On Saturday, March 8, 2025 SIPA proudly celebrated the inaugural class of All-Stars. This new recognition program honors exemplary graduating seniors attending the convention. Advisers had the opportunity to nominate up to two students per publication present at SIPA Convention, submitting up to four pieces of student work for consideration. Congratulations to our 2025 SIPA All-Stars!!
Catawba Ridge High School
The Venom Yearbook
Layla Brindisi
“Layla Brindisi is the heart and soul of our yearbook staff, making her the perfect candidate for the SIPA All-Star Award. Since her freshman year, she has been a dedicated member of the class, and for the past two years, she has served as an editor, shaping our publication with her leadership and vision. Layla leads through example, always bringing positivity and motivation to the team. Her incredible eye for photography captures the essence of our school, elevating every event she covers. Beyond the classroom, her commitment to our publication is unwavering, ensuring that every detail reflects the hard work and passion of our staff. Layla’s dedication, talent, and leadership make her truly deserving of this honor. When she graduates this year, she will be leaving behind an incredible legacy for future editor in chiefs.” -Carly Huerta, Adviser
Elise Croft
“Elise Croft is the kind of student every yearbook adviser hopes for—dedicated, hardworking, and passionate about journalism. Since joining the staff as a sophomore, she has grown into a strong leader, serving as an editor for the past two years. She consistently handles multiple page spreads each deadline, always completing them on time and with a level of excellence that sets the standard for others. Elise’s love for journalism extends beyond the classroom, as she hopes to pursue it as a career, and her strongest skill—writing—reflects that passion. At the same time, she has pushed herself to grow in design and photography, making her a well-rounded staff member. More importantly, Elise is kind, encouraging, and always willing to step in and help her peers. Her dedication, talent, and leadership make her truly deserving of the SIPA All-Star Award.” -Carly Huerta, Adviser
Clarke Central High School
iliad Literary-Art Magazine
Victoria Garland
Bringing back the Black History Month program
Flowing Through The 2020 iliad
Hidden lives with Victoria Garland
“Throughout her time in the OMG, Tori has developed and refined a variety of journalistic skills. She is a talented interviewer who connects with her sources on a personal level, making them feel comfortable and respected. This skill was on full display when she facilitated a Q&A panel with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dr. Hua Hsu last spring. Her preparation, poise, and ability to guide the discussion impressed everyone in attendance and demonstrated her capacity for handling high-pressure situations with grace.
Tori’s dedication to honing her craft extends beyond our school’s walls. She has attended two National High School Journalism Conventions, countless Georgia Scholastic Press Association workshops, and will soon attend her third Southern Interscholastic Press Association (SIPA) convention. Most recently, she presented her first session at GSPA, earning positive feedback for
her thoughtful and engaging delivery. Each of these experiences has not only deepened her knowledge but also allowed her to share her insights with others, further solidifying her role as a leader within our program.” -David Ragsdale, Adviser
Olivia Hendershot
Review: Memoir of a Sparklemuffin
“At the close of her career, Ollie has become a respected leader within ODYSSEY and the iliad, someone known for her tireless work ethic, commitment to excellence, and dedication to guiding younger students. Reflecting on her four years in the program, Ollie now sees herself as a designer, reporter, editor, and leader – things I knew years ago. Seeing her being able to embrace her gifts and hard-fought victories has been rewarding for me. Her journey demonstrates that high school has been more than just academic—it has been an arena for personal growth and self-discovery.” -David Ragsdale, Adviser
ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Jane Ripps
“Through the last several years, I have seen how Jane works to enhance our readers’ experience with our publication, be it in print or online. Time and time again, she has engaged in out-of-the-box journalism, which can be a high-risk, high-reward proposition. Her desire to continue to innovate through pitching diverse story ideas, attempting different eye-appealing layouts, creating multimedia and broadcasts for our website/social media and bringing different perspectives to the pages of the magazine and website have been refreshing.” -David Ragsdale, Adviser
Wyatt Meyer
Breaking news: CCSD, CCHS host safety assemblies
“Wyatt Joshua Meyer has consistently shown superior abilities as a student journalist during his career. He has diligently explored the various genres of journalistic writing and showed acumen in each. Wyatt worked to creatively showcase the sports culture at our school through inspired multimedia stories online, outstanding articles in print and established our Media Day. For the last two years, he has served on our Leadership Team and worked to enrich our staff culture by modeling professionalism, excellent writing and leadership. His commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has positively impacted our coverage and policies.” -David Ragsdale, Adviser
Cedar Shoals High School
BluePrints Magazine
Tumelo Johnson
Affirmative Action ends: Athens community weighs in
The aftermath of tragedy: UGA student’s killing intensifies xenophobia
Making a Movement: Charter schools come to Athens
“Tumelo has been a four-year member of BluePrints and serves as the current co-editor-in-chief. He has been part of our quiz bowl team that has won the SIPA quiz bowl for the last two years, and he is a walking encyclopedia of current news in government and politics. Most importantly, Tumelo is an empathetic and thoughtful young man with immense capability to change the world for the better.” -Marc Ginsberg, Adviser
Eva Lucero
Hilsman unveils mural commemorating East Side history
East Cooper CAS
East Cooper Student News
Riley Craft
Ryan Thurber
“Riley and Ryan pitched, developed, and have been producing a bi-monthly sports show by themselves. The two of them cover every sport from two different schools, which are rivals. Riley and Ryan shoot all the footage and interviews, they stack the show, write the show, and anchor the show. The show has become popular among students and faculty at all three schools in which it is shown.” -Justin Fabiano, Adviser
Horse Creek Academy
Horse Creek Media
Eryn Fox
“Eryn Fox is a standout candidate for SIPA All-Stars recognition due to her relentless energy, sharp investigative skills, and outstanding journalism. She brings enthusiasm and dedication to every story, ensuring thorough research and compelling narratives. Her talent has earned her multiple awards, including an Honorable Mention for C-SPAN StudentCam, showcasing her ability to tackle meaningful topics with depth and accuracy. Eryn’s commitment to excellence and storytelling makes her a deserving recipient of this prestigious honor. She also won an Excellent ranking in Broadcast Package at the JEA Conference in Philadelphia.” -Tracie Williams, Adviser
Abigail Turner
“Abigail Turner is a deserving candidate for SIPA All-Stars recognition due to her infectious energy, sparkling personality, and fearless approach to broadcast journalism. Her optimism and outgoing nature make her a natural in front of the camera, engaging audiences with confidence and charisma. She embraces new challenges, always striving to grow as a journalist. Her dedication has earned her multiple awards, including an Honorable Mention for Broadcast Anchor at the JEA conference in Philadelphia, solidifying her as a standout in the field.” -Tracie Williams, Adviser
J.L. Mann High School
Talismann Yearbook
Nora Torgerson
Once a Patriot, Always a Patriot
“Nora had been on the Talismann yearbook staff for 3 years, and in her senior year, servers as the editor-in-chief. Not only does she work incredibly hard to ensure all sections are coming together to ensure an outstanding publication, but also creates eye catching spreads and contributions of her own.” -Blakley Garrett, Adviser
Lugoff-Elgin High School
Drew Kish
Student businesses (2:10-3:55)
“Not to be cliche, but Drew is an all-star! After having her in my Journalism 1 class her junior year, she planned to take our school’s yearbook class, even though I was not going to be her advisor (Mrs. Proctor is our yearbook advisor). However, my principal asked me to revive our Broadcast Journalism class and I accepted, but I had 1 request: I wanted to pick my roster for my revival class. Drew was #1 on my list! She then switched her schedule to take my LETV class not knowing what was to come or what to expect. Along with a handful of other students starting the program from scratch, Drew took on a leadership role in class and never looked back. She became our “News Producer”, but she did a little bit of everything: anchoring, videography, voiceovers, editing, producing, interviewing, etc. She even had a patented “STOPPPPPPP” semi-scream cue she’d yell when a filming segment had ended. And furthermore, if ever we filmed a segment without her being there, someone would be sure to imitate her STOP and we’d all get a good laugh from it. If I need Drew for literally anything, she does it without me having to worry or check in for anything related to a deadline. I know she will get it done and it will be awesome content. I wish I had about 10 of her in my class, because she would be all I need as a broadcast advisor. My only critique of her is this is her final year and I will miss having her on staff. Even though she’s a Ravens fan and go Steelers, she will be missed! So yes, I’d absolutely love to recognize Drew Kish as a SIPA All-Star!” -Michael Branham, Adviser
Nation Ford High School
The Talon Newspaper
Rachel Studer
50th anniversary of Title IX highlights lingering inequity
McDonalds deemed place to eat on Fridays
Sports equity needs re-evaluation in Fort Mill
“A born journalist, Rachel Studer’s curiosity is boundless. Rachel’s ability to dig into her reporting and to craft a story on challenging topics is equally as impressive as her willingness to shake up the status quo. Again and again, she has demonstrated a strong work ethic and a fearless streak that makes for exceptional investigative reporting.
Since her freshman year, Rachel has covered sensitive topics in a thoughtful manner, sticking to verified facts with an awareness of tensions while avoiding inflammatory statements–all while speaking truth to power. For example, one of her early story assignments was to cover a meeting of the Voices for Diversity Club just after an incident in which a student had written a racist comment on the wall of a school bathroom. Her article was widely read, and students felt like their voices were heard. Then on the 50th anniversary of Title IX, Rachel wrote an investigative piece for which shewrote extensively about inequitable facilities when comparing those of the boys to the female athletes at Nation Ford High. She even took the front page photos of both the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms–more undeniable evidence. The result? Some overdue upgrades for the lady Falcons.
Her love for investigative journalism led her to co-teach a session with me last year at the SIPA Conference; she created an interactive game for the session that allowed students to think through and problem-solve how to cover an investigative story.
Rachel’s a rare mix–a supportive editor-in-chief and a fierce reporter. Her sophomore year at the SIPA Convention, her TOPS team won Best Story & Best Overall Newsprint Team. In fact, even before reaching her senior year, she had won an incredible 15 awards at SCSPA and SIPA for her work as a student journalist. Gifted and gutsy, Rachel is no ordinary young person.
Rachel served as editorials editor before becoming chief, demonstrating independence, passion, and ethical decision-making. She leads by example with high energy and a contagious positive attitude; she’s both an effective motivator and a creative problem-solver who gets things done. Her enthusiasm and confidence has led the smallest staff in the history of NFHSl to publish more issues of The Talon than ever before–under her leadership, the staff works harder and more efficiently to produce more quality content at a faster pace.
She may be petite in stature, but Rachel Studer is a powerhouse. She’s a true SIPA Star.” -Beth Swann, Adviser
Lilah Skovran
New safety measures for crossing guards
Sports equity needs re-evaluation in Fort Mill
“As one of my most dedicated and versatile student journalists on The Talon newspaper staff, Lilah Skovran is a SIPA super star who has spent 5 semesters with a talented group of students she now leads as co-editor-in-chief.
Lilah has had a broad experience on The Talon staff with 9 awards from SCSPA and SIPA in everything from editorial cartooning, to photography, to design, to writing. At the Southern Interscholastic Press Association annual conference 2023, when Lilah was only a sophomore, her small team of four students from The Talon staff competed in the OnSite competition and won both Best Story & Best Overall Newsprint Team.
She’s served as Features Editor and Centerspread Editor, and she has become strong Chief this year. She leads by example, and though she’s directing and supporting the staff, she herself is still acting as a reporter, photographer, graphic designer, and artist as well.
An excellent leader, she remains generous and positive in the face of pressure and responsibility because that’s who she is as a person–her maturity, thoughtful decision-making, and strong support for staffers make her an exceptional and effective leader.
Whether she’s covering news of a crossing guard’s death, a future match-up for boys’ basketball, or writing a local business review, Lilah dives into the story with a focus on what readers need to know. Lilah has demonstrated creative problem-solving skills under pressure, a commitment to excellence, and a passion for making a difference in her community through journalism.” -Beth Swann, Adviser
Summerville High Schoo
Wave TV
Dassi Rundbaken
Solomon Mellott
Stratford High School
Real TV
Avery Hashley
“Avery is an anchor, reporter and producer for Real TV. She has been a part of the Media Tech program since her ninth grade year and has continued to grow and improve as a journalist in all areas of the news field.
Avery is one of the few students who really “gets” it in her role as a journalist. She is one of the most meticulous and hard-working students I have ever had. As a teacher, I really appreciate how she pays attention to detail, especially when it comes to editing our news program which is broadcast to over 3,000 people. Avery serves in other school roles as a member of National Honor Society and Beta Club as well as being an athlete with volleyball and soccer. She has a very calming nature about her that is such a refreshing trait to have amidst the chaos of a newsroom. Her sweet-natured personality and organization skills will be beneficial in her future career of being an elementary school teacher.” -Stella McCombs, Adviser
Tupelo High School
WTHS Media
Awa Camara
New Volleyball Coach Spikes Cancer
“Awa is deserving to be recognized as an All Star because of the contributions to WTHS over the past two and a half years. I’ve had the joy of seeing her leadership grow. As a brand new staff member, Awa was nervous about touching a camera. Now, she leads a team of 22 students and has earned numerous awards for her work. Awa is extremely creative and plans to pursue a career in journalism.” -Katrina Berry- Ivy, Adviser
Thomas Roper
Tennis Season – Behind the Racket
“Thomas is a visionary. Thomas has an incredible work ethic and has really grown since joining the staff his freshmen year. Thomas loves covering students involved in arts and stepped out of his comfort zone this school year when covering the football state championship in December. Thomas goes above and beyond when it comes to covering school events and the community.” -Katrina Berry- Ivy, Adviser
Wando High School
Legend
Gabbi Mortellaro
“Gabbi is the most award-winning student in Wando yearbook history, an astounding honor given the amount of individual awards the program has brought in over the past two decades. At the 2024 SIPA convention, Gabbi brought home a school record nine total awards; seven of those were first place honors. Gabbi was named a Top 10 Finalist for National Photojournalist of the Year by the National Scholastic Press Association at the 2024 convention in Philadelphia. In 2024, she set a school record for most Quill & Scroll Yearbook Excellence Awards. In Boston in 2023, she set a school record for all Wando student media for most awards at a single NSPA conference.
Gabbi propelled Wando’s student media into a new era in 2024-25 by helping to combine both Yearbook and Newspaper photographers into one autonomous unit that photographed all of student media, sports marketing, and athletic department special requests. Serving as the first ever Editor in Chief of this endeavor, Wando Photography has seen an other-worldly increase in photography volume and quality–so much so that the school district had to discuss new ways to handle our storage.” -Philip Caston, Adviser
Hannah Whitaker
“Hannah is a past winner of numerous SIPA design awards, including Best Overall Yearbook TOP as the team leader in 2024 along with four first place design awards, including Yearbook Design Portfolio.
In 2024, Hannah was named a Top 10 Finalist for National Designer of the Year at the fall NSPA convention in Philadelphia. She also set the new school record (previously set by Gabbi the year before) for most individual awards by a Wando student at a single NSPA convention, which included three separate Best of Show Top 10 Design honors.
She currently serves as one of the co-editors in chief of Wando’s yearbook.” -Philip Caston, Adviser
Tribal Tribune
Kendall Bowers
A vote for redemption, the lesser of two evils, or a historic first?
The mind takes a hit on and off the field
“Kendall, our Associate Editor, has established herself as an outstanding designer, netting state, SIPA, and national awards, including a Top 10 Best of Show design at the fall NSPA convention in Philadelphia. Kendall also had a hand in the first ever newsmagazine edition placing in the Top 10 for the same contest. Kendall has above and beyond to coach new staff members on InDesign, even the ones who originally started out just writing, so that the program is in good shape once she graduates. Kendall is very passionate about her job and her design work, so much so that when she does win an award for her work, it often moves her to tears. She is a young woman who truly puts others before herself when it comes to this program.” -Phillip Caston, Adviser
Hayden Pinto
Coastal Promises and Provisions
Once in a lifetime opportunity
“Hayden entered our program last year as a junior and showed an insatiable hunger for wanting to write as much as possible while also learning design. He quickly ascended to the Editor in Chief role and helped us transition from newspaper to newsmagazine and online. He and his co-editor’s very first newsmagazine edition placed in the Top 10 Best of Show at the fall NSPA convention in Philadelphia. Hayden not only produces phenomenal and often courageous work (he is not scared to pursue controversial story topics), but he has served as an outstanding coach for his younger staff members as well.” -Philip Caston, Adviser
