Posted on 02/06/2017
The Francis Howell School District (FHSD) and its supportive community is proud to have such outstanding publication departments at all three high schools. Receiving recognition on a national level helps give us an idea of what great work these students are producing. Recently, two FHSD high schools participated in the Quill and Scroll National Awards, and several students were honored for their excellence. In addition, the Francis Howell High School (FHHS) yearbook was recognized in the A Division of the Quill and Scroll National Yearbook Excellence Contest.
The Quill and Scroll competition was created to encourage scholastic journalism excellence, and FHSD publication crews are perfect headliners for such a contest. The fact that that FHHS won in the A Division (over 750 students enrolled in the school), shows how seriously the students take their work. Michele Dunaway, the FHHS Publications Advisor, said, “As the book is a student-produced publication, from conception to submission to the yearbook company, it’s a testament that Howell students can create and do great things.”
Individually, many students did well in the competition at both FHHS and Francis Howell North (FHN) High School, winning Gold Key awards. “Receiving a Quill and Scroll Gold Key is special,” Dunaway said. “Professionals judge these awards, and to earn this national recognition is a prestigious honor. Only 22 percent of all who entered were national winners. Students who received Yearbook Excellence awards created strong visual packaging combined with solid reporting, and the fact that (FHHS students) earned six of these recognitions is proof of how special the 2016 (FHHS) staff and the book it created was.”
Here are the Quill and Scroll Gold Key winners from FHHS: (Name, Category, Title)
Kristina Pratt (2016 graduate), Sports, “Swimming for Gold”
Shelby Odle (senior), Academics, “Testing the Limits”
Alyssa Juris (senior), Academics, “Core Classes Evolve”
Olivia Biele (2016 graduate), Personality Profile, “Hunger Pains”
Kristen Landon (2016 graduate), Student Life, “Bringing the Spirit”
Quentin White (2016 graduate), Student Life, “This is My Desk”
Here are the Gold Key winners from FHN: (Name, Category)
Jessie Biondo (2016 Graduate), Student Life Design
Courtney Olsen (senior), Advertising Design
Lavanya Kolluru (Senior) Clubs and Organizations Design
Bryce Fletcher (senior) Clubs and Organizations Design
These students do not create the best yearbooks around just to get awards. Knowing how they positively affect schools and their communities, and especially the fond memories provided by yearbooks, is enough to repay their hard work. FHN Journalism teacher Jordyn Kiel said, “I do love it when we get a chance to celebrate the hard work and passion our students put into journalism. They strive to learn more daily, continually improve themselves, and become better team members. I could not be more proud of the work our students do each day and of the things they accomplish."