sourcing, storytelling and level of detail make it superior to other submissions.
• 2nd Place – Jessica Xayasane, Norse News, Spartanburg HS
  Comments: Informative story with good sourcing; the story needs a news hook in the opening paragraphs, but is otherwise sound.
• 3rd Place – Kris McClellan, The Talon, Nation Ford HS
  Comments: Great writing/storytelling; with more than just the one source, this could have been a first-place finisher.
  

2017 Fall Online Individual Competition Winners

Computer Graphics

• 1st Place – Anna Sharpe, The Wave Breaker online, Summerville HS
  Comments: Visuals, font choices and text marry to tell the story of the infographic.
• 2nd Place – Elena Horton, The Saber, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: Clean, logical order.

Digital Storytelling

• 1st Place – Sydney Tisdale and Elena Horton, The Saber, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: Video is amazing, but written element needs some work. Tighten writing, edit and check AP style.
• 2nd Place – Vy Mai and Maddie Taylor, SPINwired, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Great story and video is an adequate visual companion piece. Make sure you have a variety of shots (B-roll) and clean audio.
• 3rd Place – Chloe Brown, BMC News, Brashier Middle College Charter HS
  Comments: Good variety of voices and photo styles.
  

Features

• 1st Place – Allie Senf, Tribal Tribune online, Wando HS
  Comments: Great lead and good quotes. Narrative flows well.
• 2nd Place – Julia Wheaton, Hayley Olecheck and Michaela Dunkley, CSPN, Chapin HS
  Comments: Good feature with variety of sources and quotes.
• 3rd Place – BJ Davis, SPINwired, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Good spotlight but needs more quotes.

News Features

• 1st Place – Lauren Insinger, Tribal Tribune online, Wando HS
  Comments: Great job localizing a current national issue and getting source materials relevant to the topic.
• 2nd Place – Shelby Norris, Sara Dietrich and Laura Layton, CSPN, Chapin HS
  Comments: Good lead and stacking of information. Good variety of sources.
• 3rd Place – Valentina Idarraga, BMC News, Brashier Middle College Charter HS
  Comments: Good job weaving student opinions into national news. Work on lead (includes vague and opinion phrasing). Great hyperlinks!

Opinion piece

• 1st Place – Luke Layton, CSPN, Chapin HS
  Comments: Well-written and clear arguments. Issue that affects your student body.
• 2nd Place – Steve Gilmore, SPINwired, South Pointe HS
  Comments: References outside sources and relates those moments to his stance. However, writing can be tightened and smoother. Some points are assumptions and inferences. Make sure, especially with this subject, to stick with source material or to your opinion and not infer about other people’s actions or feelings.
• 3rd Place – Paige Mistler, Tribal Tribune online, Wando HS
  Comments: Good first-person account of experience and how it affected the writer. Expand on what the program is and what you did at the seminar. Reader only gets a vague sense of what this program is/what you did.

Photography

• 1st Place – Vy Mai and Maddie Taylor, SPINwired, South Pointe HS
• 2nd Place – Jack Rogers, Tribal Tribune online, Wando HS
• 3rd Place – Nathan Gohl, The Wave Breaker online, Summerville HS

Review

• 1st Place – Alexis Perry, Tribal Tribune online, Wando HS
  Comments: Great lead – I love how you work the cover art into your discussion of the music and the band’s effort to be relevant. Good job finding positive and negative aspects of the album.
• 2nd Place – Anna Sharpe, The Wave Breaker online, Summerville HS
  Comments: Good comparisons to previous works by the band and to other bands. Nice analysis of songs as well. Work on using strong verbs (ones other than “to be” verbs).
• 3rd Place – Maddie Neil and Landry Parrish, SPINwired, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Nice lead that sets the tone and atmosphere. Include price of food and drinks. Use stronger verbs and include more concrete details and opinions about the orchard.

Sports

• 1st Place – Maddie Taylor and Vy Mai , SPINwired, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Lead needs work but great quotes and flow of story.
• 2nd Place – Alejandra Robinson, Tribal Tribune online, Wando HS
  Comments: Lead is wonderful but needs editing and more background besides just the “feel” of the game.
• 3rd Place – Ryan Okpych, Zoey Fuller and Eve Katz, The Wave Breaker online, Summerville HS
  Comments: Good stacking of information. Get stronger quotes.

Videography

• 1st Place – Ronitra Wilson and Amber Bolar, The Saber, Richland Northeast HS
  Comments: Great package – clean, steady shots and audio; B-roll matches script; and story flows.
• 2nd Place – Max Gonzalez, SPINwired, South Pointe HS
  Comments: Good mix of shots. Love how you have Spanish and English language.Overall videography comments: Do not use popular music in packages and publish to the web. Create your own music or use royalty-free music. Make sure your video clear, clean and steady.