For the first time in three years, Newsprint won the Spartan Award from the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association (MIPA), and Lore, which was moved from the 4th division to the 2nd division this year, earned a silver. Students on both the Lore and Newsprint staff attended the MIPA awards ceremony this Monday, April 15, and were thrilled to take home many individual awards as well.
The Spartan Award, affectionately known as the Sparty, is the highest award that a school newspaper, yearbook, or website can receive in the state of Michigan. Publications submitted to MIPA for judging will receive either bronze, silver, gold, or a Sparty, depending on their quality. Newsprint staffers were excited that their recent change from broadsheet newspaper to tabloid paid off. Lore’s change to being judged in the division 4 category also proved successful.
“This year, the Lore was judged as a division 2 book, which was a big change compared to division 4 where we used to be,” said Laura Hatty, editor in chief of the Lore. “This meant tougher competition. When I heard about our division change, I was even more proud of the awards we received.”
MIPA also judges individual contests in many different categories from news story to illustration. Members of the Newsprint staff won, in total, 3 first place awards, 5 seconds, 4 thirds, and 19 honorable mentions. The 2012 Lore (last year’s yearbook) received one 1st place award, one 2nd place award, four 3rd place awards and five honorable mentions.
Newsprintnow.net also won several awards in the New Media competition. Newsprint was proud to accept one 2nd place and six honorable mentions in the following categories: follow-up news coverage, breaking news, enhanced story package, and photo slideshow.
Both Lore and Newsprint celebrated another successful year at the MIPA awards, and look forward to keep up their standards of excellence in the coming years.
“It was a fantastic experience for the four of us who attended as well as our adviser, Mrs. Smith,” said Hatty. “Seeing Mercy Newsprint bring home the Spartan award was an experience we were so proud to witness. We are proud of our publication ‘sisters!’ “
A complete list of MIPA winners can be found at the following link: http://mipamsu.org/2013-contest-results/