Journalism students had a strong showing at the TAJE (Texas Association of Journalism Educators) state convention in San Antonio. They won four individual awards and received Honorable Mention in the Best of Show competition for small yearbooks.

One of the competitions included an on-site photo contest in which awards were given to junior Kylee Wing, senior Tori Gatling, senior Madison Berry and junior Emma Waller.

Competitors in the photo competition roamed the city with their cameras for three hours. They submitted one picture in each of the five assigned categories: natural world, pairs, culture, urban and inspiration.

“We had no idea what to do for the ‘inspiration’ challenge, and we were running out of time,” Berry said. “We still had to submit everything, and when we were walking back we passed this really fancy hotel. They let us go up to their top floor outside, and we were able to recognize both of our visions. It was awesome.”

The students didn’t just work hard. State competitors got to do activities outside of attending sessions and competing.

“We went on our Riverwalk boat tour,” Waller said. “It was beautiful seeing the lights from all the restaurants reflecting on the river and getting to learn about the history of the buildings around us and what their original purpose was.”

The students also went to a pizzeria and ate a 42-inch pizza, visited the Alamo, ate ice cream and wrote on a popular chalkboard in the city where people passing write their goals.

Juniors Sydney Woodward, John Carl Boudreaux, Chris Luck, senior Mackenzie Kisslinger and sophomores Emily Humble and Michael Horton also competed in various writing, design and photo competitions. They each brought new ideas back to share with their classmates as well.

“It was just good to see the kids out of school having fun together and really getting to focus on something they all share a passion for – which is journalism,” publications adviser Megan Ortiz said.