Not only did the staff win the best in class Golden Eagle trophy, but they also placed 10th in state, bringing home several medals.
The Fielder received this award based off various grading criteria for three consecutive papers according to Renee Nieckula, journalism teacher. The paper earned enough points to rank in the top category and then, the top two papers in each division received the Golden Eagle trophy.
“I’m so proud of the entire staff. They have worked hard all year,’ Nieckula said.
The time that the Fielder staff put into the paper this year certainly showed, not just in terms of the Golden Eagle, but also in terms of personal awards, both at NISPA and in the live IHSA sectional and state competitions. Eight students advanced to the state competition, and four came home with state medals.
Iris Wright, senior, won fifth in copy editing. Elizabeth Hsieh, senior, won second in editorial writing, and the team of Paige Gieseke, junior and Jude Mendoza, senior, won second place in video news.
“I was really happy to have placed in my senior year,” Hsieh said. “It meant a lot because when I started journalism, it was just a small study-hall
option.”
“I honestly did not think I would do good,” Gieseke said. “I was surprised I placed second.”
The four students who qaulified but did not medal at state, were proud of their accomplishments at sectionals.
“[This was] my second competition,” Stephanie Wallace, junior, said. “I think I performed well.”
For some, the adrenaline of a competition can be stressful.
“[I was] worried and nervous because I wanted to do well,” Isabel Taylor, junior, said.
Taylor advanced to state with a third-place award in yearbook layout for a double page spread.
Nerves were not the only set back for competitors. With digital categories such as broadcast news, technical difficulties were also a factor.
“We had some problems last minute and I had to switch software programs on the day of sectionals,” Hannah Darbro, senior, said. “I am really glad I was still able to qualify.”