Stevenson High School’s journalism program earned numerous accolades in the waning weeks of the 2019-20 school year. In addition to various student awards, journalism teacher Dean Bradshaw, sponsor of the Statesman student newspaper, was named Journalism Educator of the Year by Youth Journalism International.
Quill and Scroll International Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest
Five pieces created for the Statesman, Stevenson’s student newspaper, were named national winners in the Quill and Scroll 2020 International Writing, Photo and Multimedia contest. Only 277 of the nearly 2,500 entries in 30 categories were selected as national winners. Submissions came from five countries. Stevenson’s national winners were:
- Laya Reddy, opinion writing (“The Case for Electronic Learning”)
- Alexandra Gergova and Ayla Dursun, newsmagazine cover design (Conflict on the Climate)
- Cheryl Chen, editorial writing (“The ABCs of Sex”)
- Nellie Maloney, Sailaja Nallacheruvu and Jasmine Sun, sports writing (“Running on Fumes”)
- Anjini Grover, Humza Qazi and Greycen Ren, feature writing (“Veiled in Vapor”)
Youth Journalism International Excellence in Journalism Contest
Statesman writers earned one first-place and three second-place awards in the 11th annual Excellence in Journalism contest sponsored by Youth Journalism International. The contest featured entries from students in 21 states, plus seven countries on five continents. The following Statesman writers were recognized:
- Ben Bowler, Janice Lee and Myles Woodman, first place - sports feature (“Play It Forward”)
- Nellie Maloney, Sailaja Nallacheruvu and Jasmine Sun, second place - sports feature (“Running on Fumes”)
- Anjini Grover, Humza Qazi and Greycen Ren, second place - feature writing (“Veiled in Vapor”)
- Ben Bowler and Cheryl Chen, second place - team opinion (“Standardized Text: Pro Con”)
- Myles Woodman, second place - tech reporting (“Sensational Socials”)
- Emily Lu and Emily Kang, honorable mention - team opinion (“Plastered in Plastic”)
- Bayarmaa Bat-erdene, honorable mention - sports opinion (“Played, Not Paid”)
In addition, Dean Bradshaw was named YJI Journalism Educator of the Year. He was nominated by several current and former students. The organization issued the following statement:
Several of his students said Dean Bradshaw – who oversees the journalism program at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois – pushes them to excel, to tackle tough stories and to do great work. He does it, they said, with kindness and insight.
Anjini Grover, an editor at the school’s newspaper, Statesman, praised Bradshaws’s “humor and comforting words” that helped her “through rough days and elevated the good ones.”
Ben Bowler, also an editor at the Statesman, said Bradshaw “creates a positive environment” that makes everyone on the staff “feel more passionate not only about journalism, but quality journalism, making me want to push myself to my fullest potential and make him proud.”
Ellie Baden, a first-year student at Michigan State University, said the four years she spent under Bradshaw’s guidance were like joining a big family. “Every member of the staff was allowed to take on a leadership role in some capacity, and every staffer thrived as a result,” she said. He encouraged teamwork, she said, so that no one at the Statesman “struggles in silence” and every story is a group effort. “Because of this teaching style, Mr. Bradshaw’s students are quick thinkers who can be confident in their words and actions, an invaluable attribute,” Baden said.
Illinois Journalism Educators Association Contest
The Statesman earned a trio of first-place awards in the 2020 Illinois Journalism Educators Association contest. First-place honors came in the following categories:
- Alternative Story-Telling, for “Chicago: Role Call” by Trisha Patel and Paulina Ornatsky
- Photo Story, for “Chicago” by Paulina Ornatsky
- Front Page, for the February 2020 issue, “Reflections of Us” by Ayla Dursun and Alex Gergova
The newspaper also received four third-place awards:
- In-Depth News Story, for “Veiled in Vapor” by Jini Grover, Humza Qazi and Greycen Ren
- Single-Page Package Design, for “Standardized Tests” by Ben Bowler and Cheryl Chen
- Photo Story, for “Doodle Pequeno” by Pooja Jain
- Overall Design, for the February 2020 issue, “Reflections of Us”
Statesman staff also garnered honorable mention in the following categories:
- Feature Story, for “Active Voice” by Christie Lee and Serena Mehta
- Single-Page Package, for “Plastered in Plastic” by Emily Lu and Emily Kang
- Front Page, for the September 2019 issue, “Conflict on the Climate” by Ayla Dursun and Alex Gergova
The Statesman also received honorable mention in the Best Overall Newspaper and Best Hybrid News Source categories.