The Stars Don't Just Shine In Hollywood (02-26-07)

Well, it’s Oscar Night, and once again it is time to acknowledge and celebrate some amazing performances in the media of film and motion pictures.

Of course, the stars don’t just shine in Hollywood! This last week, many of our local “stars” were recognized for their stellar performances, also in media – the media of print and photographic journalism and advertising.

On February 22, thirteen Hill City High School students from our yearbook, journalism, and desktop publishing classes entered the Kansas Scholastic Press Association’s Regional Journalism contest in Hays. Ten different Hill City students placed fourteen times in twelve of the seventeen possible categories.

Think about that for a second. Among all 1 and 2A school in our regional, Hill City placed in all but five of the seventeen categories, and in several of those categories, Hill City had two of the six winners.

Among the places, Hill City students earned 3 first places finishes, 3 second place finishes, 2 third places, and six honorable mentions. All fourteen entries have now qualified for the KSPA state tournament in Lawrence, May 5th.

To me, though, what is most impressive isn’t these gaudy stats, but the impressive body of work produced by these students. The categories in which we placed first were Advertising, Newspaper Design, and Yearbook Copywriting. When I saw these first place projects, I was impressed with the professional quality, attention to detail, and the artistic flair radiating from the pages. We should be proud that these projects earned top honors, but we can also be confident that the creators might someday find meaningful employment in the field of print and photographic journalism.

In other words, our students are using cutting edge technology to produce high quality layouts and designs that could someday be part of a professional portfolio.

And this is nothing new. Under Diana Boyd, our Hill City Yearbook has regularly garnered recognition as being among the best in the state. Now Kim Pfeiffer and Joe Jackson are continuing this wonderful tradition.

I have been told repeatedly over the last few months, how Hill City is a basketball town. While there is a certain amount of truth in that observation, I am beginning to see that we are so much more than that. Our tradition of excellence goes beyond athletics, and is even more prevalent in our scholastic endeavors. Especially when it comes to applying digital technologies in meaningful and award-winning ways, Hill City students shine among the stars of the state!

So as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences pays homage to the great performances of this past year, let us also honor the wonderful work our Hill City students produce each and every day. The stars don’t just shine in Hollywood. Last Thursday, the Hill City stars were shining bright in Hays and soon they will be on display at the State Finals in Lawrence.

From there, sit back and watch as our all-stars work their digital magic and shine for the world.