Members of the ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine editorial boards pose in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport before departing Atlanta for St. Louis, Missouri on Nov. 9. Thirteen representatives attended the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association 2022 National Fall High School Journalism Convention, “Game Changers,” from Nov. 10-12. “I made connections with other publications from all across the country and got to see the diversity of programs and how they operate,” Digital Editor Anna Shaikun said. “We got some great ideas for content production and organization of the ODYSSEY program as a whole.” Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hendershot
Members of the ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine editorial boards attended the National Scholastic Press Association 2022 National Fall High School Journalism Convention in St. Louis, Missouri from Nov. 10-12.
Thirteen members of the ODYSSEY Media Group and iliad Literary-Art Magazine editorial boards attended the Journalism Education Association (JEA)/National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) 2022 National Fall High School Journalism Convention, “Game Changers,” in St. Louis, Missouri from Nov. 10-12. The three-day convention attracted more than 3200 journalism students, advisers and delegates from around the globe.
Convention attendees had the opportunity to attend multiple informative sessions given by journalists, advisers and students, including pre-convention classes tailored to specific needs such as design, leadership, online and social media coverage and broadcast. For OMG Editor-in-Chief Molly Harwell, the leadership pre-convention class was eye-opening.
“I learned more about what it means to be a leader. During the pre-con class, we discussed the importance of being a builder instead of boss,” Harwell said. “I learned that building relationships with my staff members and being adaptable to different personality types is key to being a good leader.”
Variety Editor Isabella Westrich (left) and Editor-in-Chief Molly Harwell (right) focus on a presenter in Marriott’s St. Louis America’s Center on Nov. 12. Staffers attended sessions with qualified speakers that provided unique information and perspectives. “Hearing perspectives from experts from across the country was really interesting and hearing about the impact student journalism can have has motivated me to keep working hard,” Westrich said. Photo by Aza Khan
OMG and iliad Literary-Art Magazine adviser David Ragsdale co-presented two sessions with advisers from across the country on adviser empowerment and JEA’s diversity, equity and inclusion audit. Ragsdale was joined in his presentation of “Lit Mag A-Z” by iliad Literary-Art Magazine Business Manager Cate DeMaria. He was also a solo presenter for a session on editorial leadership.
“From planning for sessions with colleagues, to coordinating logistics with amazing parent chaperones, to spending time with legends in the field (many of whom I can call friends), to watching team bonding unfold among the fellowship of 13, to sharing memories from 2008 when OMG and iliad came to STL for our first cross country odyssey, to attendees thanking me for sharing, to critiquing student work, to calling up a team member to present with me, it was a magical trip,” Ragsdale said.
iliad Literary-Art Magazine Business Manager Cate DeMaria co-presents the “Lit mag A-Z” session with ODYSSEY Media Group adviser David Ragsdale in Marriott’s St. Louis America’s Center on Nov. 12. Staffers attended numerous sessions presented by journalists, advisers and students. “As a sophomore, having this opportunity to present at a national conference for the first time was something I was not prepared for,” DeMaria said. “(Despite) that, I took the challenge head on and went with it. Getting to present alongside Mr. Ragsdale was an honor because he’s a nationally recognized journalism adviser who looks for the best of the best.” Photo by Aza Khan
The convention also featured sessions that provided the staffers with a unique opportunity to learn from peer publications.
“I really loved the roundtable sessions, where editors from different publications got to meet up and talk shop,” Digital Editor Anna Shaikun said. “I made connections with other publications from all across the country and got to see the diversity of programs and how they operate. We got some great ideas for content production and organization of the ODYSSEY program as a whole.”
For some, the national scope of the convention gave context and perspective on the work done in Clarke Central High School’s Room 231.
“(My biggest) takeaway is that there is so much high school journalism that is not confined to this room,” OMG Sports Editor Wyatt Meyer said. “(For example), there were 90 kids who came from one school in California. Compared to everybody else, we are big in name but tiny in size, and so it was cool to see what everyone else was doing all around the country.”
“I had a really great time with my roommates. I really bonded with them and I walked away feeling more connected to my staff (and) to the editors.”
— Molly Harwell,
ODYSSEY Media Group Editor-in-Chief
After three days of sessions, the convention culminated in an awards ceremony on Nov. 12 that ran from 3:30 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. The OMG received numerous awards, including two top-10 placements in the Best of Show category, and multiple individual awards for Story of the Year, Best Use of Social Media, Cartoon of the Year and Broadcast Story of the Year. The ODYSSEY Newsmagazine was also recognized as a Pacemaker finalist.
“The multiple awards received are a testament to high expectations and a team-first approach,” Ragsdale said. “As ODYSSEY (Editor-in-Chief) Molly (Harwell) said, ‘If one of us wins, we all win.’ We owe an incredible debt to Lead Copy Editor Maya Clement, who has had a hand, if not the lead, on contest entries for the last two school years.”
Digital Junior Copy Editor Riley Ramsey (left), Digital Editor Anna Shaikun (middle) and Webmaster Maya Shrivastav (right) hold the ODYSSEY Media Group’s fourth place Best in Show website award on Nov. 12. Both the OMG and iliad Literary-Art Magazine won numerous awards, cementing their reputations as nationally recognized programs. “A lot of times in the ODYSSEY room, it feels like we’re shouting into a void,” Sports Editor Wyatt Meyer said. “Seeing that the stories we write mean more than just a grade really made me reconsider how the work we do impacts people farther than the walls of CCHS.” Photo by Lucas Donnelly
The iliad also took home many individual awards for Best Use of Social Media, Best of Show Design and Design of the Year. In addition, the iliad won first place in Best in Show for Literary-Art Magazine, bringing home a substantial victory from the national stage.
“I’m really grateful to everybody who submitted their pieces. Even though we work on editing and putting it all together, (the magazine) couldn’t happen without all the people at the school,” iliad Writing Director Maya Shrivastav said.
On top of these publication awards, Ragsdale received a commendation from the JEA Board of Directors for his service as JEA Georgia State Director for “outstanding leadership as a speaker, presenter and volunteer while expanding outreach and communication with members as Georgia state director.” For Ragsdale, the recognition was unexpected.
“After a six-year hiatus from in-person attendance at the NHSJC, I was floored to receive a commendation from the Journalism Education Association, but even more moved by the passion, talent and drive of students, advisers, and friends of the scholastic press who were present the past few days,” Ragsdale said.
Overall, the convention served as a unifying force for the 13 representatives of OMG and iliad and it provided an important time of reflection on the state of the program and its future.
“I think it was an extremely reflective period. I think I have walked away with a sense of what’s working in our program and need(s) to (be) celebrate(d) more, (as well as) the things that are definitely not working and that need to be adjusted. That’s brought out a lot of really important conversations with editors and members of the leadership team,” Harwell said. “I (also) had a really great time with my roommates. I really bonded with them and I walked away feeling more connected to my staff (and) to the editors.”
Literary-Art Magazine, First Place: iliad Literary-Art Magazine
Website (enrollment 1800+), Fourth Place – ODYSSEY Media Group
Newsmagazine (enrollment 1800+), Seventh Place – ODYSSEY Newsmagazine
Individual Awards
Best Use of Social Media: Social Media Reporting – Second Place: Cate DeMaria, Kaija Gilbertson Hall
Best Use of Social Media: Social Media Reporting – Fourth Place: Aza Khan and Maya Clement
Best Use of Social Media: Social Media Promotions – Fourth Place: Aza Khan
Broadcast Sports Story of the Year – Honorable Mention: Gretchen Hinger
Editorial Cartoon of the Year – Fourth Place: Antonio Starks
Sports Story of the Year – Third Place: Janie Ripps, Gretchen Hinger
Editorial of the Year – Third Place: ODYSSEY Media Group staff
Best of Show: Design: Literary/Specialty Magazine – First Place: iliad Literary-Art Magazine, Amira Arkins, Eva Orbock, Temprince Battle
Best of Show: Design: Literary/Specialty Magazine – Second Place: iliad Literary-Art Magazine, Eva Orbock, Emily Couch, Elise Siegmund
Literary/Specialty Magazine Cover Design of the Year – Honorable Mention: Eva Orbock, iliad Literary-Art Magazine
Literary/Specialty Magazine Page/Spread Design of the Year – Honorable Mention: Eva Orbock, Amira Adkins, Temprince Battle
