The Southerner was named the All-Georgia Newspaper and All-Georgia News Website at the Spring Awards Ceremony for the Georgia Scholastic Press Association (GSPA).
“This distinction really solidifies all the hard work that all of us put into all the content of the paper,” Website Managing Editor and Comment Associate Managing Editor Lily Rachwalski said. “There is so much passion for the Southerner within the staff and the school, and it is really uplifting for everyone.”
Rachwalski was recognized for her tenure as a GSPA ambassador alongside eight other excelling student journalists chosen to serve as liaisons between their high school media programs and GSPA.
“The Student Ambassador program has been extraordinarily impactful for me this year,” Rachwalski said. “It is a group of highly talented individuals that I feel privileged to have worked with.”
Additionally, comment writer Stella St. Clair’s piece “Changing the cycle: Instituting menstruation education in health classes” won All-Georgia Commentary story, and Editor-in-Chief Carolyn Harty’s piece “Boys soccer makes team history” won All-Georgia Sports Story.
“To get this award as a sophomore has really lit a fire under me for the next two years on the Southerner,” St. Clair said. “I feel incredibly motivated to continue writing and cannot wait for the next two years.”
Lifestyle and Design Managing Editor Connie Erdozain’s graphic for “Fast fashion is ruining our consumer culture” won All-Georgia Editorial Cartoon. She hopes that the Southerner continues to focus on design development.
“This year, I have really taken up a lot of graphic design for both the paper and digital [website],” Erdozain said. “I hope for next year, we can have a deeper focus on design and education on making graphics and editorial cartoons across the entire staff.”
Additionally, News Managing Editor Sierra Pape won Runner-Up Junior Journalist of the Year. Editor-in-Chief Shalin Bhatia believes that the excellence of the paper is sustainable and there is room for even more growth in years to come.
“I think these awards are really a step in the right direction for the Southerner,” Bhatia said. “Next year, there are going to be a lot of bright editors and I think there is potential for even better coverage and recognition at a national scale.”
