ODYSSEY Digital Editor-in-Chief Anna Shaikun presents her session “Passing the Torch” at the Georgia Scholastic Press Association Spring Workshop and Awards Ceremony at the University of Georgia’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education on March 25. Shaikun presented for the first time and felt positively about her session. “My session was packed full of students, and the majority of them seemed really engaged. One editor even came up to me after my session ended, asking for advice on how to hold a difficult conversation with a subordinate editor,” Shaikun said. “That was the whole point of presenting in the first place – if I could make even one person’s transition a little bit easier, it’s worth it.”
ODYSSEY Media Group students attended the Georgia Scholastic Press Association Spring Workshop and Awards Ceremony at the University of Georgia’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education.
Forty-four members of the ODYSSEY Media Group converged along with nearly 250 students from 13 schools across Georgia to attend the Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA) Spring Workshop and Awards Ceremony at the University of Georgia’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education on March 25.
Students attended three rounds of sessions from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. Topics ranged from reporting on behavioral health to sports photography and a First Amendment presentation. OMG Digital Editor-in-Chief Anna Shaikun, a senior, was a first-time presenter delivering the session “Passing the Torch”, while veteran OMG presenters junior Cate DeMaria, iliad Literary-Art Magazine Managing Editor, and senior Cadence Schapker, OMG Sports Editor, presented “How to Create More Inclusive Storytelling Platforms”.
“My presentation was about being senior leaders, transitioning out of the program, and making sure that everything could function without us. I know that everyone struggles with endings and beginnings,” Shaikun said. “My session was packed full of students, and the majority of them seemed really engaged. One editor even came up to me after my session ended, asking for advice on how to hold a difficult conversation with a subordinate editor. That was the whole point of presenting in the first place – if I could make even one person’s transition a little bit easier, it’s worth it.”
Forty-four members of the ODYSSEY Media Group pose for a photo after the Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA) Spring Workshop and Awards Ceremony at the University of Georgia’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education on March 25. ODYSSEY Media Group Business Manager and Journalism I Facilitator Audrey St. Onge, a senior, has attended virtual and face-to-face journalism conferences since 2021 and felt her final conference as a high school student ended on a positive note. “Overall, the conference is a time when the staff can look back, see the successes of the ODYSSEY as a program, and see the effort they have put in throughout the year, and I am glad to be a part of it,” St. Onge said.
As the event transitioned to the luncheon and awards ceremony, Student Press Law Center Executive Director Gary Green delivered the keynote address to attendees. Green spoke about his experiences as a journalist and encouraged students to keep institutions and those who run them accountable through quality journalism, which impacted Journalism I student Carolyn Griffeth, a freshman.
“He showed that even the smallest stories can have the biggest impact,” Griffeth said. “That really stuck with me as it shows that even the smallest stories are important and to put 100% effort in every story.”
Winners for both the Georgia Champion Journalist and Georgia Junior Champion Journalist competitions were commended at the banquet. OMG Lead Copy Editor Wyatt Meyer was recognized as Junior Champion Journalist and ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Editor in Chief Molly Harwell Champion Journalist.
“It means the absolute world to win this award, not just for me, but because I feel it also honors all of the people that have helped shape my ODYSSEY career throughout the last four years, ” Harwell said. “I wouldn’t have been able to win if my (Journalism I) Facilitators didn’t pour into me my freshman year, or if my former Editor-in-Chief (Audrey Enghauser) didn’t show me how to edit and how to lead, or if my team this year didn’t continue to lift me up and encourage me. My name is on the award, but this honor is one that my entire staff and those who came before me deserve credit for even more.”
“It means the absolute world to win this award, not just for me, but because I feel it also honors all of the people that have helped shape my ODYSSEY career throughout the last four years.”
— Molly Harwell,
ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Editor-in-Chief
As the ceremony continued, yearbooks, literary magazines, and First Amendment Essay winners were recognized. Once these recognitions were completed, a video presentation reflected individual and staff awards for broadcast, newspapers, newsmagazine and websites, which came from 624 individual entries and 35 publications submitted for General Excellence.
The iliad Literary-Art Magazine and ODYSSEY Newsmagazine were recognized as All Georgia, 13 OMG students received All Georgia designations for their work and 12 OMG students were recognized as Superior. Photography Editor and Journalism I Facilitator Aza Khan was recognized as All Georgia in multiple categories.
“Seeing my name on the slideshow felt rewarding because I have been the sole photographer this year which had been incredibly stressful at times, so I feel like my hard work paid off,“ Khan said.
Journalism I student Carolyn Griffith (left) attends Georgia Scholastic Press Association Spring Workshop and Awards Ceremony at the University of Georgia’s Georgia Center for Continuing Education on March 25. Griffith felt impacted by the keynote speaker Gary Green, the Student Press Law Center’s Executive Director. “He showed that even the smallest stories can have the biggest impact,” Griffeth said. “That really stuck with me as it shows that even the smallest stories are important and to put 100% effort in every story.” Photo by Aza Khan
Business Manager and Journalism I Facilitator Audrey St. Onge, a senior, who has attended virtual and face-to-face journalism conferences since 2021 felt her final conference as a high school student ended on a positive note.
“GSPA was the first in-person conference I attended as a sophomore, and the last I will attend. I feel like I have been able to watch the staff grow. Even though I may not see my name on the (awards presentation) screen, I can see the successes of my friends, my peers, and even the Journalism I students I work with,” St. Onge said. “Overall, the conference is a time when the staff can look back, see the successes of the ODYSSEY as a program, and see the effort they have put in throughout the year, and I am glad to be a part of it.”
For OMG adviser David Ragsdale, the GSPA spring gathering brings a wave of nostalgia each year.
“I brought a handful of interested kids to this event in the spring of 2003 before the ODYSSEY had even launched. The energy of presenters, the excitement of seeing students and staffs celebrating their successes was an inspiration to our kids 21 years ago and helped us launch this program,” Ragsdale said. “It’s even more special now because I realize the legacy Clarke Central kids have forged in our state and the larger space of scholastic journalism. For me, this event is really where it all began.”
Georgia Scholastic Press Association
Staff Awards:
The 2023 iliad Literary-Art Magazine received the rating of Superior for General Excellence and received the All-Georgia Literary Magazine (Best in State) award.
The 2023-24 ODYSSEY Newsmagazine received the rating of Superior for General Excellence and received the All-Georgia Newsmagazine (Best in State) award.
The 2023-24 ODYSSEY Media Group website received the rating of Superior for General Excellence.
Individual Awards:
Molly Harwell received the honor of Georgia Champion Journalist in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism during 2023-24 from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association.
Wyatt Meyer received the honor of Georgia Champion Junior Journalist in recognition of outstanding achievement in scholastic journalism during 2023-24 from the Georgia Scholastic Press Association.
All-Georgia Literary Art Magazine: Social Media Promotion, “Submission Challenge”: Olivia Hendershot
All-Georgia Literary Art Magazine: Photograph, “Reaching for the Stars”: Aza Khan
All-Georgia Literary Art Magazine: Social Media Storytelling, “Contemporary Literature”: Olivia Hendershot and Aza Khan
All-Georgia Literary Magazine: Advertising Design, “iliad Posters”: Olivia Hendershot
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: News Package, “AthFest 2023”: Cadence Schapker
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: News Story, “Time after time”: Wyatt Meyer
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: Feature Story, “ ESP for you and me”: Janie Ripps
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: House Editorials, “Our Take”: ODYSSEY Staff
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: Sports feature story, “Old-school, new school”: Wyatt Meyer
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: Feature/Entertainment Photograph, “Soprano Singing”: Aza Khan
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: Photo Essay, “Around the corner”: Aza Khan and Janie Ripps
All-Georgia Newsmagazine: Double-Truck Layout/Design, “Diamond from the rough”: Wyatt Meyer
Superior Literary Art Magazine: Artwork, “Disinterested”: Kimberly Sanabria-Amaya
Superior Newsmagazine: Podcast, “Letter to my Younger Self: Maya Clement”: Maya Clement
Superior Newsmagazine: News Story, “CMS Owls take flight”: Cadence Schapker
Superior Newsmagazine: Feature Profile, “Breaking barriers”: Isabella Westrich
Superior Newsmagazine: Feature Profile, “A final salute”: Cadence Schapker
Superior Newsmagazine: Critical Review, “Review: Royal REESE’s Fluffernutter”: Liya Taylor
Superior Newsmagazine: Sports News Story, “The diamond from the rough”: Cooper Jones
Superior Newsmagazine: Sports Game Coverage, “CCHS vs. Oconee County High School Varsity Football”: Wyatt Meyer
Superior Newsmagazine: Sports feature story, “Time for adaptation”: Cadence Schapker
Superior Newsmagazine: Sports Column, “Tell me, WY”: Wyatt Meyer
Superior Newsmagazine: Illustration, “Banana Boat”: Antonio Starks
Superior Newsmagazine: Double-Truck Layout/Design, “CMS Owls take flight”: Maya Clement
Special Recognition: GSPA Ambassador: Wyatt Meyer
