High School Journalism Awards14 by Private Label

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Farrell Fritz joins the

Long Island Press and Hofstra University in congratulating all high school students participating in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Journalism Program.

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The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University provides students and faculty with an incredible opportunity to build upon the strengths of our nationally recognized programs and to carry forward the school’s founding vision of a comprehensive approach to the subject of human communication, ranging from the ancient art of rhetoric to the most modern social media practices. Our goal is to educate future communications leaders in both the techniques of communication practices and the deeper meaning of those practices. As early as their first year, students have access to cutting-edge technology within the school’s state-of-the-art facilities and numerous co-curricular and pre-professional activities. The school’s close proximity to New York City allows students to take full advantage of world-class internship and career opportunities. Explore the School of Communication, including the Department of Journalism, Media Studies, and Public Relations; Department of Radio, Television, Film; and Department of Rhetoric. Learn more at hofstra.edu/herbert

Hofstra University joins Long Island Press in congratulating this year’s High School Journalism Award recipients.

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5/21/14 10:54 AM

A Message from Dear High School Journalists, Family, and Teachers: As Dean of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication at Hofstra University, I am delighted that the Long Island Press is conducting its High School Journalism Program. A strong press is vital to the proper functioning of a democracy, and high school is where so many people first get a chance to hone their skills as reporters, writers, and editors for the many media that carry news today—print, broadcast, online, mobile, etc. Journalism is a challenging and rewarding field. Challenging because it is hard to root out the truth, and when you succeed there will always be some who will not thank you; rewarding because you have the power to bring injustices to light and help build a better world. Long Island is fortunate to have a tradition of great high schools, and we at Hofstra are happy that we can see many graduates of those schools here in their college years. We enjoyed working with our friends at the Long Island Press and are proud that Hofstra is hosting the event to honor the winning students and their teachers and faculty advisers. Not all high school journalists end up pursuing careers in journalism, of course—

many end up in business, law, education, medicine, and other fields. But the skills learned—how to gather information, how to sort out a complex set of facts, how to reach conclusions about what those facts mean, and how to present your conclusions to an audience—are tremendously helpful in whatever career one may eventually undertake. Hofstra’s School of Communication offers concentrations not only in journalism but in other fields such as film-making, television production, public relations, and rhetoric. Each offers a way to build on the communication skills you learn in high school, and to do so in the context of a well-rounded liberal-arts education. I hope you will look seriously at our programs and us when you are applying to college. But for now, I urge you to give your all to your work, and to your efforts as part of the Long Island Press High School Journalism Program. I look forward to meeting some of you here at Hofstra. All best wishes,

Evan Cornog, Ph.D.

Dean, The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication Hofstra University

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A Message from

It is with immense pride that I congratulate all the participants and winners of the 2014 Long Island Press High School Journalism Awards. As part of the team who spent weeks judging this year’s competition, I can honestly say that the future of journalism is alive and well here on Long Island; so well, in fact, that this year’s competition was unprecedented in its scope and quality of submissions. The contest included more than 1,250 entries from more than two dozen high schools across Long Island. Submissions ran the gamut—from colorful arts and entertainment coverage and insightful enterprise and investigative articles to emotionally moving firstperson accounts of everything from experiencing the death of loved ones to what it’s like to come face-to-face with racism. Students provided in-depth analysis of such hot-button national issues as Common Core and Obamacare to First Amendment rights and the NSA’s surveillance programs. They wrote about the environment, tackling such topics as the contamination of our drinking water supplies to energy efficiency and the importance of recycling. They wrote about government, sports, fashion. They wrote about food, technology, health, humor, the prom and war.

From breathtaking photo spreads and smart, gripping headlines to elements such as layout, flow, placement of graphics and artwork, use of pull-quotes and headlines—entrants in the design categories were likewise impressive. So were students’ video submissions, which included powerful public service announcements about homelessness, bullying and sexual acceptance, among other issues. Of course, all of these topics, no matter how far-reaching, have local consequences and ramifications, and students did an outstanding job documenting them. Their coverage of ongoing Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts to the pressures faced by teenage girls to fit society’s unhealthy interpretation of beauty added perspectives all-too-easily ignored by some local news outlets. To the students:

Each of you have chosen, or at least shown an interest in, a special path. I say “special” because journalism truly is a profession unlike any other. Despite the cameras and the headlines, the joy of breaking a major story or the thrill of seeing your name in print at the top of the page, it is far from the most glamorous. Despite the apparent effortlessness with which published words flow across your favorite newspaper, magazine or

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even website, their fluidity is really the fine-tuned result of hours, days, weeks, months, or even years of meticulous research, shoe-worn reporting and painstaking and never-ending honing of the craft. (And great editors!) Neither is journalism the most lucrative profession; for its greatest rewards are not monetary. As you have by now figured out, journalism grants the practitioner a magic pass with which the bearer can enter the lives and worlds of anyone, at any time. Journalism bestows upon the curious mind a key to unlock any door, look behind any

You are the confidantes, the investigators, the truth-diggers and the painters. You are doctors and the nurses beneath the flag and banner of the written word whose mission it is to tell the stories of those in need. You are the police and prosecutors, charged with holding those in power accountable. You are the solution, making things brighter, and better, through exposing darkness to blinding sunlight. Flip through the pages of this booklet. Acknowledge the support of your family members and friends, your fellow classmates, advisors and teachers. Read

This year’s competition was unprecedented in its scope and quality of submissions. curtain, tear away any mask. Journalism gives you the license to ask anyone, at any time, the questions that no one else will or dares to. With this access come great responsibilities, among them: a commitment to the truth, in all its forms, whatever those truths may be; the promise of never giving up until the story is complete, until you’ve spoken with every side, until you’ve researched all angles. It requires an open ear and an open heart and an open mind; compassion, courage, curiosity, a healthy dose of skepticism and a willingness to go wherever the story may take you, to follow each of its leads no matter how many times they may crisscross or bend; and a promise to do your due diligence to get the story right. This is hallowed ground, a hallowed calling.

the names of all the other students just like you, from schools throughout this Island. Remember and hold dear this place, this gathering, this moment in time, this recognition. May it sear a little corner in your mind that you can return to and seek refuge in and call upon, many, many years from now, whenever you need a tiny nudge of reassurance. Derive inspiration from these awards and know that you are not alone on your path; you are never alone. Recognize that you have a voice. And be cognizant that you also possess the rare, unique and “special” ability of giving countless others a voice, too. Congratulations.

Christopher Twarowski Editor in Chief, Long Island Press

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TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD Long Island, New York

“I commend the literary achievements of those talented students being honored today with a Long Island Press Journalism Award. Mastery of the written word will empower and inspire others. I wish you continued good fortune in all journalistic pursuits.” – Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray

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Story of the Year FIRST PLACE

Pearson Publications Probed by Pundits and Professors By Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief Pearson Education has become a leading force in education in New York, having entered a five-year, thirty-two million dollar contract with the New York State Department of Education to design state examinations for grades four through eight. The Massapequa School District also relies on Pearson for new textbooks and PowerSchool gradebook software. Massapequa educators, however, have recently called the corporation into question after discovering that large passages in its Advanced Placement (AP) Government textbooks regarding political scandals associated with the George W. Bush administration had been removed. Among the revisions made to American Government: Roots and Reform were the omission of the Abu Ghraib prisoner torture and Jack Abramoff scandals and many sections critical of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Additionally, the coverage of Hurricane Katrina and FEMA’s response to the storm, a topic previously addressed across several chapters, was only briefly mentioned in one short line and a few pictures. The new revision of the textbook, in comparison to its predecessor, has been shortened by nearly one hundred pages. “You can’t put everything about American government into one book,” AP Government teacher Mr. Daniel Bachman said, “but it’s alarming that [Hurricane Katrina], an

incident that occurred less than ten years ago which is directly related to the curriculum… has now been relegated to one sentence and two photos.” According to Mr. Bachman, the school district purchased the newer 2011 edition textbooks out of necessity: textbooks lost in Hurricane Sandy needed to be replaced and the 2009 version of Roots and Reform was no longer available for sale through Pearson. It seems as though most of the information that was removed was replaced by discussion of scandals and developments that had occurred under the Obama administration. Still, the sudden disappearance of such large amounts of information, which dealt primarily with relatively recent events, has prompted suspicions of economically and politically motivated redaction of information. Not only was Katrina was omitted, but other Bush administration blunders, such as the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and the federal implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act were barely mentioned as well. “Most textbooks are written with Texas and its state standards in mind,” AP Government teacher Ms. Suzanne Borger said, “so it is possible that in order to sell more textbooks to Texas schools, the newer edition intentionally downplayed some Bush administration blunders.”

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In fact, Hofstra University graduate social studies director Alan Singer spoke out against Pearson’s lobbying interests, citing donations that the company had made to the Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE), which was founded by George W. Bush’s brother, former Florida governor Jeb Bush; FEE is an education advocacy and lobbying group involved in writing education laws in six states. Regardless of Pearson’s suspected or actual intentions in publishing its material, Massapequa educators remain concerned about Pearson’s growing role in their profession as it acquires more publishing companies.

upside down, and teacher texts that did not match student books. In addition, the New York State English Language Arts assessment in April 2012, which was produced and administered by Pearson Education, was required to be re-evaluated after numerous complaints about meaningless passages and misleading questions, including a widely mocked story about a talking pineapple. Unlike a public entity, Pearson is not state-funded, and therefore is not legally obligated to provide a significant amount of information about its operations other than that required by its partners and the

“It is possible that in order to sell more textbooks to Texas schools, the newer edition intentionally downplayed some Bush administration blunders.” —AP Government teacher Ms. Suzanne Borger

“The number of publishers we have is now greatly diminished… so any time you have that, you tend to lose some insight into all of the facts or all the different sides of the story,” social studies Curriculum Associate Mr. Brian Dowd said.

Securities and Exchange Commission, as well as other federal and local laws and regulations for corporations. It is likewise not held to educational standards other than those stipulated in contracts it forms with state governments and municipalities.

“Pearson PLC has been buying textbook companies since the mid-90s, so essentially they’re becoming somewhat of a textbook monopoly,” Mr. Bachman added.

This trend of redactions is a possible cause for alarm due to the fact that other textbook companies could be acting similarly to Pearson; it is not implausible that major publishers are also engaging with political groups or producing tests and books with various errors and misprints.

The adverse effects of having a large, powerful and for-profit group so greatly involved in the educational process have been made apparent numerous times in the past. In October, the New York Daily News reported that New York City educators ordering materials from Pearson found numerous errors, including mismatched reading and question pairings, pages printed

After all, if one publisher can make these kinds of errors and omissions, who else may be doing the same? Despite multiple requests, Pearson Education could not be reached for comment.

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Student Journalist of the Year First place

Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo

“Somewhere in the mountain of relics that symbolize my bygone youth is an old Lois Lane comic book. On the cover, the iconic journalist—in four-color glory—clings to the ledge of a tall building, desperately watching a crime taking place in a nearby window. Instead of fear on her face, she exudes satisfaction because she is sure to return to the Daily Planet with a scoop. When I consider that comic book cover, I think of Brianne Garrett. Like Lois Lane, Brianne is talented, determined and willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. I have called her Lois Lane on several occasions and like that groundbreaking character, I expect Brianne to blaze trails as a journalist after she graduates.” —Walt Fishon, Bay Shore High School Maroon Echo’s advisor

Poverty Makes It Tough to Make Ends Meet on Long Island By Brianne Garrett “Walk a day in the shoes of another student— one who sits in the desk to the left, or uses the locker across the hallway—and you might encounter significant differences between his/ her life and your own. Although as students we share the same school and the same town, some of us are faced with the burden of living in poverty.

have called for regionalizing the FPL (Federal Poverty Level) so that it reflects local costsof-living,” said Richard Koubek, community outreach coordinator with Long Island Jobs With Justice, who added the federal definition of poverty is about $23,000 for a family of four. “If this were done for Long Island, our true poverty level would be 200 percent of the FBL, or $47,700.”

In fact, the chance of encountering a person on Long Island who is living in poverty is higher than what one may think. According to the Welfare to Work Commission of the Suffolk County Legislature, 20 percent of Suffolk County residents are living in poverty.

Long Island is among the 10 wealthiest suburbs in the United States, with a median family income of $94,000 a year for a family of four. However, this number fails to take into account the working class of suburban areas.

“Commission and numerous academic studies

It’s not rocket science to understand that

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people that fall into the category of being impoverished must adjust their standards of living in order to sustain the needs of themselves and their family. But the true magnitude of the situation lies in the fact that Suffolk County’s poverty level for a family of four is $47,000 in a county where $75,000 is considered enough for a family of four to pay for basic needs, according to the Commission’s research. Standing these numbers side by side would entail that the average family of four living in poverty in Suffolk County makes $27,300 less than what is considered to be sustainable.

Affluence, displayed by Long Island’s influx of large-house and high-quality school districts, is arguably the biggest problem for impoverished Long Islanders. Long Island homes, in particular, are among the most expensive in the nation.

“Our median family income for a family of four is twice the national family median income,” said Koubek, “and so there is an assumption and presumption that all Long Islanders are comfortably middle class or affluent.”

The vulnerability of Long Island to increasing poverty is unprecedented—with factors such as racial segregation, unaffordable housing, and the disappearance of mid-level wage jobs

“Housing is now 30 percent of what you make—if you’re poor it’s 50 percent of what you’re making,” said Lawrence Levy, executive dean at Hofstra University. “Even in some of the poorest areas of Long Island, the cost of a house there would buy you a luxury home in many other parts of the country.”

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CONSIDER THIS

high on the long list of contributors.

The Economic Policy Institute found that the annual family budget for a four-person family in the Nassau/Suffolk region should be in the area of about $85,000 a year. This would cover housing, food, child care, transportation, health needs, taxes and other necessities. The federal definition of poverty, though, is $20,050 annual. A person making minimum wage at $7.25 an hour would only make $15,080 a year—and that’s before taxes.

If I were to walk in the shoes of a person who fits into this category, my lifestyle would change drastically. If I were to be living in a household consisting of a family of four meeting the definition of someone in poverty, my family and I would be earning under $50,000 a year, a number arguably not enough to make ends meet.

Living in poverty as a high school student would entail having to take time out of my academic life in school to support my family, in some cases. In other cases, it would mean sacrificing personal desires and activities for the sake of saving money for my family. The United States Department of Agriculture states that childcare and education costs come in second to housing in terms of overall expenditures. Extracurricular costs such as sports and class trips can certainly increase the heavy load for parents who already make tens of thousands less than what’s needs to make ends meet. “Living in poverty affects our students on several different levels, not only is there a lack of access to basic school supplies, computer access, and often the nutritional healthy diet that enhances academic performance,” said Katie Kelly, school social worker, “but also if students want to be involved in clubs, sports or other extracurricular activities, they find themselves lacking the necessary resources to do so.” In a battle between school and finances, more than likely school would lose—failing to hold its balance to the strong influence of money’s punch. Living as an impoverished high school student, suddenly doing homework and passing my rigorous classes

would perhaps seem trivial compared to worrying about my next meal. Focusing on studying for SAT/ ACT exams would be demanding alongside my desire to gain a better life and situation for my family. “School is based on social acceptance,” said Kelly. “Unfortunately in society, a student who appears poor is sometimes judged, which obviously will affect their confidence and motivation to learn. Additionally, students who don’t have support at home or who may need to help out at home or work themselves will not have the same time to dedicate to academics.” Living in this situation would undoubtedly be difficult and strenuous—especially going through it as a 17-year-old student. The load of schoolworkis tough enough, and adding the burden of living in poverty is almost like exceeding maximum capacity on a scale. Though I am not faced with having to live on Long Island on or below what is considered to be the true poverty level of Long Island, I imagine I would have to create a balance between supporting my family and supporting my future— a balance that tens of thousands of Suffolk County students are currently faced with. “It’s a[ll] related in a sense, because it’s getting the skills to be able to get a job that can get you out of poverty,” said Levy. “If you grew up as a child in a house where there were no role models in terms of people succeeding in the workplace, or even knew how to do homework, it’s really hard to expect kids like that to go much beyond what their parents did. So it’s the availability of the kinds of education, skills training, and role models that’s needed to get out of poverty.”

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In-Depth Reporting FIRST PLACE

Wait, Like, You Totes Sound Like a Kardashian By Melissa Holzberg Commack High School, The Courant

That raspy growl crackles from televisions across America. It sneaks out during everyday conversation and has teachers rolling their eyes. Vocal frying, or glottal frying, has become the way for teenage girls to sound like their favorite reality show stars—the Kardashians. “Vocal frying is a social phenomenon. It’s becoming increasingly normal. But really, it’s a very harsh sound that’s abrasive to the ear,” said ear, neck and throat specialist Dr. Reena Gupta. Two-thirds of all women aged 18 to 25 engage in vocal frying, according to researchers at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University. Vocal frying can hurt women’s voices as well as their chances of finding employment. “Students will have a tough time finding a job if they use vocal fry. It can be viewed as unprofessional and depending on the type of job, a company may be hesitant to hire someone with this speech pattern,” said Olivia Law-DelRosse, director of personal advantage at Kansas State University. Teenage girls have long been mocked for the way they speak. While “uptalk” used to rule their vocabulary, the trend of making sentences into questions, is like, totally, like, yesterday’s news.

Vocal frying is caused by reducing the amount of air being released when a person speaks. Often, a girl’s voice will trail off at the end of a sentence. This results in a lower octave and elongated words. “You’re wearing your vocal cords down….It’s like limping all day and then trying to run a 50-yard dash. You’re not going to be able to do it,” said Gupta. Younger and younger women have begun seeing ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists, who realize that these women are engaging in vocal fry, according to Gupta. Very rarely do these women even notice they’re doing it. According to speech pathologists at The Voice Foundation in Philadelphia, PA, only a quarter of women are aware of glottal fry. This buzzing voice emanates from Kim, Khloe and Kourtney wherever there’s a television screen or radio. However, when young women try to copy it, they’re sending the message that they aren’t ready to be taken seriously and they are not genuine. “The general population is going to hear that glottal fry and associate it with insecurity, or take it as that girl doesn’t care. It’s a perception of a lackadaisical personality, “said speech pathologist and voice specialist Stephanie Fort.

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Career management and recruiter based in Chicago, Colleen Eddy, states that those who try to sound like people on TV or in the news are perceived as “affected.”

speaking voice,” said Gupta.

According to a 2012 study by Quantified Impressions, an Austin, Texas communications analytics company, the sound of a speaker’s voice is twice as “People have to be genuine and be able to communicate in a way that is easily accessible important as the content. to their audience,” said Eddy. “We are hard-wired to judge people. You hear somebody speak, and the first thing Young women are most impressionable to you do is form an opinion about them,” said their surroundings between the ages of 11 Lynda Stucky, president of ClearlySpeaking, and 18. While this is almost always put into context of girls developing eating disorders or in a 2013 Washington Post article. wanting plastic surgery, rarely do parents take A weak, raspy voice provides a negative the time to develop a young woman’s voice. connotation while a strong, supported voice portrays success and intelligence. “Your voice is the initial perception someone has of you. [Vocal fry is] While it doesn’t seem that creating this comparable to saying ‘like’ or ‘um’ in your Continued on page 18 speech. People want to hear a smooth

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“We are hard-wired to judge people. You hear somebody speak, and the first thing you do is form an opinion about them.” —Lynda Stucky, president of ClearlySpeaking

Kardashian voice would be detrimental, the permanent side effects are too real to ignore. “I want to make sure that they don’t develop vocal masses, polyps, or in some cases vocal scarring which is irreversible and can leave someone with a permanent raspy voice,” Gupta said. Fort agrees. “I can see this definitely causing muscle tension in these girls’ vocal chords. It’s what [speech pathologists] try to help correct.” Speech therapy is the first and most common treatment option for women who have begun to show signs of vocal fry. Today, many singers, teachers and broadcasters go to speech therapy to rid their voice of impediments. “Can you imagine interviewing for a broadcast job with a TV news director and throwing in a vocal fry for emphasis?” said director of career services at the Medill Journalism Institute, James O’Brien. “Or, you are interviewing with an online editor who will be sending you to interview folks for news stories. Will she wonder if you’ll try the vocal fry stuff with sources?” However that’s not to say that it is a shameful thing to love watching the Kardashian shows or to follow them on the internet. Many viewers look to the Kardashians as businesswomen and turned it into an enterprise. Voices aside, these women can be looked at as admirable for their sense of the Hollywood industry and its trend that keeps

them at the top of the reality television ladder. The Kardashians, Britneys and Ke$has are capable of reaching young women on a level that parents and teachers cannot. These influences flow through the ear buds of their iPods, scream from the speakers of televisions and are pasted on the covers of newspapers and magazines. “[This voice] may be cool in the entertainment world, but there is no place for it in the serious business of communications,” said O’Brien. Arielle Matza, a 22-year-old graduate from Vanderbilt University, hopes to one day enter the world of entertainment law; a seriously competitive job market. “I definitely know that girls might not get a job because of their so-called “annoying” voices. Before I go on an interview, I tell myself to speak clearly, slowly and to not use fillers,” Matza said. “I want to be remembered for what my credentials are, not for what my voice sounds like.” Teenage girls are notorious for seeking out the next big thing to put them ahead of their peers. Living in the virtual world is dangerous but a non-option today. While reality television stars and auto-tuned pop stars will continue to influence adolescents, vocal frying will be considered “cool” or “cute” only until a new trend comes along and these girls are stuck with their growls.

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CROWN TROPHY REPRESENTS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, QUALITY PRODUCTS AND A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.

Beverly Fortune, Associate Publisher, presents Theresa Regnante, CEO of the United Way with the 2013 LI Press Community Leadership Award at the LI Press Power Party at the Crescent Beach Club.

CROWN TROPHY OWNERS RON AND CLAUDIA SHAPIRO HAVE BEEN MAKING MEMORIES FOR THOUSANDS OF LONG ISLANDERS FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS! SCHOOL & SPORTS AWARDS CORPORATE RECOGNITION ON-SITE ENGRAVING ENGR

808 JERICHO TURNPIKE NEW HYDE PARK, NY, 11040 516-775-5755 John Cameron of Cameron & Associates, the recipient of the 2013 Business Enterprise Award, and award presenter, Amy Newman of Canon USA.

MON - FRI 9:30 TO 5:30 SAT 9:30 TO 1:00

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Aura Diaz Award for First-Person NARRATIVE In honor of the 16-year-old mother from Brentwood murdered in 2005

FIRST PLACE

Movement for LGBT Rights Hits Home By Emily Kulesa Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause

When I was 13, I ended my involvement with the church as an altar server. The reason for my resignation from a post I had held for years was my objection to a homophobic sermon my priest gave while I was on the altar. This one act of defiance was not the only time I passionately articulated my support of LGBT rights; in fact, I have been advocating for LGBT rights for as long as I can remember. I have signed up to be a volunteer with the local Long Island LGBT organization and took a lead role in the “Use Another Word” campaign two years ago. I have had the courage to stand up to relatives who fervently disagree with me on the subject. In all of these scenarios, I’ve been asked, “How could you believe this?” and “Why are you so passionate about something that doesn’t even involve you?” That’s when I tell my story. If there was any person who I could say had the biggest effect on me during my first five years of life, it was my mother’s best friend, Joey. I was an only child, but when Joey was around I felt like he was the brother I never had. His spirit was contagious. You knew when Joey walked in the room, greeting you with his loud boisterous “Hello!” It seemed

impossible for anyone to be sad around him for long, and I don’t remember anyone ever disliking him; no one could dislike the man who always brought family parties to life. We all loved him. My mom tells me the story of how he borrowed her wedding dress to be Glinda the Good Witch for a Halloween party. With the biggest smile on her face, my Cio Cio (aunt) Eileen has told me tales of their crazy and wildly fun parties together. Some of my earliest memories involve the uncontrollable laughter that plagued me whenever I was in his presence. I was Joey’s little princess, and to me that seemed like the greatest thing in the world. Any photograph I find of him and me looks like it could be an advertisement for a clothing line or the newest family product. He would be standing there with his infectious smile, and me, looking up at him with adoration. I saw him as my friend, possibly even my best friend, but Joey was different than most of the male figures in my life. Joey was gay. My mom never had to sit me down to tell me about Joey; I just kind of knew it. He was in a committed relationship with a man named Bob. They lived in a house down the road from my cousin Kate, and I always remember seeing them outside together,

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whether it was doing yard work or sitting on lawn chairs with a chilled drink in their hands. No matter what they were doing, they always seemed to be in love with each other. Their relationship, like anyone else’s, wasn’t perfect, but 5-year-old me believed that theirs was the closest that anyone could get to it. Everyone always told me Joey would be my biggest fan and advocate as I grew up. I wish that could have been possible. My last memory of Joey is from 1999. My mom sat me down and told me that Joey was very sick and couldn’t leave his bed; he wanted me to come visit him. She asked if I was okay with this, to which I replied, “Of course.” Joey had visited me when I was sick, why wouldn’t I visit him? Bob answered the door. He wasn’t happy like he usually was. He looked as if he had been crying. I ran into Joey’s room hoping to see the bubbly, excited man that always greeted me; instead I saw only a shell of what he once was. His muscular physique was now skin and bone. His face was sullen, like he was on the brink of death. His smile was the only thing that remained. He called me over to him and took my hand. He tried to speak but could only manage a whisper. His last words to me were: “I love you, my little Emily.” A few weeks later, Joey passed away due to complications from Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or, AIDS. When I first began to hear people discuss homosexuality in a derogatory or prejudicial way, I remembered the man that Joey was and the beautiful relationship he had with Bob. When my priest talked about homosexuality as being unnatural, I just

couldn’t understand, because I never saw Joey and Bob’s relationship as being anything but natural. When “family rights groups” proclaimed that same-sex parents weren’t able to properly raise children, I was perplexed, because Joey was such a pivotal character in my developmental years, and as a hardworking, high-achieving student who gained an unconditional offer to her dream school and actively volunteers to help those less fortunate, I think I turned out alright. I couldn’t understand why anyone would try to marginalize a group of ordinary people simply because their sexual orientation was different from their own. I knew from my experience that just because someone was gay didn’t mean there was something wrong with him. I saw firsthand that love is love, no matter who the person you love is. At this point, people usually grow quiet. I don’t think they know how to react to a person who at such a young age saw someone she loved die of the most awful disease imaginable, but they realize my point. Joey was like any other person in the world. It was Joey’s influence and early departure from my life that drove me to get involved with the LGBT movement. Many people will never understand my opinion on LGBT rights, but if my story can change even one person’s view, I’ve done my part to make a difference. If Joey was still here today, I hope he would be proud of me and the person I have become. While I lost a person who I could talk to about friends, boys and school problems, I gained something I wouldn’t trade for the world. I gained the gift of understanding different lifestyles and the passion to join the cause to ensure that all people are treated equally, no exceptions. And for that I am eternally grateful to the boisterous, uplifting man I had the privilege to call my friend.

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Advisor of the Year “I am delighted by the work the students produce because it truly comes from the heart—they come up with the stories, conduct the interviews, edit each other’s work, decide how the stories play in the paper and layout the pages. The paper is theirs from start to finish, and they create it with pride, knowing that their work will influence others’ lives.” First Place Walt Fishon, Advisor of Maroon Echo, Bay Shore High School

“Whether it’s through her advice on writing or the way she is able to handle any issue that comes up in a calm and kind manner, Mrs. Coyle is always teaching us how to be a better and more efficient staff... The Chief would not be where it is today without all the hard work of Mrs. Coyle.” Second Place Elyn Coyle, Advisor of The Chief, Massapequa High School

“The High School Journalism program has been such an asset to my journalism students throughout the years. We always look forward to taking advantage of all the program has to offer… Many of my former students have gone on to college internships at the LI Press.” Third Place Christina Semple, Advisor of The Courant, Commack High School

“I spend wonderful moments advising an incredible group of young people in creating a newspaper that makes our school proud. I am personally proud to be able to maintain this position because I have witnessed the wonder of student development and passion with a purpose.” Honorable Mention Jodi Kahn, Advisor of Guide Post, Great Neck North High School

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Best CARTOON/ SCHOOL ILLUSTRATION

From top: First Place, Nicholas Dahill, East Islip High School, The Broadcaster, “The Reaping: SADD Facing Grim Decisions;”Second Place, Priyanka Algu, New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot, “Red Ink for Red Skins;” Third Place, Casey Leach, Bellport High School, The Clipper, “Snowman Crossing”

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Best Political Cartoon

From top: First Place, Fabio Rivera, W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard, “The Debate;” Second Place, Hayley Zirkel, W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard, “Sanctions;” Jack Burke, Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause, “Media Programs Young Minds to Unrealistic Standards”

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Best News Illustration

From top: First Place, Binita Shah, W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard, “Clubs at Clarke;” Second Place, Anne Flamio & Nick Dahill, East Islip High School, The Broadcaster, “Keepin’ it Real, Keepin’ it Green;” Third Place, Julianna Gortakowski, Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo, “Computer Science”

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Best Original Illustration

From Top: First Place, Kenneth Lau, Kelly Louie, and April Todaro, W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard, “Summer Movie Preview;” Second Place, Nicholas Colonna, Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo, “Java Jolt!;” Third Place, Joelle Benigo, ShorehamWading River High School, Wildcat Pause, “Christmas Cheer or Family Feud?”

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“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

Congratulations to this year’s High School Journalism Students magazine Celebrating the connection between family, friends and the community Subscribe for free at MilieuLI.com

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2014 High school journalism Awards NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

1. Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo 2. Massapequa High School, The Chief 3. W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard Honorable Mention Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause

STUDENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR

1. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo 2. Rebecca Spina Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats 3. Renjini Antony New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot Honorable Mention Melissa Holzberg Commack High School, The Courant

STORY OF THE YEAR

1. Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Pearson Publications Probed by Pundits and Professors” 2. Melissa Holzberg Commack High School, The Courant “Wait, Like, You Totes Sound Like A Kardashian” 3. Jenna Rudolfsky Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “Are Exams Way Off Base?”

ADVISOR OF THE YEAR

1. Walt Fishon Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo

2. Elyn Coyle Massapequa High School, The Chief 3. Christina Semple Commack High School, The Courant Honorable Mention Jodi Kahn Great Neck North High School, Guide Post

REPORTING & WRITING AWARDS ARTS FEATURE

1. Haley Zirkel and Siddesh Ramesh W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “5 Pointz” 2. Antoine Blythe Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Despite Box Office Draw, Women Lacking in Film” 3. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Television is a Woman’s World”

ARTS REVIEW THEATER

1. Sam Newman Jericho High School, JerECHO “Let’s Murder Marsha is a Killer” 2. Kennedy Rose Bellport High, The Clipper “Singing in the Rain” 3. Katie Lucey Massapequa High School, The Chief “Chilly Town with Warm Hearts: Reviewing ‘Almost Maine’”

ARTS REVIEW VIDEO GAMES

1. Gregory Kothesakis New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Having A Grand Old Time in Los Santos”

2. Hayley Zirkel W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Gotta Catch ‘Em All” 3. Kevin J. McCann North Shore High School, The Viking View “Video Games and Violence: Is There a Connection?”

ARTS REVIEW BOOK REVIEW

1. Brianna Paoli Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “Stealing the Heart of Readers” 2. Mikaela Adwar Jericho High School, JerECHO “’My Beloved World’ Review” 3. Catherine Darcy Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “YA novel ‘Divergent’ Worthy Entertainment”

ARTS REVIEWLOCAL MUSIC

1. Rebecca Spina Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “The best band you never heard of: Corey Balsamo” 2. Sam Newman Jericho High School, JerECHO “Jericho’s Noteworthy Perform at Carnegie Hall” 3. Ana Guitierrez Lynbrook High School, Horizon “LHS Orchestra’s Rock and Pop Concert”

ARTS REVIEWNATIONAL MUSIC 1. Rebecca Spina Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “Best band You Never heard of: This Century” 2. Rebecca Spina Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats

“Best band You Never heard of: Jesse Ruben” 3. Maggie Colbert Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “VMA-mazed”

ARTS REVIEW ALBUM

1. Taylor Kang Jericho High School, JerECHO “The Next Day” David Bowie Album Review 2. Renjini Antony New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Not So Basic” 3. Kennedy Rose Bellport High School, The Clipper “The Second Law, by Muse”

ARTS REVIEW FILM

1. Jeff Horowitz Massapequa High School, The Chief “Frozen has Disney’s Warm Touch” 2. Tyler Baron New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Russell’s Hustle for the Oscars” 3. Muhammad Muzammal W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “A Rousing Adventure”

ARTS REVIEW TELEVISION

1. Kevin McCann North Shore High School, The Viking View “Giving It All She’s Got: Star Trek’s Importance” 2. Alexus Haddad Half Hollow Hills High School East, Thunderbird “Series Review: The Originals” 3. Collin Giuliani Half Hollow Hills High School East, Thunderbird “Grading The Grammys”

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Congratulations to all of this year’s winners

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1. Ana Borruto Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Teen Readers say ‘YA!’ to YA Lit”

2. Renjini Antony New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “The New Prince of Late Night” 3. Eric Mastrota North Shore High School, The Viking View “Oh, Lorde”

AURA DIAZ AWARD FOR FIRST-PERSON NARRATIVE

1. Emily Kulesa Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Movement for LGBT Rights Hits Home” 2. Sharon Tasnim Ahmed Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “The Time Has Come to Proudly Call My Name” 3. Lyla Dale Babylon High School, PantherTales.org “Resiliency: The Key to Success”

BUSINESS REPORTING

1. Andrea Paredes Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Mall Facelift Brings Eateries” 2. Siddesh Ramesh W.T. Clark High School, Vanguard “Hyperloop” 3. Joe Fiola Massapequa High School, The Chief “Amazon Unveils Dronebased Shipping Service, Seeks to Overcome FAA Hurdle”

COLUMN SCHOOL

1. Daniel Bar-Lavi Great Neck North High School, Guide Post “Danalysis: The Rambling Man” 2. Benjamin Senzer Syosset High School, The Pulse “Student Government #3” 3. Catherine Sangiovanni Commack High School, The Courant “Unproductive Testing”

COLUMN GENERAL

1. Liz Cazan W.T.Clarke High School, Vanguard “Crossing the Red Line” 2. Maggie Colbert Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “VMA-mazed” 3. Kate Kozuch Roslyn High School, Hilltop Beacon “What the Fashion?”

COMMENTARY/ CRITICISM 1. Kennedy Rose Bellport High School, The Clipper “55 Is Unfair”

2. Noelia Vazquez East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “Squeezing Into Society’s Views” 3. Eric Mastrota North Shore High School, The Viking View “Urban Outrage”

ANDREA REBELLO COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD 1. Giulia Milana and Marti-Rose Shanker Jericho High School, JerECHO “Making A Difference One Tweet At A Time”

2. Joe Fiola Massapequa High School, The Chief “Rising From The Rubble, Massapequa Breathes” 3. Madison Flotteron Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Community Drives Increase To Help Those In Need”

BREAKING NEWS 1. Asad Marghoob Half Hollow Hills High School West, The Roundup “Carbon Monoxide Poisoning at Legal Seafood”

2. Laura Pugliese Smithtown High School East, The Matador “Syria: Crisis In The Middle East”

EDITORIAL

1. Meghana Rao, Nelson Gomez, Matt Colozzo Massapequa High School, The Chief “Blood drive ban on gays discriminatory, wrong” 2. Vanguard Editorial Staff W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Trouble for Tsarnaev” 3. Joe Zappa Massapequa High School, The Chief “In defense of the printed word in a growing digital world”

EDITORIAL NATIONAL/ INTERNATIONAL

1. Jessica Miller Shoreham/Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “War on terror starts in our own backyard” 2. Anne Flamio East Islip High School, The Broadcaster

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“Accepting All Colors of the Rainbow” 3. Jessica Vestuto Smithtown High School East, The Matador “The Power of American Resolve”

EDITORIAL GENERAL

1. Nelson Gomez and Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Social NOT-working: The Facebook Dilemma” 2. Arman Nasim W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Miss America?” 3. Joe Fiola Massapequa High School, The Chief “Rising from the Rubble, Massapequa Breathes”

EDUCATIONNATIONAL ISSUES 1. John Mirabito Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Sciences, math see greater push from government”

2. Anthony Romano Massapequa High School, The Chief “Common app glitch delays deadline, irritates seniors” 3. Alejandro Serrano and Lizzy Volavka Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Financial struggles making the future not so bright”

EDUCATION LOCAL ISSUES

1. Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Pearson Publications probed by pundits and professors” 2. Bryan Burrowes, Chris Condon, Nicole Horn & Chris Tursellino

2014 High school journalism Awards Eastport-South Manor Junior-Senior High School, Shark Bites “Educators Rally at School Forum”

“Hybrids, Electric Cars fail to fully fix environmental drawbacks”

Give Inspiration for the Future”

3. Gregory Quist Southold High School, Sentinel “Gamberg Stars on Two Teams”

FASHION FEATURE

1. Sammi Stein Jericho High School, JerECHO “Food on Instagram”

ENERGY REPORTING

2. Amy Kandora Southold High School, Sentinel “Fashion at the Lost and Found”

1. Lindsay Dieumegard Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Team of engineers to descend on schools in quest for energy efficiency” 2. Gabrielle Farb North Shore High School, The Viking View “An Unbelievable Plan”

ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE

1. Amanda Blum Half Hollow Hills High School East, Thunderbird “Not So Electric Zoo” 2. Kevin J. McCann North Shore High School, Viking View “Video Games and Violence: Is There a Connection?” 3. Joaquin Contreras Oyster Bay High School, The Harbour Voice “1994: Film’s Greatest Year”

ENVIRONMENTAL STORY 1. Jill Hand Massapequa High School, The Chief “Is Massapequa Water Contaminated?” 2. Drew Cohen and Evan Silvera Jericho High School, JerECHO “5,745,000 Paper Copies a Year at JHS” 3. Jeff Horowitz Massapequa High School, The Chief

FOOD COMMENTARY

1. Jordan Williams New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Stephanie’s Style”

3. Ryan Dalo Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Retro Fashion Brings New Life to the Halls”

FEATURE GENERAL

1. Larry Burnham East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “College Concerns from A-Z” 2. Tali Zingman Lynbrook High School, Horizon “An Insider’s Look at Teenagers in the Israeli Army” 3. Kelly Granzen Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Hourglass Figure Takes Time out of Body”

FEATURE - LOCAL 1. Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “An Unexpected Farewell: Reflecting on the Death of Coach K”

2. Matt Colozzo Massapequa High School, The Chief “Definition of a Fighter: A personal goodbye to Jake Brice” 3. Jessica Vestuto Smithtown High School East, The Matador “Voices of the Past

2. Giavanna Verdi and Tom Kirby Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Ice Cream Review” 3. Anna Tobin and Judy Mermelstein Commack High School, The Courant “Taco Time!”

FOODRESTAURANT REVIEW

1. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “A Little Taste of Peru” 2. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Diners offer more than just breakfast” 3. Millena Skugar New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Burgers Bare it All”

FORMAT BUSTER

1. Binita Shah W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Clubs at Clarke” 2. Siddesh Ramesh and Hayley Zirkel W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard ‘5 Pointz” 3. Aubri Juhasz Oyster Bay High School, The Harbour Voice “A Message from the Editor”

FIRST AMENDMENT/ FREEDOM OF SPEECH AWARD

1. Carolyn Rogers Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “School Involvement Law Creates Controversial Decisions” 2. Rohit Bachani W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Privacy Please?”

GOVERNMENTLOCAL

1. Nicole Lamanna North Shore High School, Viking View “Stop... In the Name of Safety” 2. Emily Feigenbaum Half Hollow Hills High School West, The Roundup “Is Christie’s Campaign ‘Water Under the Bridge?’”

GOVERNMENT NATIONAL

1. Siddesh Ramesh W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “A Game of Duplicity” 2. Fatima Ouedraogo Half Hollow Hills High School East, Thunderbird “Government Shutdown” 3. Emma La Reddola Commack High School, The Courant “The Truth Behind ‘Obamacare’”

HEADLINE ENTERTAINMENT 1. Maroon Echo Staff/ Andrea Paredes Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Unbe-weave-able: The Hair-Rising Story Behind Extensions”

2. Sam Newman Jericho High School, JerECHO “Let’s Murder Marsha is a Killer” 3. Melissa Holzberg Commack High School,

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Congratulations to all of this year’s winners The Courant “Wait, like, you totes sound like a Kardashian”

HEADLINE EDITORIAL

1. Harvinder Bassi New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “A Syri-US Issue” 2. Catherine Sangioranni Commack High School, The Courant “Smoking Hot Trend” 3. Armon Nasim W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Miss America?”

HEADLINE FEATURE

1. Vincent Coghill Massapequa High School, The Chief “Winter Blunderland: Snow days cut into school vacations” 2. Giavanna Verdi Shoreham/Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “A Declassified Prom Survival Guide” 3. Alyssa Goodman Half Follow Hills Hugh School West, The Roundup “No Shave November For Girls! Let it Grow! Let it Grow!”

HUMOR

1. Rachel Hoffman and Lauren Goldstein Jericho High School, JerECHO “Future College Roommate is a Robot” 2. Mia Trentadue Smithtown High School East, The Matador “College Roommates for Dummies” 3. Dan Stahl Southold High School, Sentinel “Yellow Jackets”

“Mirror, Mirror”

HURRICANE SANDY RECOVERY 1. Molly Schiff Lynbrook High School, Horizon “One Year Anniversary of Sandy: Lessons to be Learned” 2. Maddy Gottlieb Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “Lending a Hand” 3. Joe Fiola Massapequa High School, The Chief “Rising from the Rubble, Massapequa Breathes”

IN-DEPTH REPORTING

1. Melissa Holzberg Commack High School, The Courant “Wait, like, you totes sound like a Kardashian” 2. Meghana Rao, Nelson Gomez and Matt Colozzo Massapequa High School, The Chief “Blood drive ban on gays discriminatory, wrong” 3. Nelson Gomez and Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Plan B and FDA decision: what students should know”

INFORMATIONAL FEATURE 1. Nelson Gomez and Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Plan B and FDA decision: what students should know” 2. Margaret Colbert Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Poverty gains prevalence in suburbia” 3. Samantha Galina Commack High School, The Courant

INVESTIGATIVE/ ENTERPRISE REPORTING AWARD 1. Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Pearson Publications probed by Pundits and Politicians”

2. Kathleen Konfino Commack High School, The Courant “Watch Your Back: Theft on the Rise” 3. Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Race Reality: how society, not biology, created race”

MEDIA COLUMN

1. Claudi Ruiz North Shore High School, The Viking View “The Wrong Path” 2. Nicole Lamanna North Shore High School, The Viking View “Hope For Humanity”

NEWS STORY

1. Jenna Rudolfsky Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “Are Exams Way Off Base?” 2. Rachel Hoffman, Alanna Levine, and Taylor Kang Jericho High School, JerECHO “Molly on the rise”

Picture” 2. Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Race Reality: How Society, not Biology, Created Race” 3. Liz Cazan W.T. Clark High School, Vanguard “The Real Problem”

OPINIONNATIONAL

1. Rachel Stearns Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Crayons, Ovaltine and an AR-15?” 2. Jane Murray Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Embracing Change” 3. TJ Buttgereit W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Tagging Liberty”

OPINION- POP CULTURE

1. Rebecca Spina Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “A grave face” 2. Julie Fishbach Roslyn High School, Hilltop Beacon “Role Models in Today’s Society” 3. Paige Sokoloff Smithtown High School East, The Matador “The Cyrus Saga”

3. Catherine Darcy Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Budget cuts force clubs, sports cuts”

OPINION PIECESCHOOL

OPINIONGENERAL

2. Aubri Juhasz Oyster Bay High School, The Harbour Voice “Minding Your P’s and Q’s”

1. Melissa Holzberg Commack High School, The Courant “Worth More than a

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1. Navi Arneja W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Waking Up Asleep”

3. Jessica Miller

2014 High school journalism Awards Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Natural Helpers doing more harm than good”

POLITICAL/ NATIONAL FEATURE

1. Muhammad Muzammal W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Violence in America: An Incurable Disease” 2. Matthew Wigler Great Neck North High School, Guide Post “Wigged Out: Down to the Core of the Common Core” 3. Ryan Mazzie Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Military an option for those financially strapped”

PROFILE

1. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Goodbye, gentle giant” 2. Christina Panouis and Ciara Gallagher New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Ken-ya Make a Change?” 3. Tayler Bradford North Shore High School, The Viking View “A Girl to Admire and Learn From”

Q&A SCHOOL

1. Bryan Burrowes, Chris Condon, Nicole Horn and Chris Tursellino Eastport-South Manor Junior-Senior High School, Shark Bites “A Conversation with Dr. King” 2. Arman Nasim W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Eureka: The True Story

of a Young Scientist” 3. Jessica Caruso Smithtown High School East, The Matador “Jaclyn Gallery: East’s Fastest Freshman”

REVIEW/ CRITICISM

1. Navi Arneja W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “A Force of Expression” 2. Samantha Calzone East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “I Wrote This For You”

RELIGION/ MULTICULTURAL 1. Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Race Reality: How Society, not Biology, Created Race”

Sayville High School, The Current “Mindfulness Battles Stress at Sayville High School”

School East, Thunderbird “Football (Anti) Fanatics... The Lack of Support for the HSE Football Team”

SCHOOL NEWS

SCIENCE/HEALTH

1. Frankie Tomasso Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Lynbrook Goes ‘All In’ for Class Night” 2. Meg Tohill East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “The Reaping: SADD Fighting Grim Decisions” 3. Melissa Holzberg and Kathleen Konfino Commack High School, The Courant “Beat the best, become the best”

SCHOOL SPIRIT

2. Carolyn Rogers Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Peaceful Religion Corrupted for Politics and War” 3. Lyla Dale Babylon Jr./Sr. High School, PantherTales.org “Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.”

SCHOOL-FEATURE 1. Julia Hutchinson Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Students struggle for the high school experience”

2. Renjini Antony New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Running More Than the Classroom”

1. Paige Sokoloff Smithtown High School East, The Matador “Attention: Enthusiastic, Fun-Loving Livestock Wanted” 2. The Courant Editorial Staff Commack High School, The Courant “School Spirit Back with #Mack” 3. Shannon Quinn Southold High School, Sentinel “A Measure of Spirit”

SCHOOL CULTURE REPORTING 1. Alanna Levine & Rachel Hoffman Jericho High School, JerECHO “Choreo 2014: A Dance to Remember”

3. Dan Walocha Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Nick Kardasis, the Jolly Janitor”

2. Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Race reality: how society, not biology, created race”

Honorable Mention Samantha Peterson

3. Collin Giuliani Half Hollow Hills High

1. Matthew Gillam Half Hollow Hills High School East, Thunderbird “Bionic Man Visits HSE” 2. Danielle Ajodan and Won Jung Great Neck North High School, Guide Post “The Power of Protein” 3. Maggie Colbert Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Keep Calm and Veg On”

SOCIAL COMMENTARY SCHOOL 1. Kennedy Rose Bellport High School, The Clipper “55 is Unfair”

2. Isabella Alessandrini North Shore High School, The Viking View “GPA = Giant Pressure to Succeed” 3. Stephanie Zelenetz North Shore High School, The Viking View “The Syrian Question”

SOCIAL COMMENTARYGENERAL

1. Liz Cazan W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “The real problem” 2. Kelly Granzen Shoreham-Wading River, Wildcat Pause “Society’s Short Tolerance for Short Skirts” 3. Mary Mazzie Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “Patronized by my Patrons”

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Congratulations to all of this year’s winners SHORT FEATURE

1. Ray Epiquin and Savannah Parker-Davis East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “Great Strides Made by Black Americans” 2. Emma Cohen Lynbrook High School, Horizon “The Trouble with Sochi” 3. Emma Cohen Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Coming to School”

SERIOUS FEATURE 1. Tayler Bradford North Shore High School, The Viking View “A Girl to Admire and Learn From”

2. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Poverty Makes It Tough to Make Ends Meet on LI” 3. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Goodbye Gentle Giant”

SOCIAL MEDIA ANALYSIS

1. Grace Segers Half Hollow Hills High School East, Thunderbird “Tragedy in the Age of Twitter” 2. Emma Schwab North Shore High School, The Viking View “What’s All the Buzz About?” 3. Nicole Lamanna North Shore High School, The Viking View “Forget Diamonds and Dogs. Netflix is your New Best Friend”

SPORTS FEATURE

1. Matthew Rottler Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Clasen Athletic Star in all Three Seasons”

2. Ryan Mazzie Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Juiced: High School Athletes Put to the Drug Test” 3. Matthew Rottler Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Spring Sports Off to Cold Start”

SPORTS- SCHOOL 1. Zach Pekale Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Mike McTrey” 2. Evan Schneider Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Nembach Swims for States” 3. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “After Decade, Girls Basketball Reaches Playoffs”

SPORTSNATIONAL

1. Nicolette Danzy Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Pros Coming Out, But Student Athletes Remain in Closet” 2. Kyle Galin Roslyn High School, Hilltop Beacon “Preview of the Madness of March” 3. Katie Cresser Massapequa High School, The Chief “Islanders and Rangers - Keep your Enemies Close”

STORYTELLING

1. Arman Nasim W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “It’s Kind of a Funny Story…” 2. Larry Burnham East Islip High School, The Broadcaster

“Looking Back” 3. Althea Mignone Southold Jr./Sr. High School, The Sentinel “Christmas Break”

STUDENT ISSUES

1. Gabriel Ajzenman Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Parent Portal Paranoia” 2. Claudia Ruiz North Shore High School, The Viking View “Unnecessary Requirements” 3. Kayla Gonzalez Great Neck North High School, Guide Post “Gym? GPA”

STUDENT PROFILE

1. Katrinia Lastra Bellport High School, The Clipper “Soccer Star, Cow Lover, and ‘Queen of the Orchestra’” 2. Arman Nasim W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Eureka: The Story of a Young Scientist” 3. Danielle Ajodan Great Neck North High School, Guide Post “Athlete Spotlight- Josh Namigohar”

TECHNOLOGY

1. Daniel Stahl Southold Jr./Sr. High School, The Sentinel “Tech Squad” 2. Jeff Horowitz Massapequa High School, The Chief “Hybrids, Electric Cars Fail to Fully Fix Environmental Drawbacks” 3. Siddesh Ramesh W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Hyperloop”

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TRAVEL

1. Stephanie Moreno, Ganesh Ravichandran and Erin-Marie Deytquiez W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Around the World in 21 Days” 2. Jamie Aranoff North Shore High School, The Viking View “Place That You May Not Know Exist, But That You Should” 3. Kevin J. McCann North Shore High School, The Viking View “North Shore Abroad”

NEWSPAPER DESIGN/ ILLUSTRATION & HEADLINE CARTOON

1. Nicholas Dahill East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “The Reaping: SADD Facing Grim Decisions” 2. Priyanka Algu New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Red Ink for Red Skins” 3. Casey Leach Bellport High School, The Clipper “Snowman Crossing”

CARTOON ENTERTAINMENT 1. Nicholas Colonna Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Applause Versus Roar”

CARTOON POLITICAL

1. Fabio Rivera W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “The Debate” 2. Hayley Zirkel W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Sanctions”

2014 High school journalism Awards 3. Jack Burke Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Media Programs Young Minds to Unrealistic Standards”

CARTOON/ SCHOOL ILLUSTRATION

1. Nicole Caico East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “Stress Decay” 2. Priyanka Algu New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “How to Shape a WellRounded Student” 3. Jenna Kaminsky Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Lynbrook’s Lethargic Learners”

COMIC STRIP

1. Julia Wolniewicz Eastport-South Manor Junior-Senior High School, Shark Bites “Comics” 2. Alanna Petrone Oyster Bay High School, Harbour Voice “Solar Academy”

FEATURE DESIGN

1. Haley Zirkel W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “5 Pointz” 2. Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Catch-A-Wave” 3. Tiffany Heravi and Ariella Jahaveri Great Neck North High School, Guide Post “Oreos Anonymous - The Unexpected Addiction”

LAYOUT - SINGLE PAGE 1. Libby Berman, Irma Purisic and Elisabeth Dicarmine

Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Spirit Week 2013” 2. Maxx Vogelsberg East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “EInstyle” 3. Rebecca Spina Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “Headed In”

LAYOUT/SECTION 1. Siddesh Ramesh W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Features, Issue 2” 2. Daniella Weinstein and Ludia Och Roslyn High School, The Hilltop Beacon “Magazine” 3. Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Oliver!”

NEWS HEADLINE

1. Brandan Lawrence Massapequa High School, The Chief “Jones Beach Treading Water in Sandy Recovery Efforts”

1. Arman Nasim W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “February 2014” 2. The Chief Editorial Staff Massapequa High School, The Chief “June 2013” 3. Gretchen Walter Southold Jr./Sr. High School, The Sentinel “Summer 2013”

LAYOUT/OVERALL 1. Maroon Echo Editorial Staff Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “NOV. 2013”

2. Siddesh Ramesh W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Issue II” 3. Staff Shoreham/Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “NOV. 2013”

2. Sidesh Ramesh W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Senior Dinner”

2. Jessica Graff Massapequa High School, The Chief “Nicole Heneveld: life’s her stage and she’s directing”

3. Rachel Hirschheimer and Alexis Corbin Jericho High School, JerECHO “A Look at Live News”

3. Meghana Rao and Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Social NOT-working: the Facebook Dilemma”

PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES

NEWS ILLUSTRATION

1. Binita Shah W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Clubs at Clarke”

LAYOUT/FRONT COVER

1. Marcus Croteau Southold Jr./Sr. High School, The Sentinel “The 39 Steps”

2. Anne Flamio and Nick Dahill East Islip High School, The Broadcaster “Keepin’ it Real, Keepin’ it Green” 3. Julianna Gortakowski Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Computer Science”

ORIGINAL ILLUSTRATION

1. Kenneth Lau, Kelly Louie, and April Todaro W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Summer Movie Preview” 2. Nicholas Colonna Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Java Jolt!”

1. Kalleigh Regan Massapequa High School, The Chief “Oliver!”

2. James Treadwell, Eamonn Lennon, Marvin Pak New Hyde Park Memorial High School, The Chariot “Homecoming” 3. Alanna Levine, Taylor Kang, and Ben Kronengold Jericho High School, JerECHO “Humans of Jericho”

SINGLE PAGE LAYOUT

1. Giavanna Verdi and Tom Kirby Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Ice Cream Review” 2. Kelly Granzen and Christina Wilson Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Media Programs Young Minds to Unrealistic Standards”

3. Joelle Benigo Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Christmas Cheer or Family Feud?”

SINGLE PHOTO

PHOTO ESSAY

2. Carolyn Rogers Shoreham-Wading River

1. Rachel Shuster Half Hollow Hills High School West, The Roundup “’Tis the Season to Give Back”

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Congratulations to all of this year’s winners High School, Wildcat Pause “SWR Students Fail the Fight of Toxic Senioritis” 3. Skyler Kessler Lynbrook High School, Horizon “PowerSchool Parent Portal Paranoia”

GRAPHIC ART

1. Brandon Lawrence Massapequa High School, The Chief “Race Composite” 2. Kyle Brown Shoreham-Wading River High School, Wildcat Pause “Prom is the Bomb” 3. Kalleigh Regan, Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Oliver!”

SPORTS PHOTO

1. Landon Cooper Calhoun High School, Hoofbeats “The Unstoppable Sharks” 2. Skyler Kessler Lynbrook High School, Horizon “Grossi at LAX Day” 3. Sahib Kalra W.T. Clarke High School, Vanguard “Champions Once Again”

NEWSPAPER SPECIAL SECTIONS AWARDS ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1. Corinne Schmidt Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “My Generation”

ONLINE AWARDS ONLINE - ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1. Tim Keuchler Massapequa High School, The Chief “Katy Perry’s Album ‘Prism’ Sure to Roar to New Heights”

2. Arianna Scavone Jericho High School, JerECHO “Jimmy Fallon Succeeds on ‘Tonight’” 3. Miles Essner Half Hollow Hills High School West, The Roundup “Winter Movies You Won’t Want to Miss”

ONLINE - PHOTO SERIES

1. Chloe Citron and Evan Silvera Jericho High School, JerECHO “Empowered women of Jericho” 2. Kalleigh Regan Massapequa High School, The Chief “Mr. Massapequa a Big Success” 3. Brandan Lawrence, Kalleigh Regan, Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Chiefs brave Syosset, Win 49-28”

ONLINE FEATURE

1. Nelson Gomez Massapequa High School, The Chief “Spirit Week: Recap” 2. Meghana Rao Massapequa High School, The Chief “Dr. Pepper Photobomb’ of Baseball Tonight” 3. Olivia Milana and Mikaela Adwar Jericho High School, JerECHO

“Students Reveal Lack of Knowledge about Marijuana’s Health Risks”

Maroon Echo “Homecoming Week”

ONLINE - NEWS SITE

1. Giulia Milana and Marti Rose Shanker Jericho High School, JerECHO “Making a Difference: One Tweet at a Time”

1. Staff Massapequa High School, The Chief TheChiefOnline.com

2. Chloe Shakin, Taylor Kang, Sam Newman Jericho High School, JerECHO jerecho.org 3. Staff Half Hollow Hills High School West, The Roundup HillsWestRoundup.com

VIDEO AWARDS VIDEO - PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT 1. Max Wathins, Ryan Cortazzo, Sarah Lane Commack High School, Public Service Announcement “Pay It Forward PSA”

2. Brianne Garrett Bay Shore High School, BSHS News/Maroon Echo “Roar- An Incusionary Video”

VIDEO - NEWS STORY

1. Kristen Hansen Hauppauge High School, Eagle Watch News Program “News Package Life Skills” 2. Kristen Hansen Hauppauge High School, Eagle Watch News Program “St. Baldrick’s News Package” 3. Madison Flotteron, Sharon Ahmed, Julia Hutchinson Bay Shore High School,

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VIDEO - FEATURE STORY

2. Nandini Bissoon, Danielle Flynn & Alexis Gallardo Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Phantom of the Opera” 3. Madison Flotteron, Sharon Ahmed & Julia Hutchinson Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Promposal”

VIDEO - SPORTS

1. Billy Frielingsdorf Hauppauge High School, Eagle Watch “Gymnastics News Story” 2. Ryan Mazze and Imani Mashee Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “Bleacher Creatures”

VIDEO - ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 1. Andrea Paredes, Nicole Nunez & Tara O’Donovan Bay Shore High School, Maroon Echo “The Fault in Our Stars” 2. Gianna Barberia Half Hollow Hills High School West, The Roundup “AASO: Spreading Awareness of History and Culture”

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