2012 Excellence in Utah High School Journalism

E x c e l l e n c eIn Utah High School Journalism

Writers and Photographers Clinic

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April 16, 2012 Utah high school journalists, advisers and friends of the annual workshop; What made this year’s contest so exciting was first attempt at entering all digital, some refinements will be coming your way this fall. Feel free to comment on the new version of the contest. The workshop’s continued collaboration between the University of Utah, Brigham Young University, the national Journalism Education Association and The Salt Lake Tribune again provided support for feeding all participants lunch without charge, and the entry fees from the 2010 clinic contest helped create this document containing the complete, original copies of all winning entries for you, your students and their families to keep and enjoy in the years to come. These few winners recognize the strongest of more than 314 entries from 19 schools, each of which represent the hard work of dedicated and thoughtful young reporters, editors, photographers, artists and their too often unacknowledged advisers. The staff of the workshop thanks you all for your enthusiasm and support, and we congratulate all of you on your extraordinary efforts toward excellence in journalism. See you in November, Jim FisherDirector, Writers and Photographers Clinic

WPC The Sixty-Second Annual Utah High SchoolWriters and Photographers Clinic2012

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Table Of Contents

Best Front Page Design

Best Newspaper Design

Best Single Page Design

Best Column

Best Editorial

Best Review

Best Profile

Best Feature Story

Best Humorous Article

Best News Story

Best Sports Story

Best Newspaper Illistration/Artwork

Best Editorial Cartoon

Best Feature Picture

Best Sports Picture

Best News Picture

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Copyright 2010 Writers and Photographers Clinic.

Director: Jim FisherArt Director: Paris GibsonDesigned By: Emily LawrenceCover Photo: Alyssa Roberts, Davis High School

First Place

Jacob ShawThe Telegraph

Herriman High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Front Page Designpage 04

Second Place

Ashley LundbergThe Davis DartDavis High School

Best Front Page Design page 05E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Front Page Design

Second Place

Kira HoffelmeyerRed & Black

West High School

page 06

page 07E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Front Page Design

Second Place

Josh HogganThe Round TableRoy High School

Best Front Page DesignE x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2page 08

Third Place

Jackson LinkWarrior Ledge

Taylorsville High School

Best Front Page Design

Honorable Mention

James SteulColt RoundupCottonwood High School

page 09E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Newspaper Designpage 10

First Place

Ashley LindbergThe Davis Dart

Davis High School

Single Issue

Best Newspaper Design page 11E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

James SteulColt RoundupCottonwood High School

Single Issue

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Newspaper Designpage 12

Third Place

Stephanie MetherallRed & Black

West High School

Single Issue

Best Newspaper Design page 13E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Single Issue

Honorable Mention

DaVinci’s Notebook StaffDavinci’s NotebookDaVinci Academy

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Single Page Designpage 14

First Place

Ashley LindbergThe Davis Dart

Davis High School

Best Single Page Design page 15E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Laura SmithThe Round TableRoy High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Single Page Designpage 16

Second Place

Andrew SorensenHighland Rambler

Highland High School

Best Single Page Design page 17E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Third Place

Jack LinkWarrior LedgerTaylorsville High School

page 18E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Single Page Design

Honorable Mention

David BennettRed & Black

West High School

page 19E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Single Page Design

Honorable Mention

Julia Michaela FuntanillaThe Round TableRoy High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Columnpage 20

First Place

Kristen HansenThe Prospector

Bingham High School

Best Column page 21E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Katie ByrdDaVinci’s NotebookDaVinci Academy

Those Who Can Do, Those Who Can’t Criticize

Katie Byrd

November Edition

Wanted: Newspaper staff members. Must be on call during school hours, afternoons, evenings, nights, and weekends. Required to: publish one article a week, learn Adobe InDesign, edit other’s articles, understand ty-pography humor, and recognize vocabulary words including but not limited to pica, serif, lede, feature, truck, flag, stroke, and inverted pyramid. Will receive no payment but have the pleasure of seeing writing published. Will also see writing used as: scratch paper, confetti, air planes, table liners, kindling, coloring pages, and spit balls. Writers can expect to receive little to no praise for their work, though students and teachers will fre-quently point out any spelling or grammatical errors. After all, errors are most important. I’ve always a bad habit of sitting in the back of the room making snide remarks and mocking people. I was that person. But working on the newspaper has given me a greater appreciation of the work done by others. As the newspaper editor, it is my job to work with new students teaching the skills needed to write for a newspaper. Newswriting is a style entirely different from academic writing, interviews are nerve-wracking, and let’s not even get started on the stress of deadlines. Every time I read the first draft of an article and want to cross everything out and make a harsh criti-cism, I remember all of the work someone put into writing it. Even articles written at the last minute show that someone cared enough to sit down and vomit a hundred words onto the paper, and that counts for something. Publishing the newspaper is one of the most difficult challenges I’ve faced in high school, and I know several students who would agree. I have stayed at school past seven working on newspaper layout. I’ve come in at eight in the morning on a Saturday to continue working. I’ve continued talking to staff members after meetings over text and Facebook until midnight to plan news stories and layout. I probably sound like I’m whining or dramatizing. But here’s my secret—it’s all true and a part of me loved every minute of it. After all, I knew it would be worth it to see our beautiful twelve page tabloid paper. As stressful as it is, it’s worth it to have that ownership and see our paper read by the students. It’s even better when I overhear people discussing an article in the hallways. In Mr. Jonesinski’s philosophy class, we learned about moral dilemmas. The example he used to ex-plain the concept was this: Imagine a train is speeding down train tracks at one hundred miles an hour. If it continues on its path, it will enter a tunnel and kill five people. You are standing next to the track switch. You have the power to divert the train into a second tunnel where only one person would be killed. Would be responsible for killing one person if it meant five people would be saved? This is the dilemma Mrs. Taylor and I face as we decide to publish the newspaper. We could spend a year fine-tuning layout and revising articles, but then nothing would ever be finished. At some point, we have to weigh the risk of errors with our desire to publish. When the ratio of errors to impatience is low enough, we take that chance. As journalists and as human beings, we must recognize that it is easier for others to judge those who take risks than to encourage them. Believe me, no one’s writing, painting, performing, programming, teaching, speaking—no one’s anything will ever be perfect on every single attempt. If you aren’t failing, you aren’t risking anything.

page 22E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Column

Third Place

Alexa KruckenburgThe Prospector

Bingham High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Column page 23

Third Place

Kyrie HulickWarrior LedgerTaylorsville High School

Best Columnpage 24E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Dylan WilsonWarrior Ledger


E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Editorial page 25

First Place

Carlee Jane SchmidtHighland Rambler


Best Editorialpage 26E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Mark KlekasHighland Rambler


E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Editorial page 27

Third Place

Anna McConkieHighland RamblerHighland High School

Best Editorialpage 28E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Jaren JolleyAlta Hawkeye

Alta High School

Henry David Thoreau, leading transcendentalist and famous author, poet, and philosopher, is well known for several of his writing pieces, but his most famous action was his experience at Walden. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” In Thoreau’s two year exile from civilization, he discovered several things about himself and what really mattered in life. So how do we relate? We live in a highly advanced technological age, which is actually very good and beneficial to us. Especially as young people growing up in this era, we have witnessed (and are witnessing) several stark changes in the advancements of technology. My simple plea is that, while we live in a world where everything is easier and so readily avail-able, we abandon the simplicity and technology that is so prominent; at least for a little while. I’m not stating this as a chastisement to teens, but merely a suggestion; an urgent suggestion. I can’t solely point the finger though, because I, maybe more than some, am guilty of falling into the cycle of excessive technology use, or “The Loop”. Our phones and iPods are always with us, thus feeding that instant urge to use them mindlessly. And where ever there is a computer, is not Facebook our first search and top priority? Starve yourself. Take your phone, iPod, and headphones, and hide them away from yourself. Don’t even look at your computer. By breaking this connection between you and the outside world, we are connecting deeply within yourself. Go outside, even if it’s cold, and just walk, listen, and look. Use every God given sense and interact with the Earth. By depriving ourselves of these devices, we are enhancing our natural and pure human abilities. We are developing the characteristics that Thoreau was so fond of: soul, nature, mind, heart, etc. If we could all heed Thoreau's philosophy and “live deliberately” by getting out of “The Loop”, we'd thank ourselves and gain far more than we think we’ll lose.

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 1Best Review page 29

First Place

Mackenzie McMillenRed & BlackWest High School

Best Reviewpage 30E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Braley DodsonThe Davis Dart

Davis High School

Romantic with a steampunk twist, The Three Musketeers, an interpretation of Alexandre Dumas’ epic novel, sheds light on the original tale while swirling in its own quirks.

The film starts with the tricky threesome sneaking into Leonardo da Vinci’s vault in Venice, Italy, with the help of the seductive Milady de Winter. Victorious, they escape with the blueprints for an airstrip, but, while in the process of celebrating, are betrayed to the Duke of Buckingham by Milady. A year later, the Musketeers, who are lost and without purpose, run into the cocky D’Artagnan and subsequently plan duels with him. They are interrupted by Cardinal Richelieu’s guards, who they defeat with flair. Instead of being punished, the young French monarchs reward the four protagonists. Richelieu, who is plotting against King Louis XIII, hatches a plan to steal Queen Anne’s diamond necklace and plant it on the Duke of Buckingham to convince Louis the two are having an affair and to launch France into a war where, in the confusion, he could take control of the country.

Although the steampunk edge could cause some to turn their nose up at the film, it gives the worn-out story a new edge in order to appeal to the new age of moviegoers. The airship makes its grand debut about halfway through the film and allows the original story to soar to the forefront and allows for spectacular aerial battles.

Freddie Fox and Juno Temple do a spectacular job with Louis and Anne by show-ing their underlying strength underneath the at times annoying frivolities that young French monarchs of the time would be concerned with. While Anne, who is always shown covered head to toe in a gigantic, lacy gown, is easily overshadowed by the extravagant outfits the costume designers squeeze him into. The clothing obsession turns from an-noying to laughable with the presence of the Duke of Buckingham as a wardrobe battle between blue, green, purple, and yellow cloth is fought between the two.

The two remaining leading ladies, Milla Jovovich as Milady and Gabriella Wilde as D’Artagnan’s love interest, Constance, are two polar opposites that thread the heroes together. Milady switches sides more often than a hyperactive kid with a light switch while Constance has a perpetually surprised look tattooed onto her porcelain features. Although Jovovich’s acting is impeccable as she plays the sultry aristocrat, the thing film-makers made the character of Milady memorable for was the strategic shots of her cleav-age.

The men of the hour, the intelligent Athos, played by Pride and Prejudice’s Mat-thew Macfayden, the religious Aramis, played by Luke Evans, and the mischievous Porthos, played by Ray Stevenson, juggle the responsibility of, well, being responsible between themselves with wit, drama, and, in the case of Macfayden, sexy deep voices. Logan Lerman makes a great D’Artagnan with a sarcastic grin, cheeky smile, and dazzling eyes as he is continually turned down by Constance.

The plot is original, the jokes recycled at times, and the acting suitable, but the real beauty in The Three Musketeers lies in the artistic scenery and calligraphy when each new character and location is presented. The audience is transported to old Europe and stunned by the frozen screenshots that turn to incomplete watercolor paintings when characters are introduced.

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Review page 31

Third Place

Anastasiya BobrovaThe TelegraphHerriman High School

Best Reviewpage 32E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Brian TonkinAlta Hawkeye

Alta High School

Judas PriestEnd of a musical era

Just take one look at the Epitaph tour and you’ll know how important Judas Priest is to the heavy metal world. On their farewell tour, the great Thin Lizzy and Black Label Society opened for them. After Zakk Wylde finished shredding for what seemed to be a millennium, the great British invaders were ready to show Salt Lake City the meaning of rock. The Metal Gods took the stage starting out with Rapid Fire and the show escalated from that point on. Rob Halford, despite being 60 years old, hit every high note like a true rocker. This being their final tour, Priest wanted to go out with a bang. After playing fifteen songs, including The Sentinal, Turbo Lover, Starbreaker and other hits, the band was seemingly finished, but that’s just not the metal way. A familiar guitar riff filled the arena and the jubilant crowd began to cheer. The whole stadium echoed with the words “Breaking the law, breaking the law…”, Halford's vocals could hardly be heard over the mass yelling. Finishing the night with the classic, You’ve Got Another Thing Coming , the members gave a bow and left the stage. It’s hard to think that they will never be here again. Forty years of heavy metal is at an end, just a few more concerts until Priest is officially done. From Rocka-Rolla to Nostradamus, Judas Priest has been the iconic metal band, the god of the gods. Starting in the United Kingdom in the late 60’s, Judas Priest, along with Black Sabbath, were the first heavy metal groups ever. So if you want to catch one last glimpse of pure unadulterated METAL, the Epitaph World Tour is your chance to rock.

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Profile page 33

First Place

Megan SkusterHighland Rambler


Best Profilepage 34E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Wogai MohamedHighland Rambler


E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Profile page 35

Third Place


Best Profilepage 36E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Alexandria GerritsenDaVinci’s Notebook

DaVinci Academy

New Counselor: Red or Blue?

Alexandria Gerritsen

Volume 8 Issue 1

If you find a Smurf around the hallways you should go see the new counselor. Not be-cause you’re seeing things and need help, but because Mrs. Soltys loves Smurfs. She loves them so much she collected all of them from kids meals, giving her a total of six-teen. Not only does she love Smurfs she also loves the University of Utah. “I’m a sucker for anything University of Utah as long as it’s girly,” she said. One main reason she likes the U of U is because although she received her associates and masters from Utah State, her bachelors is from the U. She liked the University of Utah better because, “They were more academically fo-cused.” When getting a degree Mrs. Soltys took into consideration her love of working with kids, but decided being a teacher wasn’t for her. She still wanted to work with kids so she became a counselor. “The diversity of students and where everyone travels from,” is her favorite aspect of the DaVinci environment. She also likes that the teachers are from different places as well. A unique factor about DaVinci that she likes is, “that every interaction with a student is different.” With being a new counselor at DaVinci she is excited to be taking on DaVinci and sees the upcoming year as going “fabulously.” Being born and raised in Utah is a highlight for Mrs. Soltys. She loves the climate, people, and mountains to name a few things. One of her favorite childhood memories from growing up in Utah is taking camping trips to Flaming Gorge. Currently she has two young animals around her house, her dogs Annie and Ally. “They are toy poodles who love their outfits.” Her dogs are the children in her household right now, and she loves them almost as much as she loves her husband who she considers “the best thing in my life.” Mrs. Soltys is ready to take on the new school year, but the real question would be her set of sixteen Smurfs or her collection of University of Utah memorabilia? DaVinci will just have to find out

Best Profile page 37E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Nic NaylorBrighton BARBBrighton High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Feature Storypage 38

First Place

Wogai MohamedHighland RamblerHighland High School

Best Feature Story page 39E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Carol FooteHighland RamblerHighland High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Feature Storypage 40

Third Place

Abby ChristiansenColt Roundup

Cottonwood High School

I’m sitting in the studio, waiting for the music to fade away. I have my script in front of me; I

lean in toward the microphone. Finally, the song ends, and it’s suddenly my turn to speak. There is com-

plete silence except for my voice filling the room, and it’s being channeled out to the ears of thousands

of people who have to listen to what I say. I am in charge. I am in control of the air waves.

The radio, I’m beginning to learn, is a much bigger power than people may think. On televi-

sion, the viewer sees only what is put right in front of them, clear as day, no room for interpretation. In

writing, it’s exactly the opposite; the reader takes the author’s words and twists them his way, so every

reader has a different experience. On the radio, the different media experiences meet in the middle. The

audience is forced to hear and listen to the speaker. They hear exactly what the speaker has to say. But

with no visual aids, the listener uses his own imagination to illustrate what’s being said. This perfect

speaker/listener cooperation gives the speaker all the control; his voice is the paint and his listener’s

mind is the canvas.

The adult world has harnessed the power of the radio with music, talk shows, advertising and

more; it’s one of the media’s most important tools. Now, thanks to Spy Hop Productions, a non-profit

youth arts organization, and KRCL, Utah’s community radio station, teens are taking control of this

power for themselves. Loud and Clear, Utah’s only weekly youth-produced radio program, is empower-

ing teens through the media and giving them a voice in their community.

The theme at Loud and Clear seems to be “alternative.” Corporate control takes a dive in this

program, and community issues and “alternative” music takes its place. Finally, we’re hearing something

other than top 40’s music and advertisements! We’re hearing about issues in our community that are

relevant to teens. This is such an important program for teens because we are like our own separate com-

munity. We have issues specific to our age group that mainstream media doesn’t cover.

It’s just an amazing opportunity to be a part of Loud and Clear. As one of the new 2011-2012

season’s “Loudies,” I get to DJ music I want to hear, talk about issues that are important to me, and meet

some really cool people along the way. Loud and Clear is not just about the radio, it’s about empower-

ment. It’s about getting teens involved, bringing them together, and helping them discover who they are.

Tune in to KRCL 90.9 fm on Saturday nights from 9 to 10 p.m. to get a taste of Loud and Clear

Radio, or log on to the KRCL website at www.krcl.org!

Best Feature Story page 41E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Braley DodsonThe Davis DartDavis High School

When Marketing teacher Jeffrey McCauley first announced to his second period class they would be helping a child’s wish be granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, his stu-dents were both nervous and excited about the chance to change a child’s life by doing a school project. The students were presented with two candidates, a toddler, and a 15-year-old sophomore from Layton High School they only knew at the time as “Madey”.

Kate Hadley, a sophomore who knew Madey from softball, helped to sway the class in her direction, and Davis High School, along with several other schools in Davis School District, were introduced to their project, Memories for Madey and to a teenage girl most knew only from a single picture of her joyously smiling in a tan hat.

“I was so happy because she’s the sweetest girl I’ve ever met,” said Hadley.

The class created an online campaign through Make-A-Wish in order for Madey Slaugh-ter’s wish of visiting the Floridian theme parks and the beach with her family. Slaughter was one of the 200 children diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma each year and competitively played both basketball and softball.

On October, 10, 2010 at 10:10 pm Principal Dee Burton greeted students through the school intercom, explained the project, and encouraged students to help a wish get granted by tex-ting a donation. Modern superstition and generous hearts raised over $3,200 during the day dedicated to the texting campaign, and online donations poured in from not only Utah, but Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Oregon, Florida, Georgia, New York, Washington, Illinois, North Carolina, Vermont, and even the town of Makestone, located across the ocean in England.

McCauley said that the class’s initial goal of $5,000, the cost of the average wish, was met on that day and that over $6,500 was raised for the cause.

Unfortunately, on January 11 at 5 pm, Slaughter lost her battle with cancer before her wish was able to be granted.

Hadley had been receiving text messages telling her Slaughter was not doing well, but thought that she’d be fine until the summer, when she would be able to take her trip. “I had planned to visit her the next week,” Hadley said. She had no idea that instead of the months Slaughter was expected to live, she had only weeks left.

“[The class] was really eerie,” said senior Carlie Smith, the chairman of the project. Smith said that going into the project, she knew there was a chance it would not end well, but had known people who had their wishes granted and was glad to benefit someone’s life.

Davis students wore blue in memory of Slaughter and were invited to visit the office if they were having difficulties coping with the tragedy. Although she did not attend Davis, the project struck deep with many.

The class initially believed the money raised would have to go towards granting another re-cipient’s wish, but then found out Slaughter’s wish for her family to go on a vacation would still be granted. McCauley said that after finding out she would most likely not be able to go on the trip, Make-A-Wish gave Slaughter the opportunity to choose another wish. Slaughter still wished for her family to go on the vacation, even if she wasn’t able to go with them.

Hadley said that she met with Slaughter during a football game and that she shared her grati-tude. “They’re so humble,” she said. “I’m pretty happy the family can go on the vacation, they really deserve it.”

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Humorous Articlepage 42

First Place

Khalid SharifThe Rambler


Best Humorous Article page 43E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Alexa KruckenburgDillon OstlundThe ProspectorBingham High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Humorous Articlepage 44

Third Place

Christian HansenThe Rambler


page 45E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Humorous Article

Honorable Mention

Kyrie HulickWarrior Ledger


E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best News Storypage 46

First Place

Josh HogganThe Round TableRoy High School

Best News Story page 47E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Taylor JenkinsBrighton BARBBrighton High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best News Storypage 48

Third Place

Wogai MohamedHighland Rambler


Best News Story page 49E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Alyssa NassiahHighland RamblerHighland High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Sports Storypage 50

First Place

Preston BrightwellHighland Rambler


Best Sports Story page 52E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Wogai MohamedHighland RamblerHighland High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Sports Storypage 52

Third Place

Kim Brenneisen The Speaking EagleJuan Diego Catholic

High School

Former WNBA Star Natalie Williams Starts as JD Girls Basketball Coach

By Kim Brenneisen -- Sports

The Juan Diego Catholic High School girls basketball team is looking forward to the 2011-12 season with new

star coach Natalie Williams, and many of the players are excited to start learning from her.

Williams is no stranger to the West -- or Utah. She attended Taylorsville High School and then the University

of California-Los Angeles where she played volleyball and was a forward on the basketball team.

Williams also played professional basketball in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) for

the Utah Starzz and the Indiana Fever. In 1999, she was named USA Basketball’s Female Athlete of the Year. Wil-

liams also played basketball with the national team in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia and won a gold

medal.

Williams takes the reins from previous coach Ashlee McKray, who coached the JD team for four years and

ended with a record of 35-52.

Before coming to JD, Williams was an assistant coach at Skyline High School in Utah. Williams says she

loves helping athletes get better and feels she can improve their skills and make basketball more fun.

“My goal here at Juan Diego is not only to help these young ladies succeed and win, but to teach them life

skills that they can take with them forever,” says Williams.

Williams has already taken a liking to the community at JD in her short time on campus. She loves how

everyone seems to take care of one another and says that it is just like an extended family.

Williams has seen a lot of girls with potential for greatness this season, and believes this team is different

from others she has coached. “At JD they put more pressure on themselves to succeed and that makes everyone work

harder,» she said.

The team has had open gym sessions where players get to see what Williams is like personally, as well as get

a taste for her method of coaching. Over the summer, players got the chance to compete in some tournaments at the

University of Utah and Utah Valley University with Williams as the head coach. They say it made it easier for them to

adjust.

Junior basketball player Hannah Ledek was on the team her freshman and sophomore years and was one of the

players who had the chance to play under Williams over the summer. Ledek likes her positivity and helpfulness. “She

really cares about all of us and wants to make sure that we’re doing our best,” Ledek says. “With her as the head coach,

the team will have a different dynamic.”

Freshman Allyn Mitchell had the opportunity to see how Williams coaches from the open gyms and a summer

camp. “She is a really good coach,” Mitchell says. “She doesn’t just work on your basketball skills but she also devel-

ops you as a person and wants to makes you a better person.”

Mitchell also says Williams is different from other coaches because of her experience in high school, college,

and her professional career. “She’s gone through what we’re going through,” Mitchell said. Tryouts for the team were

November 7 and 8, and Williams encouraged girls to give it a shot. “Girls should have tried out,” Williams says. “One,

it would have [given] them the opportunity to make the team; two, they›ll learn life lessons about adversity, how to

deal with conflict, how to encourage and help others, and to push themselves further than they ever have. And we›ll

have a lot of fun.»

Best Sports Story page 53E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Addie BeplateColt RoundupCottonwood High School

Cottonwood’s In It to Win It!

By: Addie Beplate

September 26, 2011

Going into the Homecoming game with a 3-2 record, and winning both region games, the Cot-

tonwood football team had some confidence on their shoulders. However, with their loss to Bingham two

weeks before, they also had a point to prove. With fans expecting a win for Homecoming, the team would

not settle for anything less. Fighting until the very last second, the Colts showed up to the occasion by

taking the victory in the very last play of the game. Cottonwood beat West Jordan 41-38 with an incred-

ible 55 yard pass from quarterback Cooper Bateman to the golden hands of Sione Moli for the winning

touchdown.

Victories have not come easy for the Colts, their previous games will testify. Given a difficult

region this year, the competition is stiff. The boys have somehow found ways to win with their notorious,

unexpected, and sometimes unconventional wins; they have a reputation for surprises. Earlier this season,

Jose Perez “Nacho” stunned American Fork with his game winning field goal. Living and playing by the

standards to play to the final buzzer and attain what seems impossible, the team continuously thrives to be

better.

Head Coach, Josh Lyman, would tell you the amount of effort it takes to be a football player at

Cottonwood High School. Practices carry on for hours, until each play has been thoroughly addressed and

each portion of the team perfected. They run, lift, and watch film regularly. “Practice is specifically de-

signed around the competition each week,” Lyman explains. With over 10 hours of practice and 20 hours

of film each week, the team is prepared as much as possible for Friday nights.

Colt football is not all about their success by means of scoreboards and front covers on news-

papers, the team strives to be a group of friends. Senior Captain Hunter Hanks stated, “The team shares

everything. We come from all over and we come together.” Hanging out on and off the field has helped the

boys become unified. Junior Gabe Hosea later added, “Everyone is extremely close and there is no exclu-

sion.” With habitual team dinners, the team makes memories other than the ones fans get to watch from

the bleachers.

So what’s next for the football team? If they continue down the path they are on, the Colts have a

chance to place well in Region and hopefully carry on to the State playoffs. Josh Lyman concludes, “The

guys work together. We have an experienced offense and they are all tough, strong, and don’t back down

from a challenge.” Cottonwood is ready for the competition they will have to face the rest of their season,

and they will not back down until the game is over, so that they can carry on their legacy.

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Newspaper Illustrationpage 54

First Place

Carolina SobreiraThe Telegraph


or Ar twork

Best Newspaper Illustration page 55E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Jen RosioThe Davis DartDavis High School

or Ar twork

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Newspaper Illustrationpage 56

Third Place

Kenny HuynhWarrior Ledger


or Ar twork

Best Newspaper Illustration page 57E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 1

Honorable Mention

Zach BrownBrighton BARBBrighton High School

or Ar twork

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Editorial Cartoonpage 58

First Place

Aspen ClawsonWarrior Ledger


Best Editorial Cartoon page 59E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place


E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Editorial Cartoonpage 60

Third Place

Inna RichardsonHighland Rambler


Best Editorial Cartoon page 61E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Honorable Mention

Jessica HarrisClarionJuab High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Feature Picturepage 62

First Place

Alyssa RobertsThe Davis Dart

Davis High School

A student from the Art Place club at Davis High School participates in Homecoming week’s street painting activity.

Best Feature Picture page 63E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 1

Second Place

Aliana DigirolamoAlta HawkeyeAlta High School

Face to face interaction keeps students looking inward.

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Feature Picturepage 64

Third Place

Anastasiya BobrovaThe Telegraph


Best Sports Picture page 65E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

First Place

Enzo Tejada Warrior LedgerTaylorsville High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Sports Picturepage 66

Second Place

Alesha Gallegos The Stallion Post

Stansbury High School

Best Sports Picture page 67E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 1

Third Place

Taylor HowellAlta HawkeyeAlta High School

Region cross country runners take to the hill at the murray Invitational and Murray Park

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best Sports Picturepage 68

Honorable Mention

Preston McCulloughWarrior Ledger


page 69E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2Best Sports Picture

Honorable Mention

Garrett ChristiansenWarrior LedgerTaylorsville High School

Senior, running back Mark Lesuma goes airborne to bring in a first down on the 9 yard line in the Warrior’s Homecoming loss to Olympus.

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best News Picturepage 70

First Place

Aliana DigirolamoAlta Hawkeye

Alta High SchoolAfter receiving the honorary flag, Principal Fidel Montero reflects on the meaning of Veteran’s Day and the men and women who sacrifice so much for everyone.

Best News Picture page 71E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2

Second Place

Bill EustermanBrighton BARB Brighton High School

E x c e l l e n c e 2 0 1 2 Best News Picturepage 72

Third Place

Garrett ChristensenWarrior Ledger


Documents

2012 Excellence in Utah High School Journalism