2013 Yearbook A Cut Above by MIPAMSU

The Best of the Best from the 2012-2013 Individual Category Yearbook Contest Michigan Interscholastic Press Association

MSU School of Journalism Communication Arts & Sciences 404 Wilson Road, Room 305 East Lansing, MI 48824 517-353-6761 | mipa@msu.edu January 2014 Dear Friends of Journalism:

his is the 16th issue of Michigan Interscholastic Press Association’s A Cut Above, which contains the best of high school journalism in Michigan. The purpose of this publication is twofold: 1) to showcase the first-place winners in the MIPA Individual Category Yearbook Contest and 2) to act as a guide for students and advisers preparing contest entries for this year’s competitions. In the following pages you will find stories and art by firstplace winners among the contest divisions 1, 2, 3, 4. (Middle Schools were put into Division 4.) We have included category descriptions and judging criteria for each category. Schools are placed into divisions based on the number of pages in the yearbook. Division 1 contains the largest books; Division 4 contains the smallest. We try to make sure each division includes an equal number of schools. We are proud of all the winners and wish we could have published all of them, but size and space dictated how many, and in some cases, which ones, were included. Since all the winning entries were retyped to fit the format, we apologize for any errors. Please remember these are just a sampling of the award-winning work from the contest. If you would like to help judge entries for this year’s Individual Category Contests, please call the MIPA office at 517-353-6761 email mipa@msu.edu, or visit www.mipamsu. org/judge. Judging will take place on March 1, 2014, at the Michigan State University School of Journalism. We need you! I’d like to thank Pam Bunka of Fenton HS and Erica Kincannon of Eisenhower HS, who served yearbook co-chairs

The Cover Photo Photo taken by Alicia Parikh Novi High School First Place Winner Club/Performance Photo Division 1

for the 2012-13 academic year; C.E. Sikkenga, newspaper chair; Diane Herder, video chair; and Jeremy Whiting, new media chair. MIPA’s contests couldn’t happen without the hard work of these talented folks, who run the contests in their content area. I’d also like to thank Anya Rath and Kelsey Parkinson, MIPA’s office helpers for 2012-13, who helped organize contest entries and provided assistance on judging day. Parkinson, who continues to work in the office, was joined by Haley Kluge, who joined our team in the fall, in putting together this year’s yearbook and newspaper editions of A Cut Above. Finally, I’d like to thank all the wonderful advisers, the MIPA executive board, The State News staff members, professional journalists and School of Journalism faculty for giving up a chunk of your Saturday to come to help judge and encourage a new generation of journalists. Without you, of course, there would be no winners! For complete information about all of the contests, please check out the MIPA website at www.mipamsu.org. Sincerely,

Jeremy W. Steele MIPA executive director

Published by Michigan Interscholastic Press Association Michigan State University School of Journalism 404 Wilson Road, Room 305 East Lansing, MI 48824 Phone: 517-353-6761 Fax: 517-355-7710 mipa@msu.edu www.mipamsu.org

Feature Writing: Student Life

KISS AND TELL

TTE’s fall play holds heartbreaks, implied feelings and kisses Jessica Moore and Zerilda Xaka Troy HS The audience is silent, and with a slight pause, the actors lean in for the final kiss. Lips are locked, and the lights begin to dim. Throughout the play “Almost, Maine,” actors portrayed characters and their feelings in ways that may have been out of their comfort zone. Unexpected kisses and implied feelings were the basis of the play. To prepare for their kissing scenes on stage, actors reacted in a variety of ways. “I was really uncomfortable, and I had a bad history with my partner. But I loved my part, and I wanted to play it because I felt it was so me. So I told myself that if I want to be a really good actress, I have to overcome this. The director told me to take [the kissing] as a stage direction and not to think of it as anything else. You get comfortable with it, but it’s just that first kiss in rehearsal that’s super awkward,” Nicole Niemiec, sophomore, said. Others prepared for the kiss on stage with a little

more practice before opening night. “At first, [the kiss] was just a peck, but then the assistant director Ms. Seavers said to slow it down and count to three in your head. The cast had a box of Altoids backstage, and we took one before we went on stage,” Alexander Della, sophomore, said. The play centered around eight couples on a Friday night in the small, isolated town of Almost, Maine. The romantic comedy featured 15 of Troy Theater Ensemble’s actors varying in all grades, with many differences compared to last years. “I chose this one because it was a comedy. It had a flexible cast, as you could have as little as four and up to nineteen. Last year we did ‘Our Town,’ which was a lot different. It was everything the last play wasn’t,’’ director Mr. Rick Bodick said. The second to last scene contained some implied feelings that sparked controversy on the opening night performance. “I thought it was appropriate that we changed it because it was a little risque for a high school performance,” Jason Lacombe, junior, said.

Feature Writing: Student Life

Feature writing and reporting on school and community from the student life section of the book.

Guidelines

• clear, relevant, engaging angle • solid lead that draws reader into story • meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing • evidence of adequate research • adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Trachele Robinson H.H. Dow 2 Jessica Moore & Zerilda Xaka Troy 3 Bailee Hall Utica 4 Emma Zielinski Gull Lake

A Cut Above 3

Sports Reporting Sports Reporting

Sports reporting for any season that makes the reader feel that he/she is reliving the season.

Guidelines

• solid lead that draws reader into story • meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing • evidence of adequate research • story gives reader a clear picture of season highlights and outcome with relevant player comments • adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Lauren Shields Grand Blanc 2 Alyssa Pouliot Romeo 3 Alexandria Stack Fenton 4 Adam Renuart Gull Lake

4 A Cut Above

Curing cancer with a win

The Blue Devils route South Haven Adam Renuart Gull Lake HS After two opening losses, the varsity football team looked for redemption. They wanted to take home a victory, and there was one special night that a win was a must. It was the Blue Devil Benefit Game on September 9 to honor cancer survivals. The game was against Wolverine Conference rival South Haven. After losing to league foes Otsego and Paw Paw, the Devils were ready to redeem themselves for a first win. The team raced to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. After South Haven threatened to take the lead in the second quarter, the Devils responded with three touchdowns. “We didn’t want to let our guard down,” junior Pat Guadard said. “We wanted this game.” Fired up from previous losses and the added weight of a special cause, the team played with purpose and drive. “We really wanted to show support for those who had survived cancer;,” senior cornerback Ahmad

Mohammed said. During halftime, cancer survivors were honored with a lap around the high school track. Hundreds of fans cheered the survivors came down the home stretch. The announcer gave the names as they had their moment under the bright lights. The survivors had something to smile about, as the football players honored their fight to beat a disease. “Our team really stepped up to the challenge to play for a higher cause,” said sophomore quarterback Ryan Mutchler. After half time, the team came out ready to continue their first half domination. Guadard added a touchdown in the fourth quarter for good measure. “It was great to win, because it gave us a chance to play for something bigger than ourselves,” Mohammed said. It was like a movie moment as the community rallied around the football team, and they repaid the fans by winning one for cancer. It was the exactly the way Coach Tim Hiller wanted to win his first game. “The effort we put to win this game for the community really paid off,” Mutchler said.

Sports Feature Writing

an unexpected miracle

What if...

Lindsay Spagnuolo Utica HS “It was just a normal football practice,” coach Todd Koehn said. “We were running some drills like usual and all of a sudden I noticed Brandon had fallen and was not getting up. I rushed over to him and quickly realized that he wasn’t breathing.” As athletic trainer Melissa Rice rushed to Bennett’s side, Koehn called 911 with thoughts of the worst running through his head. “We were doing some drills like normal when I went head-to-head with senior Kirtis Murphy,” junior Brandon Bennett said. “I felt dizzy and tried to call out to Kirtis for help, but he couldn’t hear me. That’s when I fell, face first. I remember a bunch of people beginning to gather around me and that’s when I stopped breathing.” Because Bennett was unconscious and unable to breath, Rice began to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, otherwise known as CPR. “We were all pretty scared;’ senior Pedro Espinosa said. “We didn’t really know what was going on and if he was going to be okay or not.” After a short time, Bennett took a gasping breath and opened his eyes. Not long after that, though, he once again stopped breathing and Rice had to continue CPR until the paramedics arrived. “Out of the thirteen years that I have worked here, this is probably the scariest event,” Rice said. “I feel like this was a part of divine intervention. Bennett’s brother had dropped off his practice jersey and I went down to the field to give it to him. When I spotted him, they were in the middle of a drill so I was already watching him. I then saw him get hit and was already watching

Sports Feature Writing

Any topic that spotlights an unusual aspect of any event, a coach, a player or any controversy.

him when he went down, so I knew exactly what happened.” Bennett is aware of just how much Rice did for him that day. “Sometimes I sit and think about what could have been or what should have been if Mrs. Melissa was not down at the field,” Bennett said. “She is my guardian angel, and I’m alive today because one woman did not hesitate, but reacted. Mrs. Melissa rose to an obstacle she probably never knew she would face, and that’s why she’s my hero. I owe her my life.” Rice is grateful for the assistance she received from everyone on the field. “Everyone did a great job;’ Rice said. “It was a team effort.” The ambulance took Bennett to Pontiac Hospital. “I had several blood tests done,” Bennett said, “and had to stay there for a week before everything was back to normal.” Almost a month later, Bennett was not feeling well after school. With a fever over 103 degrees, he was shaking and had an odd rash covering his body. He immediately went to see Rice, who comforted and talked to him until the ambulance arrived. It turned out that he had a blood infection, inflamed ear, and had to stay at the hospital overnight. As of right now, Bennett’s football career is over. Recently, the football team honored Rice for her heroism, surprising her with a Pandora bracelet at a pasta party. “I was in my office and Andrew Ackerman came down and insisted that I eat with them,” Rice said. “It was so touching and heartfelt. Although I have no kids of my own, that night I felt like I had fifty.”

Guidelines

• clear, relevant, engaging angle • solid lead that draws reader into story • meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing • evidence of adequate research • story meaningfully adds to sports coverage • adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Taylor Webb Waterford Kettering 2 Megan Ye Northville 3 Lindsay Spagnuolo Utica 4 Sara Knapper Gull Lake

A Cut Above 5

Academic Writing Academic Writing

Any copy which features a department, a subject or unusual academic direction but not a personality profile of a teacher.

Guidelines

• clear, relevant, engaging angle • solid lead that draws reader into story •meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing • evidence of adequate research •story goes beyond simply reviewing what happens in classroom • adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Jena Peterson Athens 2 Erin Dugan Romeo 3 Hannah Idoni Fenton 4 Shelby Scutchfield Stockbridge

6 A Cut Above

Two classes, one cause

The two neighboring History classes went from friends to ‘frenemies’ when there was a breakfast party at stake for the class with the most cans collected. Teachers went to extreme lengths to have the bragging rights... until next year. Jena Peterson Athens HS On Friday morning during second hour kids were seen lugging their class’ cans to the varsity girls’ locker room to be donated to those in need Two particular classes rose above the rest and went head-to-head for the breakfast party awarded to the class who donated the most cans. Mr. Michael DeSantis’ and Mr. Ronald Keoleian’s second hour classes continued their notorious rivalry which was no different than the rest; strategy was key. DeSantis came up with a plan he named “Operation Nemo” that allowed him to take the victory. “’Operation Nemo’ was the name Mr. DeSantis called our food drive to keep it a secret. DeSantis’ class was able to surpass the other classes by taking advantage of the rule change of being able to have brought water as well as cans for points. “We called it ‘Nemo’ because we bought a bunch of water to donate in order to get the most points,” Alexandria Catallo, junior, said. “It was a strategy that really worked well; we won.” Having the can count a secret from the other class was a big part the rivalry and It assured to keep

the other classes out of the loop to how well they were doing. “We noticed that Keoleian’s class was trying to look out their window as we brought the cans in from our cars to our classroom,” Rona Haimout, senior, said. “We decided to tape their window with black paper so they couldn’t see anything that was going on and we made sure to keep our door shut.” Keoleian used bribery with his class to make them motivated to keep collecting cans and money for the can drive. “Mr. (Ronald) Keoleian told us that if we brought in a lot of cans we wouldn’t have any work to do and we would spend the whole hour having fun and counting cans together,” Bhakti Patil, sophomore, said. Although the two classes were battling for the prize, ultimately, they came together for the cause. “The Keoleian and DeSantis competition in the can drive really benefited the community because it caused both classes to raise a ton of cans. Even though the competition was fierce, both classes knew that what they were doing was really for the better of the community,” Madison Purrenhage, sophomore, said.

Organizations Writing

rock the house

Friends and family gather in the auditorium for the Spooktacular event Brianna Smiley and Rachel Smith Troy HS With 1,000 seats expected to be filled, people hurried to get their tickets before it was too late. The auditorium was packed on October 27 for Orchestra’s Spooktacular performance; they sold out before opening night. Students, family members and faculty all gathered to see the concert. Some students didn’t let their nerves get to them as they performed on stage in front of the crowd. “I didn’t get nervous at all, even though it was a larger crowd than usual; it just felt like any other regular performance. I think it was sold out probably because people have been talking about it more and because last year was pretty good. Also, compared to other concerts, at Spooktacular, we perform skits and play instruments. We also hung up posters, and our parents and friends wanted to see us,” Victor Yang, sophomore, said. Other concert orchestra students had to get used

to performing in front of the larger crowd. “It was a bit nerve-wracking and scary, but I got used to being on stage in front of everyone during the performance,” Ruchica Chandnani, freshman, said. With an auditorium filled, students in orchestra had a lot of pressure to do their best performance yet. “This year we decided to sell tickets because of the poopularity of the concert in recent years, especially last year, we felt that this would help to limit the size of the crowd we have. The tickets sold out so quickly because it’s so popular, and there are not that many tickets to sell after reserving room for the middle school, freshman, and concert orchestra students,” Mr. Alan MacNair said. Some students believed that the full house was because of the increasing class size. “This year, there are a lot of people in concert orchestra, and because of that, their family members bought tickets to see us. I was looking forward to being in the play part of the performance, but I only got to play my instrument during the show instead,” Rebecca White, freshman, said.

Organizations Writing

Writing that gives the reader a fresh view of the organization.

Guidelines

• solid lead that draws reader into story • meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing • evidence of adequate research • story does not center on purpose of group or simply review their activities • adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Sara Rice Waterford Kettering 2 Brianna Smiley & Rachel Smith Troy 3 Sarah Lawrence Fenton 4 Hope Salyer Stockbridge

A Cut Above 7

Personality Profile Personality Profile

Writing featuring a teacher, staff member or student that makes the character three dimensional.

Guidelines

• clear, relevant, engaging angle that makes story worthy of inclusion • solid lead that draws reader into story • meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing • evidence of adequate research • story goes beyond superficial coverage to give a total perspective and feel for the subject • adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Alexis Laurin Grand Blanc 2 Alexa Abbott Northville 3 Maggie Pooler Fenton 4 Staff Gull Lake

8 A Cut Above

A view of lana abdole Alexis Laurin Grand Blanc HS With her backpack full of her four AP classes, her physics book and Spanish assignments, Lana Abdole blended in with the seniors in the hall. But Abdole was only fifteen. When Abdole was seven, she moved from Canada to Michigan and tested out of second grade. In sixth grade, she again surprised herself by doing so well on the MEAP that she skipped into eighth grade. Abdole described her life as different but

rewarding. “I’ve always felt like I’ve been ahead in everything in life… well, except for driving!” While fifteen year olds are usually focused on getting their licenses, Abdole was working on multiple college essays and applications. The pressure from her family, friends, and teachers to do well was sometimes overwhelming. “I always have to prove myself but I know I’m capable,” said Abdole. Although nervous about venturing off to college, she said, “I’m independent enough to leave.” Abdole may be youthful in years, but once one spoke to her, the mature senior inside made herself known.

Alternative Coverage Alternative coverage Any special coverage that adds to an indepth topic.

Guidelines

Cody Jones, Forest Hills Eastern HS

• coverage adds to spread contents • content is in a form that makes it appealing as well as accessible to the reader • evidence of adequate research • Contents enhance spread coverage by adding meaningful information and/or insights • adheres to rules of good journalism including: • use of active voice •freedom from editorial content • careful editing and proofreading to elimi nate mechanical errors •correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Elisabeth robinson & Andria Carpenter Waterford Kettering 2 Piotr Miegoc Eisenhower 3 Cody Jones Forest Hills Eastern 4 Regina Garcia, Chelsea Hoyt, Ja’Quin Jones Carman-Ainsworth

A Cut Above 9

Headline Writing Headline Writing

Include at least three examples, including secondary and primary headlines. Do not submit label or one-word headlines.

Guidelines

• clever/imaginative, engaging the reader • draws reader into copy • contents of headline establishes visual/verbal connection between photos and copy • headline/subhead makes spread content clear • adheres to rules of good journalism including: avoiding label headlines; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Staff Novi 2 Staff Eisenhower 3 Courtney Stroud, Alexandria Stack, Tammy Sly Fenton 4 Sam Bartelmay & Tim Parthun New Buffalo

10 A Cut Above

Courtney Stroud, Alexandra Stack and Tammie Sly, Fenton HS

Caption Writing As talent manager for the Cat’s Eye News, senior Callie Wright helps Mrs. Abel apply her makeup. “It’s my responsibility in the broadcasting department to make sure the talent not only sounds good, but looks good as well,” Wright said. “I loved working with the teachers because we students are there every day and we love it, but it’s for a grade. It was fun to see the teachers play our parts for the day.”

A beginner at sign language, sophomore Sarah Schrock performs her new talent to a song by Scarlett Cherry. “I was nervous because it was a new experience,” Schrock said. “I was afraid to mess up the signs, even though nobody would know but me.” Schrock began learning sign language from the popular new TV series “Switched at Birth” and is also learning online. “After watching the show, I found the deaf culture interesting and wanted to know more about it,” Schrock said.

Caption Writing

Captions which have been written for three photographs, one of which must be for a minor sport.

Guidelines

• begin with strong leads, not name or title • contain at least two sentences that answer all reader’s questions without stating the obvious • evidence of adequate research which provides information that adds to reader’s understanding of event or situation • clearly identifies all people in photo with both first and last (sports captions should also identify names of players on opposing team) • adheres to rules of good journalism including: short paragraphs, effective transitions and use of active voice; freedom from editorial comment; careful editing and proofreading to eliminate mechanical errors; correct use of grammar

First place winners by division 1 Staff Novi

Catching his teammate after scoring, senior Ryan Kobylarek #17 and junior Carl Faraon celebrate the first goal of the playoff game against CC. “I didn’t even know how to react - it happened so fast,” Kobylarek said. “It set the toen for the whole game and we just kept working hard.” Kobylarek and his team went on to win the game against their cross-town rival school 3-2.

2 Jaden Henderson, Brendan Richie, Taylor Stevenson Eisenhower 3 Bailee Hall, Eric Marberger, Justine Hageman Utica 4 Jessica Wiegert, Nathan Dunlap, Cassie Ejarque Stockbridge

Staff, Novi HS

A Cut Above 11

Cover and Endsheet Design Cover and Endsheet Design

Theme selection and development. Entry should include coverdesign, endsheets, introduction, division pages and closing. Entry must include actual cover and both front and back endsheets. Do not submit stock endsheets.

Guidelines

• cover/endsheet introduces unifying concept visually/ verbally • design is fresh and contemporary • cover creates favorable impression through use of type/color/materials • book name and year appear on cover and spine • spine also includes school name, city, state and yearbook volume number • endsheets are attractive and either plain or contain illustrative/informative content with solid design

First place winners by division 1 Amanda Kadykowski Novi 2 Amanda Cowherd, Brianna Smiley, June Chang Troy 3 Annie Curle & Caitlin McBride Fenton 4 Crystal Perez New Buffalo

Amanda Cowherd, Brianna Smiley & June Chang, Troy HS

12 A Cut Above

Opening and Closing Designs Opening and Closing Designs

The introductory and closing spreads.

Guidelines

• designs are fresh and contemporary, setting them apart from standard designs but are similar to each other • photos, copy, captions, headlines and white space are arranged to help reader begin and end story of year • designs carry elements of theme concept • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines and show evidence of careful planning

First place winners by division 1 Staff Waterford Kettering 2 Lindsay Moore & Anna Sterner Eisenhower 3 Annie Curle & Caitlin McBride Fenton 4 Erin Mitrzyk, Samantha Snow, Madeline Wilson Gull Lake

Staff, Waterford Kettering HS

A Cut Above 13

Division Page Design Division Page Design

One set of all division pages in yearbook.

Guidelines

• designs are fresh and contemporary, setting them apart from standard designs but are similar to each other • photos, copy, captions, headlines and white space are arranged to introduce reader to contents of section • designs carry elements of theme concept • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines and show evidence of careful planning

First place winners by division 1 Staff Grand Blanc 2 Lindsay Moore & Anna Sterner Eisenhower 3 Caitlyn Hawkins & Olivia Clisby Utica 4 Sarah Spohn Laingsburg

Sarah Spohn, Laingsburg HS

14 A Cut Above

Student Life Spread Student Life Spread One spread from student life section.

Guidelines

Abbey Dixon, New Buffalo HS

First place winners by division 1 Staff Plymouth-Canton Educational Park 2 Amanda Cowherd & Zerilda Xaka Troy 3 Corinne Beemer & Marissa Dotson Fenton 4 Abbey Dixon New Buffalo

• designed as two-page visual unit, arrangement of photos, headline, copy, captions and white space invite reader onto spread and show careful planning • dominance is established and other elements are arranged in such a way as to lead reader’s eye around spread • adequate external margins provide frame for spread contents and are defined by at least one element on each side • photos effectively cropped, of various size, shape and content; content concentrates on action photos • no center of interest in photo is trapped in gutter; action and faces in photos do not face off spread • non-rectangular photos, tilted photos and other special treatments are used sparingly and effectively to enhance overall design • graphics and typography enhance readability and attractiveness of design • headlines has contemporary design and establishes visual/verbal connection • copy and captions are readable size and use readable font • captions touch photos to which they refer. for group or clustered captions attention has been paid to making them accessible to reader • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines

A Cut Above 15

Academic Spread Academic Spread

One spread from the academic section.

Guidelines

• designed as two-page visual unit, arrangement of photos, headline, copy, captions and white space invite reader onto spread and show careful planning • dominance is established and other elements are arranged in such a way as to lead reader’s eye around spread • adequate external margins provide frame for spread contents and are defined by at least one element on each side • photos effectively cropped, of various size, shape and content; content concentrates on action photos of students engaged in learning, not the teachers • no center of interest in photo is trapped in gutter; action and faces in photos do not face off spread • non-rectangular photos, tilted photos and other special treatments are used sparingly and effectively to enhance overall design • graphics and typography enhance readability and attractiveness of design • headlines has contemporary design and establishes visual/ verbal connection • copy and captions are readable size and use readable font • captions touch photos to which they refer. for group or clustered captions attention has been paid to making them accessible to reader • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines

Rachael Dooley & Gi Hong, Novi HS

First place winners by division 1 Rachael Dooley & Gi Hong Novi 2 Madison Amalfitano & Madeline Guzzo Troy 3 Hannah Gadola & Courtney Stroud Fenton 4 Katie Daniel New Buffalo

16 A Cut Above

People Spread People Spread

One spread from either student or faculty/administration coverage.

Guidelines

Corinne Beemer & Elle White, Fenton HS

First place winners by division 1 Meg Gaffney Novi 2 Alice Liang, Melanie Fodera, Angi Tian Troy 3 Corinne Beemer & Elle White Fenton 4 Elizabeth Southworth & Staff Northwest

• designed as two-page visual unit, arrangement of photos, headline, copy, captions and white space invite reader onto spread and show careful planning • dominance is established and other elements are arranged in such a way as to lead reader’s eye around spread • adequate external margins provide frame for spread contents and are defined by at least one element on each side • photos effectively cropped, of various size, shape and content • no center of interest in photo is trapped in gutter; action and faces in photos do not face off spread • non-rectangular photos, tilted photos and other special treatments are used sparingly and effectively to enhance overall design • graphics and typography enhance readability and attractiveness of design • headlines has contemporary design and establishes visual/verbal connection • copy and captions are readable size and use readable font • captions touch photos to which they refer. for group or clustered captions attention has been paid to making them accessible to reader • mug shots are arranged in panels with names to the outside • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines

A Cut Above 17

Organization Spread Organization Spread

One spread from the organization section.

Guidelines

• designed as two-page visual unit, arrangement of photos, headline, copy, captions and white space invite reader onto spread and show careful planning • dominance is established and other elements are arranged in such a way as to lead reader’s eye around spread • adequate external margins provide frame for spread contents and are defined by at least one element on each side • photos effectively cropped, of various size, shape and content; content concentrates on action photos • no center of interest in photo is trapped in gutter; action and faces in photos do not face off spread • non-rectangular photos, tilted photos and other special treatments are used sparingly and effectively to enhance overall design • graphics and typography enhance readability and attractiveness of design • headlines has contemporary design and establishes visual/verbal connection • copy and captions are readable size and use readable font • captions touch photos to which they refer. for group or clustered captions attention has been paid to making them accessible to reader • if group pictures are included on spread, they are not the dominant element and are arranged to blend with the overall design of the spread • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines

18 A Cut Above

Kellie Kearney, Jake Amato & Jackie Gjonaj, Eisenhower HS

First place winners by division 1 Karla Ayala, Rachael Dooley, Alyssa Ninkovich Novi 2 Kelie Kearney, Jake Amato, Jackie Gjonaj Eisenhower 3 Meghan Barry & Marissa Dotson Fenton 4 Chelsey Lang New Buffalo

Sports Spread Sports Spread

One spread from the sports section.

Guidelines

Staff, Waterford Kettering HS

First place winners by division 1 Staff Waterford Kettering 2 Christina Yan Northville 3 Meghan Berry & Cara Kaye Fenton 4 Staff Carman-Ainsworth

• designed as two-page visual unit, arrangement of photos, headline, copy, captions and white space invite reader onto spread and show careful planning • dominance is established and other elements are arranged in such a way as to lead reader’s eye around spread • adequate external margins provide frame for spread contents and are defined by at least one element on each side • photos effectively cropped, of varied size, shape and content; content concentrates on action photos • no center of interest in photo is trapped in gutter; action and faces in photos do not face off spread • non-rectangular photos, tilted photos and other special treatments are used sparingly and effectively to enhance overall design • graphics and typography enhance readability and attractiveness of design • headlines has contemporary design and establishes visual/verbal connection • copy and captions are readable size and use readable font • captions touch photos to which they refer. for group or clustered captions attention has been paid to making them accessible to reader • if team pictures are included on spread, they are not used as dominant element and are arranged to blend with overall design • if scoreboards are involved on spread, they are attractively designed to blend with the overall look of the spread and set in a readable font and size • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines

A Cut Above 19

Advertising Spread Advertising Spread One student-produced spread.

Guidelines

• spread is attractively designed with a variety of ad sizes for contrast • graphics and typography enhance readability and attractiveness of design • if features are included, they are designed to enhance the overall look of the spread and follow design guidelines • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines

First place winners by division 1 Nicole Dasich & Shannon Gronevelt Lake Orion 2 Josh Pettibone Stevenson 3 Sara Anderson Fenton 4 Staff Northwest

20 A Cut Above

Josh Pettibone, Stevenson HS

Graphics Graphics

One spread illustrating contemporary use of graphics.

Guidelines

• graphics add to spread content and design • use of graphics shows evidence of careful planning and clear purpose • while graphic use may be innovative, the staff adheres to journalistic guidelines

First place winners by division 1 Elizabeth Bogner Grand Blanc 2 Alyssa Pouliot Romeo 3 Olivia Clisby Utica

Elizabeth Bogner, Grand Blanc HS

4 Carlene Cuarto Berrien Springs

A Cut Above 21

Academic Photo Academic Photo

Photo focused on students in a learning situation either in or out of class.

Guidelines

• photo has strong storytelling content • photo has been effectively cropped to emphasize center of interest and enhance content • photo is technically strong: in focus; free from scratches, dust or fingerprints; proper contrast; not too grainy or muddy • photographer paid attention to rules of composition

First place winners by division 1 Makela Gillam Athens 2 Erin Cover Traverse City Central 3 Christina Mora Waterford Mott 4 Brittany Roberts Northwest

22 A Cut Above

Christina Mora, Waterford Mott HS

Sports Action Photo Sports Action Photo Well-cropped, in-focus photo with excellent tonal quality.

Guidelines

First place winners by division 1 Caitlyn Diroff Lake Orion 2 Scott Hardin Traverse City Central 3 Molly Warden Holly 4 Kristin Mendles Gull Lake

Molly Warden, Holly HS

A Cut Above 23

Sports Feature Photo Sports Feature Photo

Human interest photo with emphasis on people in their environment. Do not submit posed shots or portraits.

Guidelines

First place winners by division 1 Jongchan Kim Novi 2 Jess Farran Traverse City Central 3 Loreen Sarkis North Farmington 4 Sarah Spohn Laingsburg

24 A Cut Above

Loreen Sarkis, North Farmington HS

Portrait/Personality Photo Feature Presentation

An unusual feature from any section. Subject selection, writing, photography and design will be considered.

Guidelines

Alicia Mazurek & Annie Curle, Fenton HS

First place winners by division 1 Staff Eisenhower 2 Alicia Mazurek & Annie Curle Fenton 3 Katelyn McCarthy Haslett 4 Courtney Dixon New Buffalo

A Cut Above 25

Photo Illustration Photo Illustration

A photo illustration used to establish a theme or mood with the intent to enhance any type of yearbook coverage.

Guidelines

First place winners by division 1 Jongchan Kim Novi 2 Jess Farran Traverse City Central 3 Loreen Sarkis North Farmington 4 Sarah Spohn Laingsburg

26 A Cut Above

Loreen Sarkis, North Farmington HS

Club/Performance Photo Club/Performance Photo

Photos that depict students engaged in a club/ performance-related activity either in or out of school.

Guidelines

First place winners by division 1 Alicia Parikh Novi

Laine Bayle, Laingsburg HS

2 Melanie Fodera Troy 3 Olivia Weber North Farmington 4 Laine Bayle Laingsburg

A Cut Above 27

School Spirit Photo Sports Feature Photo

Photos in this category should convey the spirit and emotion evident at school-related functions. Photographs depicting team spirit should not be entered in this category.

Guidelines

First place winners by division 1 Jared Miles Grand Blanc 2 Melanie Fodera Troy 3 Hali Riggleman Waterford Mott 4 Laine Bayle Laingsburg

28 A Cut Above

Hali Riggleman, Waterford Mott HS

Feature Presentation Feature Presentation

An unusual feature from any section. Subject selection, writing, photography and design will be considered.

Guidelines WRITING

Nicole Vartabedian & Christina Yan, Northville HS

• copy has engaging angle, solid lead and meaningful student quotes that enrich story and reflect effective interviewing • captions begin with strong lead and contain at least two sentences that answer all reader’s questions and clearly identifies all people • copy and captions show evidence of adequate research • clever, engaging headline that draws reader into story and establishes visual/verbal connection • adheres to rules of good journalism including: use of active voice, freedom from editorial comment, careful editing and proofreading, correct use of grammar

DESIGN

First place winners by division 1 Elyssa Kozak Novi 2 Nicole Vartabedian & Christina Yan Northville 3 Lindsay Spagnuolo & Megan Horan Utica 4 Sarah Spohn Laingsburg

• designed as two-page visual unit, arrangement of photos, headline, copy, captions and white space invite reader onto spread and show careful planning • special treatments are used sparingly and effectively • graphics and typography enhance readability and attractiveness of design • headline has contemporary design and establishes visual/verbal connection • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines

PHOTOGRAPHY

• photos have strong storytelling content and are effectively cropped • photos are technically strong and show evidence of composition rules

A Cut Above 29

Index Index

Creative use of graphics, typography, photos and/or short features to enhance the presentation of the index.

Guidelines

• complete listing of all persons, events, clubs, activities, sports and advertisements • set in readable font and size • attractive design that adds to overall impressions

First place winners by division 1 Dalia Khader Athens 2 Jessica Moore & Carlie Wirebaugh Troy 3 Caitlyn Hawkins Utica 4 Amanda Bryant Gull Lake

30 A Cut Above

Amanda Bryant, Gull Lake High School

Theme Development Theme Development

Theme selection and development. Entry must include cover, endsheets, opening, dividers and closing.

Guidelines

• theme selection is fresh and contemporary as well as appropriate to the individual school • theme concept is introduced visually/verbally on cover • theme concept carries through visualy/verbally on endsheet, opening, dividers and closing showing careful development • photos on theme spreads relate to theme concept as part of total theme package • overall design of theme spreads is fresh and contemporary, setting them apart from other sections of the book • while designs may be innovative, they adhere to journalistic guidelines and show evidence of careful planning

First place winners by division 1 Staff Waterford Kettering 2 Anna Sterner & Lindsay Moore Eisenhower 3 Annie Curle & Caitlin McBride Fenton TIE Caitlyn Hawkins & Olivia Clisby Utica 4 Staff New Buffalo

Annie Curle & Caitlin McBride, Fenton HS

A Cut Above 31