ODYSSEY Media Group Co-Editor-in-Chief Ana Aldridge speaks to the Media Group at the Georgia Scholastic Press Association fall conference in the Tate Student Center at UGA on Oct. 21. Aldridge believes that GSPA went well and was glad her staff received recognition. “I think ODYSSEY did really well at GSPA. We won a lot of good awards, so I was proud of everyone for doing the work to receive those,” Aldridge said. Gallery by Krista Shumaker.
On October 21, 41 students from the ODYSSEY Media Group attended the annual Georgia Scholastic Press Association fall conference.
The Georgia Scholastic Press Association, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, fall conference was held at the Tate Student Center at the University of Georgia on Oct. 21. Members of the ODYSSEY Media Group staff, iliad Literary-Art Magazine and Journalism 1 class attended the conference, alongside 925 members of student-led publications from all across Georgia.
Among the Clarke Central High School group was first-time attendee iliad Visuals Director Georgia Blue Simmons.
“I really enjoyed it because all the lectures were (on topics) that I (am) interested in and that I could relate to and get something out of,” Simmons said. “I really enjoyed seeing my Editor-In-Chief (Beatrice Acheson) and managing editor (Coles Ehlers) present. It was really fun to see some of my fellow students up there.”
Acheson and Ehlers presented a session titled “Lit Mag A-Z,” which was facilitated by ODYSSEY adviser David Ragsdale. Ragsdale also facilitated “Engaging, effective editorials,” a session led by Senior Visuals Coordinator Kelly Fulford and Managing Editor Elena Gilbertson Hall. Co-Editor-in-Chief Ana Aldridge and Senior Copy Editor Valeria Garcia-Pozo presented an “AP Style Survival Guide” session.
“I went to two really good sessions, and I also presented with Valeria, and I thought our presentation went really well,” Aldridge said. “Everyone was really engaged in it, so that was good and I feel like they actually learned stuff about AP Style, so that felt good.”
Mill Creek Chronicle Editor-in-Chief Cassidy Hettesheimer, a senior at Mill Creek High School, feels that the AP Style session was informative.
“Even though AP Style may seem like a basic skill, even editors need a refresher every once in a while. We even had our staff’s midterm today and it was on AP Style, and the session helped me remember how to write percents and dates,” Hettesheimer said.
The CCHS students won multiple awards (full list at bottom) including All-Georgia Literary Art Magazine and Best Cover, Best Design and Best Overall in the On-Site Newsmagazine competition. Acheson was glad to receive the awards and was happy her staff’s work was being recognized.
It made me happy to finally get some recognition for the work we put in last year. We really tried hard and it was a struggle at times. We weren’t always on our A-game, but we really tried to fix problems where we had them.
— Beatrice Acheson,
iliad Editor-in-Chief
“It made me happy to finally get some recognition for the work we put in last year. We really tried hard and it was a struggle at times. We weren’t always on our A-game, but we really tried to fix problems where we had them,” Acheson said. “I’m really proud to have worked on such a successful staff. We don’t have any of our people from last year, but I know that they would be equally proud. It was just very satisfying to know that the work we put in was enough and that it mattered to other people as well, and that our magazine got (the) recognition that we really felt it deserved.”
Looking forward, Ragsdale hopes to inspire his staffers to use more multimedia in their stories to engage readership and believes that now, more than ever, catching readers’ attention visually is vital.
“We have to be doing this for readership. We want our readers to engage with the work we’re doing and I think in today’s society of readers you have to catch them visually and that’s a big change from what it was 15 years ago,” Ragsdale said. “Right now, if you don’t catch our readers in the building with amazing photos or graphics, they’re not going to continue reading. It would be nice if our group realized and recognized that each story has value and that we can package it in a way such that people will consume it and want to talk about it.”
The 2018 Iliad Literary-Art Magazine was rated All-Georgia Literary Magazine in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18.
The 2018 Iliad Literary-Art Magazine was rated General Excellence Literary Magazine in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Best Cover, First Edition Competition 2018-19: Odyssey Newsmagazine, Clarke Central High School
Best Overall, First Edition Competition 2018-19: Odyssey Newsmagazine, Clarke Central High School
Best Front Page, First Edition Competition 2018-19: www.odysseynewsmagazine.net, 2018-2019
Best Multimedia, First Edition Competition 2018-19: www.odysseynewsmagazine.net, 2018-2019
Katie Grace Upchurch “In Bloom” All Georgia Photograph in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Zoe Peterson “Ghost”, Superior Poetry in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Jordan Rhym “5 Senses of Disdain”, Superior Poetry in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Beatrice Acheson “Fruit Basket/Afterwards”, Superior Spread Design in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Violet Merritt “Lana/Diccionario”, Superior Spread Design in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Sydney Gregg and Violet Merritt “Equilibrium”, Superior Cover Design in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Natalie Ripps “Balance”, Superior Photograph in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
Avery Ray “Halo” Superior Artwork in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism, 2017-18
