Staffers of ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, ODYSSEY Online, ODTV and the iliad Literary-Art magazine take a picture after the Georgia Scholastic Press Association banquet.
By JURNEE LOUDER – Junior Digital Copy Editor
The University of Georgia Student Tate Center held the annual Georgia Scholastic Press Association banquet on April 3, 2015 to celebrate the achievements of student journalists throughout the state. 32 members of the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, ODYSSEY Online, ODTV and iliad Literary-Art Magazine attended.
Once there, the students were able to eat and chat at a formal luncheon with other student journalists and look at the newspapers, newsmagazines and yearbooks of Georgia schools that were on the table.
“It was really cool (seeing the work of other schools). Some (schools) had a different format. Some had a real newspaper. One of them had a really big yearbook. It was different from what we had,” online staff writer Christina Kurian said.
Later, awards were presented to school publications. Chloe Hargrave, 2012-13 Editor-in-Chief of ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, was there to hand out and present awards as well.
2014-2015 ODYSSEY Newsmagazine received the title of All-Georgia Newsmagazine, which is one of GSPA’s highest honors, for the seventh time in a span of eight years. The magazine also received a superior rating and won the General Excellence Award for the tenth consecutive year. Plus, the magazine garnered recognition for its news writing, features writing, sports writing, opinions writing and photography.
“There is a huge legacy, and there is a lot of stuff to live up to. We have a good system that constantly puts out high quality work,” Editor-in-Chief of the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Louise Platter said.
ODYSSEY and ilIad adviser David Ragsdale believes that not only has the system helped the students consistently write high quality work, but the veterans have as well.
“I’ve had the vast majority of my seniors for three years and a few for all four years of their high school careers. Their experience, maturation and leadership have allowed us to expand coverage and to grow a new generation of CCHS journalists,” Ragsdale said.
(From left to right) Senior Copy Editor Aaron Homes, Broadcast Managing Editor Nicholas Byrne, Digital Managing Editor Robert Walker, Senior Digital Copy Editor Ethan Crane and Print Managing Editor Brittney Butler have worked with ODYSSEY and the iliad for a few years now.
ODYSSEY Online got a superior rating and received the 2014-2015 General Excellence News Website. Plus, the website was also awarded All-Georgia for the third year in a row.
ODTV received a superior rating in its broadcast category.
“It was really exciting (that ODTV got superior ratings). Last year, we were rated excellent, and we went into this year trying to improve, and it’s great to see that improvement reflected not only in our work, but in the superior ranking at GSPA. It’s really exciting. It’s validating,” Broadcast Managing Editor Nicholas Byrne said.
Platter was named third place in the Georgia Champion Journalist competition. ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Viewpoints Editor Tiernan O’Neill and Junior Copy Editor Kevin Mobley received the titles of Junior Champion Journalist and third place, respectively.
“I think the recognition that I and my fellow staffers was received at the banquet was only a testament to the hard work and our staffers do. I was surprised when I won because I never really thought I had a chance at the award,” O’Neill said.
Viewpoints Editor Tiernan O’Neill speaking on his experience at GSPA.
Additionally, Clarke Central High School’s iliad Literary-Art Magazine received recognition as well. For 2013-2014, the iliad was named All-Georgia and received General Excellence.
“I think the biggest thing about the iliad is probably that it’s more of a reflection on the school as a whole because the actual content is primarily produced by people who aren’t on iliad staff. So, it’s nice for me to be there as a representative for that recognition, but I know that it really isn’t just for me. It’s for the school as a whole,” Senior Digital Copy Editor of ODYSSEY Online and the iliad Editor-in-Chief Ethan Crane said.
Members of all four publications are proud of their work and their accomplishments and are excited to see what the next year holds.
“Next year, I’m excited for the newcomers to feel the exhilaration of not only your group and your newspaper winning the awards, but also seeing how happy it makes first-year newspapers and other groups that don’t win awards as much to see the excitement on their faces when they actually win something,” online staff writer Kaya Pollack said.
Awards won by staffs on all four publications
All Georgia- “Best of the Best”: the iliad, 2013-2014 Literary-Art Magazine
All Georgia- “Best of the Best”: ODYSSEY Online, 2014-2015 News Website
All Georgia- “Best of the Best”: ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, 2014-2015 Newsmagazine
General Excellence: the iliad, 2013-2014, Literary-Art Magazine
General Excellence: ODYSSEY Online, 2014-2015 News Website
General Excellence: ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, 2014-2015 Newsmagazine
Superior Rating: ODYSSEY Online, 2014-2015 News Website Ranking
Superior Rating: ODYSSEY Newsmagazine, 2014-2015 Newsmagazine Rating
Superior Rating: ODTV, 2014-2015 Broadcast Rankings
Individual Awards
2014-2015 Georgia Champion Journalist
Third Place: Louise Platter
2014-15 Georgia Junior Champion Journalist
First Place: Tiernan Hugh Amann O’Neill
Third: Kevin Mobley
Art/Graphics
Editorial Cartoon- Superior: Ella Sams, “Fearful Flights”
Illustration
All Georgia: Ella Sams, “Blurred Lines,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Infographic- Superior: Sara Goodie, “Ready or Not”, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Broadcast
In-Depth News Package- Superior: Julie Alpaugh, “Homecoming dance returns,” ODTV,
All Georgia: Ella Sams & Nicholas Byrne, “Counting days until cabaret,” ODTV
Broadcast Feature Package- Superior: Nicholas Byrne, Rigel Turner and Mary Merritt, “Homecoming dance returns,” ODTV
Broadcast Sports Package
All Georgia: Nicholas Byrne and Trent Slutzky, “Boys soccer tryouts,” ODTV
Production-Superior: Nicholas Byrne and Louise Platter, “Man up,” ODTV
Features Writing
Feature Profile- Superior: Tierra Hayes, “Tedeschi Takeover,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Feature Story- Superior: Robert Walker, “Condor spreads its wings,” Odyssey Online
All Georgia: Tiernan O’Neill, “Envisioning a better Athens,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine,
News Writing
Headline Writing- Superior: Flynne Collins, ODYSSEY Online,
In Depth News Story- All Georgia: Katy Mayfield, “Feeling the Pressure,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
News Story- Superior: Violet Merritt, “Buses behind schedule,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine,
Opinions
House Editorials-Superior: Odyssey Staff, “Our Take,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Column Writing- All Georgia: Brittney Butler, “Boiling Point,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Column Writing- Superior: Louise Platter, “Letter from the Editor,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine,
Commentary- Superior: Maddie Rose Hall, “Harassment Central,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine,
Critical Review- Superior: Maddie Rose Hall, “Fighting with Fury,” ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Photography
Feature Photography- All Georgia: Chad Rhym, “Code of Silence”, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Feature Photography- Superior: Chad Rhym, “An Inner Struggle”, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Sports Photograph- Superior: Chad Rhym, “Swimming Photo”, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Sports Photograph- Superior: Chad Rhym, “Man Down”, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
