ODYSSEY adviser David Ragsdale, former Editor-in-Chief Elena Gilbertson Hall, former Managing Editor Naomi Hendershot, former iliad literary-art magazine Managing Editor Georgia Blue Simmons, former ODYSSEY Senior Copy Editor Mackenzie Caudill, former iliad Editor-in-Chief Beatrice Acheson, and former ODYSSEY Digital Editor Owen Donnelly pose at the 2020 Southern Interscholastic Press Association convention on March 7. OMG publications received national recognition at the 2020 National High School Journalism Convention, which was held virtually on Nov. 19-21. “To not only compete on a national stage, but to also secure a number of quality finishes is beyond validating for our kids,” Ragsdale said. “With that said, I don’t think we need awards to know where we excel and where we still need to grow.” Photo by Krista Shumaker
Editors from the ODYSSEY Media Group, which consists of a newsmagazine, the iliad literary-art magazine, a news website, social media and broadcast, attended the virtual Fall National High School Journalism Convention from Nov. 19-21.
The NHSJC, which is held by the National Scholastic Press Association and the Journalism Education Association, occurs twice a year and offers opportunities for students, such as ODYSSEY Lead Copy Editor Audrey Enghauser, to grow as journalists.
“(NHSJC is) an opportunity to go to different sessions to learn about various aspects of journalism like editing, writing, leadership, photograph and design, and get a chance to learn more details about these skills and really understand the concepts that we might not have the opportunity to explore in our own publications,” Enghauser said.
Beyond learning more about her craft as a journalist, Enghauser believes the chance to network with other journalists was a key part of the experience.
“Another purpose that it serves, for me at least, is to meet other student journalists from around the country and see what their experience has been and what their publication is doing, especially during the pandemic, and get some wider perspectives on what student journalism is like right now,” Enghauser said.
ODYSSEY Newsmagazine — Pacemaker Finalist
Luna Reichert — Best of Show, Photojournalism
Beatrice Acheson, Owen Austin-Totty, Andrew Robinson — Best of Show, Design
iliad Literary Art Magazine — Best of Show, Literary Arts Magazine, #4
Naomi Hendershot — Best of Show, Editorial Leadership, #6
ODYSSEY Media Group — Best of Show, Website for Large High School, #8
Mackenzie Caudill, Owen Donnelly — Third Place, News Story of the Year
Lilli Sams — Cartoon of the Year: Editorial Cartoon, Honorable Mention
Beatrice Acheson — Design of the Year: Literary Magazine, Honorable Mention
Owen Donnelly, Gretchen Hinger, Luna Reichert — Digital Story of the Year: Multimedia Sports Story, Honorable Mention
Owen Donnelly, Luna Reichert — Best Use of Social Media: Social Media Promotion, Honorable Mention
At the conclusion of the convention, the NHSJC hosts an awards show to recognize staffs and individuals. Many members of the OMG, as well as the staff as a whole, were recognized this year.
ODYSSEY Co-Editor-in-Chief Naomi Hendershot, who placed sixth in the Best in Show for Editorial Leadership category this year, was encouraged and honored by the recognition.
“It feels really good to win awards, especially with such an honor as the (NHSJC). We did well, and there are certain areas where we worked really hard and that certainly showed through the awards that we received today,” Hendershot said.
ODYSSEY Photography Editor Luna Reichert, who was named Best in Show for Photojournalism, felt her award recognized her growth as a photographer.
ODYSSEY Photography Editor Luna Reichert was named Best in Show for Photojournalism at the Fall 2020 National High School Journalism Convention based on this photo, taken at the 54th Classic City Championship on Sept. 5. Photo by Luna Reichert
“It’s really cool to see my own work get recognized at that level and also just kind of see my own growth from being a freshman and then to now, to kind of see how I’ve grown in my photography and just as a person,” Reichert said. “To be able to kind of get that recognition at that level, it really kind of reminds you that working towards those types of things, it does pay off in the end and it’s nice to know that what you’re doing people see and what you’re doing is good work.”
Although the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine was a Pacemaker finalist this year, it was not selected as a winner. Hendershot recognizes that there’s more work to be done to improve the ODYSSEY’s quality of work, and hopes that the national recognition will motivate the current staff to push even further this year.
“I hope that these awards motivate the staff, in terms of doing better I think we really need to put ourselves in our work and really think over why we do this and why we’re a part of the program and hope that that shows through,” Hendershot said. “We have all the talent and all the potential, I think the one thing missing is just the heart.”
ODYSSEY Digital Managing Editor Ireland McCage was pleased to see the website placing in eighth place in the Best in Show for large high school website category and hopes to find inspiration among the other award-winning programs.
“I think the Digital team is definitely gonna be looking at some other award-winning websites, see what they’re doing, where we can improve, we definitely want to get a Pacemaker this spring, but we also just wanna put out quality content, be constantly posting and have some good packages, doing what we love to do,” McCage said.
OMG adviser David Ragsdale hopes that this national recognition will inspire this year’s staff to surpass their predecessors.
“I want everyone to remain humble, hungry and committed to representing our community and to telling its stories. Recognition should not lead to complacency but it should help to inspire the next generation to contribute to the legacy of this special program,” Ragsdale said.
