2024 ODYSSEY Media Group Awards Banquet Program

Meet The Staff

iliad Editorial Board Journalism

Banquet Agenda

SLIDESHOW

WELCOME & WORD OF INTRODUCTION

FILM PRESENTATION

SENIOR FAREWELL SPEECHES

Amya Hopkins, Maggie Monk, Angel Jara, Daniel Cruz, Isabelle Duncan

LUNCH

SENIOR FAREWELL SPEECHES

Maya Clement, Aza Khan, Audrey St. Onge, Cadence Schapker

ILIAD & ODYSSEY AWARDS

SENIOR FAREWELL SPEECHES

Isabella Westrich, Molly Harwell, Anna Shaikun

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS

Welcome

Welcome to the 21st Annual ODYSSEY Media Group Banquet!

On behalf of the OMG, I’m pleased to extend a warm welcome to all of you who have joined us for this special occasion.

This event brings together families, boosters, alumni, and VIPs to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our talented student journalists. We are honored to have such distinguished guests in attendance, and we extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your unwavering support of our journalism program. Your generosity and dedication have significantly impacted our students’ lives and journalistic experiences. We are grateful for the many opportunities you have provided to help them grow and thrive.

I would like to express special gratitude to the Campbell Family for their years of support and for sponsoring the Lorien Awards to recognize our creatives at CCHS. Likewise, I would like to recognize Ms. Peggy Galis for her continued patronage. Additionally, I’d like to recognize Kate Kohler for years of support, encouragement, and volunteer service behind the scenes.

We are also grateful to the dedicated Booster Club officers and parent/guardians who have worked tirelessly to support our journalism program and provide our students with the support, volunteer labor, and supplies they need to succeed. Through their tireless efforts, our program continues to thrive. I must also commend Ms. Jennifer Tesler, Mr. Jesus Hernandez and Coach William Lance for consistent help, encouragement and volunteer service. Thank you also to Cate DeMaria for designing this afternoon’s program.

A special welcome and thanks go out to our school administrators, district administrators, and BOE members, who provide access, insight, and time to allow the students to produce quality, informed content. Beyond their transparency, their continued financial support of the program must be recognized.

Recognition must also be given to the students who make up the program’s backbone. We would not be here without them and their pursuit of excellence. It’s a marvel to behold the legacy of this program over the last 21 years. We are immensely proud of the hard work and dedication they have demonstrated in producing exceptional journalism, and we celebrate their success in bringing important stories and issues to light in our community.

In particular, I’d like to commend our seniors whose high school experience started behind the screen of a laptop on Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their maturation, commitment to one another, and willingness to challenge themselves along the way have bewen remarkable.

Once again, we extend our warmest welcome to all our guests, and we hope you enjoy this special afternoon of celebration and recognition. Thank you for being a part of our community and for your continued support of our journalism program. So, lift your glass, enjoy your meal, and look no further than the kids assembled around you this afternoon for inspiration.

DR

David A. Ragsdale, CJE, Adviser ODYSSEY Media Group

Letter From the Editors

Molly Anna

Thank you so much for coming to the ODYSSEY Media Group Banquet for the 2023-24 school year. We are so honored that you are here to celebrate with us today!

This year, the ODYSSEY staff grew to a size that we haven’t seen since the pre-pandemic years. To accommodate these numbers, the OMG transferred to a leadership model with two Editors-in-Chief. With this change, as well as a Production class composed primarily of underclassmen and new arrivals, it was a struggle for the staff to find their footing.

Despite this transition, we were able to produce four outstanding magazines, as well as a plethora of quality web and social media content. Both print and web received high honors at state, regional and national journalism conferences.

None of the content we produced nor any of the awards we received would have been possible without the dedication of every member of the OMG. Throughout our ODYSSEY careers, we’ve grown familiar with the phrase, “If one of us wins, we all win.” Whether an award from a conference or just a ring of the bell during class, our staff celebrated it all together.

We would also like to shed some light on our incredible Booster Club. We are so grateful for their hard work and everything they have contributed to our program. We really appreciate you!

Additionally, we would like to thank our wonderful parents and guardians who have provided so much support, whether through providing snacks, volunteering at the UGA concession stand, or just being there for your student. Thank you!

In addition, we would like to thank the CCSD Board of Education and our administration for consistently supporting our program and for giving us access to tell the stories of our school community. Thank you!

And lastly, a big thank you to our adviser, Mr. David Ragsdale. Without him, we wouldn’t have been able to do the work we do or had the strength to move forward when we needed it most. We are so thankful for his guidance and patience with us this year.

As we close, we’d like to recognize our seniors, who have left a lasting impact on the program. Many seniors were in prominent leadership positions this year, so this banquet signals the end of an era. However, we see a lot of promise in the next generation and are very excited to see where the ODYSSEY goes after we’re gone.

To everyone who made this year special, whether you are a parent, a student or a patron of the program, we sincerely can’t thank you enough. Both of us can’t wait to see what the future holds next year, and once again, thank you so much everyone for attending!

Molly Harwell, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Editor-in-Chief

Anna Shaikun, ODYSSEY Media Group Digital Editor-in-Chief

Olivia

Letter From the Editor

Good afternoon and welcome to the 2024 ODYSSEY Media Group Banquet!

As you all may know, the iliad Literary-Art Magazine is the sister publication to the ODYSSEY Newsmagazine. We collect the art and creative writing of the students and faculty at CCHS, as well as rising ninth graders from our feeder schools, and bring them together with our annual magazine. The iliad strives to be an inclusive platform to represent the CCHS community accurately. We hope that with our magazine, we can inspire the community to continue making art and showcasing art.

Personally, I am the product of a “sibling in ODYSSEY.” My sister, 2021 ODYSSEY alumna Naomi Hendershot, urged me to join the Journalism One class my freshman year. I was hesitant, but after getting experience in the class, I found a place where I could apply my skills and creativity, the iliad. In my sophomore year, I was the iliad Social Media Coordinator, and I would have never expected that the following year I would be the iliad’s Editor-in-Chief.

I am so glad that along with the vast skill set gained from being in the program, I have also gained confidence in myself and my capabilities. My time in the iliad has granted me a place to express my creativity and put it towards something. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to collaborate with other students at CCHS who also possess a passion for creativity, including this year’s Editorial Board.

The iliad would not be able to continue its work without such an amazing Editorial Board. They have helped me grow as a leader, a teammate, and an editor. Words can not express how grateful I am to have the opportunity to work with such amazing people.

We are so grateful for our parents/guardians, patrons, our adviser Mr. David Ragsdale, and the OMG Booster Club, who helped make our program and this event possible.

I am more than excited for the future of iliad Literary Art Magazine and the student art we will be able to share with our school’s community.

Olivia Hendershot, iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editor-in-Chief

Left: iliad Literary-Art Magazine Editor-in-Chief Olivia Hendershot reads a piece from the 2023 edition of the iliad, “flourish,” at the 2023 iliad Creative Celebration

Amya

Senior Blogs

More Than a Magazine

I first joined ODYSSEY at the request of my friend Aza Khan, who had been in the program for quite some time. I had previously taken AP English Literature with Mr. David Ragsdale, so I didn’t think doing ODYSSEY would be a huge challenge for me because I had already faced a similar class.

After my first few months in ODYSSEY, I can say my purpose for being here has been a bit more thought out. Now I look at ODYSSEY as not only a means to continuously improve myself as a student much like AP English Literature did, but also as a way to leave a lasting effect from my work. AP Literature made me not only a better student but a better writer. I’m looking forward to seeing ODYSSEY’s effect on me.

The human connections in the program are truly the things I enjoy most about the ODYSSEY. After going to SIPA and having our closing circle, I was able to see that ODYSSEY was more than a newsmagazine and a cult but a family -- supportive and genuine family and although to be a part of the family is not my reasoning for being in the program, it is the reason that I stay.

Although journalism isn’t something I’m particularly interested in, ODYSSEY has been something to encourage me to hold myself to a higher standard and I am forever grateful to the program for that.

Amya Hopkins, ODYSSEY Media Group Viewpoints Staffer

Maggie

Step Out, Step Up

Transferring to Clarke Central High School my junior year, I never really paid attention to ODYSSEY until I took Mr. David Ragsdale’s AP English Literature and Composition class. In this class, Mr. Ragsdale and my classmates challenged me to always dig deeper than just the surface.

The thought of joining ODYSSEY never even crossed my mind until Mr. Ragsdale asked me to join, but the decision came surprisingly easily to me. I knew he would continue to push me to be my best and help grow my confidence in my writing ability in ODYSSEY like he did in AP Literature.

Within my first couple of weeks being in the program, I was assigned a story about a woman who had a history of substance abuse and fought to transform her life. Working on such a sensitive topic pushed me out of my comfort zone by forcing me to ask hard questions and create a safe environment for my stakeholder. With the help of my editors, I was able to successfully complete my first story.

Although joining the program this semester has been difficult, the people have made it easier with all the love and support they’ve shown me. I am confident in saying I made the right choice joining. I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to have such a unique and special experience in my last semester of high school.

Maggie Monk, ODYSSEY Media Group Variety Staffer

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

On March 3, after being prompted to speak about my time in the ODYSSEY, I wept like a small child in front of my peers at the 2024 Southern Interscholastic Press Association conference in Columbia, South Carolina.

I hadn’t cried in public since the time my 5th grade soccer team was knocked out of the playoffs.

It took me a while to realize why I was actually crying. At first I attributed it to the somber tone of the room or the realization that it was going to be my last ever time at SIPA.

However, it was only long after the convention that I realized I was crying because I realized that ODYSSEY helped me achieve the one thing I was looking for throughout all of high school.

Purpose.

In truth, I never really cared about school, I got good grades and fit the mold of a “good” student but I found myself being disinterested in almost everything I did in school.

ODYSSEY may very well have been the only thing I actually enjoyed throughout all of school.

I never had the makings of a varsity athlete or the brains of a mathlete but in my senior year of high school, when I joined the ODYSSEY I felt like I had finally found something that made me feel like someone.

Angel Jara, ODYSSEY Media Group News Staffer

Angel Daniel

It’s Been Sensational

My time in the ODYSSEY had a lot of ups and downs. When I first joined I was an arrogant senior who thought he knew how to take photos, and as I soon found out, I most definitely did not.

I came in with this idea that I truly had something very special to offer to the program, and that I was going to hit the ground running and absolutely change the game. Frankly, I hit the ground, spun out, crashed, and blew up. I was having some struggles at home and as much as I tried to not let it seep into my school life, at some point it became impossible to avoid.

Regrettably, I simply wasn’t cut out to be a photographer for the ODYSSEY, and I felt like I really let my peers, Mr. David Ragsdale, my editor and friend Aza Khan, and most of all, I feel like I really let myself down.

In the end, I was switched from the Photography Staff and added to the Digital Staff as a broadcaster, which was the best thing that could’ve happened. Honestly, with how things were going I really should’ve quit but I was too scared.

I was too scared of the distant and disappointing looks I would’ve gotten as I walked past Room 231. So I stayed, and I’m so glad I did. Broadcast or “Filmmaking,” as I like to call it, along with Mr. Ragsdale’s encouragement, made me feel like I was finally doing something right, in a time where it felt like all I could do was mess up.

As corny as it may seem, ODYSSEY allowed me to find value in myself. I trusted my vision, my art, and it even helped me grow as an artist in other facets like photography, too.

The love and care I experienced being a part of this program were like no other. It helped me grow into a passion that I knew I always had love for but never had an outlet to express it.

If I walk away with nothing else this year, I at least know that because of the opportunities this program gave me, I’m walking away with a newfound love and appreciation for myself, and my gratitude for that could never be expressed.

Daniel Cruz, ODYSSEY Media Group Broadcast Staffer

Isabelle

Without ODYSSEY

When I joined the ODYSSEY Media Group as a reserved and shy person the second semester of my junior year, I never could have imagined the way this program would have impacted me within the next year.

Without ODYSSEY, I never would have gotten to explore my passion for photography to the extent that Mr. David Ragsdale has pushed me to.

Without ODYSSEY, I never would have found such a profound community within Clarke Central that I wasn’t even aware of.

I joined because I wanted to grow academically but I have stayed because of the most welcoming and supportive people I have ever met. Although this is constantly talked about in Room 231, the connections we make here are unlike any other because we are all working towards something bigger than ourselves, together.

The hunger that drives so many in the ODYSSEY to share people’s stories has inspired me during this past year to involve myself more in my high school and Athens community.

When I first joined under the wing of Aza Khan as a Social Media Staffer, it didn’t even occur to me that just the next semester I would be granted the opportunity to be an editor, let alone a Journalism I Facilitator.

Through such leadership roles I have learned so much about myself and the skills needed to be an effective leader in any setting. Still at this point in my journey I experience imposter syndrome because of how different of a person and student I was only 12 months ago.

Without ODYSSEY, I never would have guessed that there would be underclassmen looking up to me and the responsibilities I uphold. I am truly grateful for this program because without ODYSSEY I wouldn’t be the same person I am today.

Isabelle Duncan, ODYSSEY Media Group Social Media Coordinator and Journalism I Facilitator

Building a Family

I originally joined ODYSSEY because my mom heavily encouraged me to. However, I stayed in the program because of the community.

As a sophomore, I was put in an editorial position with only a semester of Zoom journalistic training, and I had no idea what to expect. I struggled to find my confidence in a group of people older and more experienced than me.

But, right by my side were three senior leaders, then-Print Managing Editor Chloe Sears, Print Editor-in-Chief Audrey Enghauser and Digital Managing Editor Natalie Schliekelman. Through them, I found my voice and developed my journalistic skills which set me up for success throughout my entire ODYSSEY career. They made me feel seen by taking me to countless meetings at coffee shops and always making time to answer the plethora of questions I had. They showed me that I could believe in myself and be my own leader in the room.

Through them, I also found the most important part of ODYSSEY for me: the relationships formed.

It doesn’t matter how much we all fight or disagree or annoy each other, we are a family. From my collection of embarrassing photos of people sleeping on bus rides to hours-long conversations in cars to more inside jokes than I can count, we have formed so many amazing memories with each other that will last a lifetime.

I’ve built a support system around me and learned to trust others. I’ve found people who will celebrate even the smallest successes with me and pick me up when I’m feeling down. I’ve grown alongside an amazing group of seniors from timid underclassmen who were afraid to speak to capable young adults who can do anything we set our minds to.

While I don’t want to pursue journalism after high school, I will always carry the memories I formed with my ODYSSEY family and establish my own support system anywhere I go. It’s not what I did or learned in ODYSSEY that will stick with me forever, but the people I met along the way and how they made me feel.

Maya Clement, ODYSSEY Media Group Managing Editor

A Different Lens

I started my journalism career in my room, on my laptop, under the covers during the COVID disaster that was freshman year. I never even stepped foot inside Clarke Central, but there I was, learning about journalism with a bunch of other randos from behind a Zoom screen.

When I came to Room 231 for the first time at the 2021 ODYSSEY Summer Workshop, I felt like an imposter. I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t want to talk to anyone, and that continued throughout my sophomore year until I found my passion.

I always wondered what kept me in the program despite the many hardships I faced. Whether it was disagreements with my editors, overcoming self-doubt, or cold wars with my peers, all it took was a heart-to-heart and an honest conversation with OMG adviser Mr. David Ragsdale, although sometimes he was the main one I’d be in a quarrel with.

But as much as I impacted ODYSSEY, ODYSSEY impacted me just as much.

Fast forward four years, and I am confident in my leadership and academic abilities. I spent four years in the program specializing in social media and photography and received national recognition. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of my peers, the Journalism I kids, and my loved ones.

Aza Khan, ODYSSEY Media Group Photographer and Journalism I Facilitator

My Thank You

When I first joined the ODYSSEY Media Group as a freshman on Zoom, I kept a running list of the strange things our adviser Mr. David A. Ragsdale would say or do on a sticky note above my desk.

When I first walked into the classroom, still a freshman but with 75% of the year gone, I will never forget the first words he said to me: “Welcome to the rest of your life” … I’m just kidding, it was, “ You’re shorter than I thought you would be.”

Nonetheless, I have found a life in ODYSSEY, a home, although I’m no taller but perhaps a little wiser.

I have been on an odyssey in this class (bad pun intended). I started Journalism I on Zoom and finished the school year in person, I was on Viewpoints and Variety, I was Business Staff and Morale Chair, and this year I was a Facilitator helping the new Journalism I class.

As ready as I am to graduate and leave this all behind, I will miss this group.

So this is a thank-you and a so long to all these people that will never all be together in the same way. The short jokes, the bad drawing I made as a freshman that is hanging above Mr. Ragsdale’s desk, and everything that makes the ODYSSEY something I will have for “the rest of my life.”

Audrey St. Onge, ODYSSEY Media Group Business Manager and Journalism I Facilitator

Audrey Cadence

Finding My Voice

I love to sing and I’ve been singing with a local children’s chorus for nine years now, so I’ve always known how to be loud and make myself heard. But three years ago, those skills didn’t carry outside of the rehearsal room. I was scared of the people I didn’t know when I was thrown out of my element, and my voice was reduced to a squeak.

ODYSSEY was no different. Initially, I was terrified. I had to ask people I had never met before some pretty personal questions as a journalist, and as a student, I had to speak up for myself to get the help I needed in the classroom. But to my surprise, Room 231 would become another one of my rehearsal rooms. A place where my voice, confidence and friendships developed beyond what I could imagine, and I have only grown louder.

I have presented on the importance of diversity and inclusion at the state and national level. I have made it a point to make my editing processes as a leader conversations with my staffers to ensure my staff doesn’t feel the voicelessness I felt as a writer. I have found my voice thanks to the work I have been doing as a journalist, and I never intend to let it go.

Cadence Schapker, ODYSSEY Media Group News Editor

Isabella

It’s Hard Work Being a Mascot

I first joined ODYSSEY as a shy, Zoom-bound freshman who got anxious even saying my name during class attendance. While the rest of virtual school is a blur, I remember being hooked by the sense of community and dedication in ODYSSEY that translated even through the computer screen.

I struggled through sophomore year when we returned inperson, drowning in schoolwork and fighting deep-seated insecurity. However, ODYSSEY gave me something meaningful to be part of and gave me my first sense of real success in high school. I was also absolutely star-struck by the upperclassmen, who seemed like they had everything figured out, and their mentorship meant so much to me.

Junior year, I was in an editor position for the first time, and it was so far out of my comfort zone, it was practically in a different state. However, it was also so much more rewarding than any previous work I had done, and I’m so grateful to my staffers. I was also able to have meaningful conversations with stakeholders and learned so much about my community that I had previously been blind to, which completely shifted my worldview.

Senior year has been one of highs and lows, of bittersweet lasts but also some firsts. Being a Journalism I Facilitator has been one of the most meaningful experiences from my time in high school and seeing each J1 kid grow has been such a privilege. The News Staff has become like a second family, and while I didn’t expect it, I've met several new people this year that are now a really important part of my life. It’s also been more than amazing seeing my other seniors grow up into the cool, confident big kids that I looked up to when I was an underclassman.

ODYSSEY has given me a group of people that was there for me even when it wasn’t all easy or fun. It’s given me the chance to interact with my community in so many new ways and hear the stories of really amazing people. And it’s helped me grow into the person I wanted to be when I logged on to that first Zoom meeting.

Isabella Westrich, News Editor and Journalism I Facilitator

A Second Home

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I am the worst decision-maker in the entire world. Ever. Whether it’s deciding where to eat for dinner or which college to attend, making choices has never been my strongest suit.

The one decision I have never doubted, not even for a second, was joining ODYSSEY.

I say it all the time, but this program really is my second home, and that feeling was solidified for me my junior year.

My Managing Editor Maya Clement and I were presenting at SIPA, and even though we had spent weeks preparing, our turnout was extremely low. Like, four people-low.

I was feeling so extremely discouraged and ready to give up on the spot right then and there, but right then, the doors burst open and both the Production and Journalism I classes came pouring into our presentation room. Business Manager Audrey St. Onge gave me a thumbs up, and I felt like crying.

I remember thinking, “These are my people.”

I could ramble on and on about how being a part of this program made me a better editor, or a better leader, or a better professional. But the most important thing that ODYSSEY provided me was a second family.

The “greige,” as ODYSSEY Media Group Adviser Mr. David Ragsdale likes to call it, walls of Room 231 provided me a space where I felt comfortable being myself, a space where I felt truly welcome and safe.

I truly believe that I wouldn’t be who I am today without this program and these people, and I am so immensely grateful that I didn’t doubt myself. (P.S. )

Molly Harwell, ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Editor-in-Chief

A Spark of Community

Despite learning over Zoom, being the lone kid from Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School, and being limited in my pursuit of “real” journalism, I fell in love with the ODYSSEY Media Group during my freshman year.

A spark of community and meaningful work brought me back to ODYSSEY sophomore year and beyond, where that spark became a flame.

Although I didn’t anticipate the path I would take in ODYSSEY, I wouldn’t change a second of it. Through my time on the Digital Staff, I learned multimedia storytelling and how to be a mentor. I threw myself headfirst into my work -- telling the stories of my community and uplifting others in Room 231 -- and proudly claimed the title of “ODYSSEY kid.”

Through ODYSSEY, I have grown exponentially as a writer, a leader, and a human being. Those strangers on a computer screen have become some of my favorite people and I’ve loved seeing them grow up alongside me.

I will always value the skills that this program has taught me, and I will always love the ODYSSEY folks, past and present, who have become my family.

Anna Shaikun, ODYSSEY Media Group Digital Editor-in-Chief

Above: ODYSSEY Newsmagazine Editor-in-Chief Molly Harwell and ODYSSEY Media Group Digital Editor-in-Chief Anna Shaikun pose for a picture at the Southern Interscholastic Press Association Conference on March 2.

Anna

Journalism Organizations HIGH SCHOOL

The ODYSSEY Media Group belongs to several high school journalism organizations. Participation ranges from attending annual events and summer workshops to submitting items for judging and evaluation. A summary of these organizations is as follows:

BALL STATE UNIVERSITY’S JOURNALISM DAY (JDAY), brings middle and high school students and teachers to Ball State University’s campus in Muncie, Indiana once a year to learn about different aspects of journalism. The conference, hosted by Ball State’s College of Communication, Information and Media, provides sessions that cover many different journalistic topics and contests that take place throughout the day. Ball State University first started offering journalism workshops in 1966, which have continued to grow and develop over the years.

COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (CSPA), founded in 1925, unites student editors and faculty advisers, working with them to produce student newspapers, magazines, yearbooks and online media. Students come from public, private and church-related schools and colleges throughout the United States and from overseas schools. The association is owned by Columbia University and operates as a program affiliated with its prestigious Graduate School of Journalism.

THE GEORGIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (GSPA), assists Georgia high school journalism programs and students by encouraging their production of quality publications through instruction and contests. GSPA was organized in 1928 by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, which has continued to direct its activities, providing information through the newsletter and instruction through convention sessions, judging, speakers upon request and fall workshop sessions.

THE JOURNALISM EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (JEA), supports free and responsible scholastic journalism by providing resources and educational opportunities, by promoting professionalism, by encouraging and rewarding student excellence and teacher achievement, and by fostering an atmosphere which encompasses diversity yet builds unity.

THE NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (NSPA), is a nonprofit membership organization exclusively for high school and other secondary school publications--yearbooks, newspapers, magazines, broadcast programs and online publications. Since 1921, NSPA has offered its members resources to help their publications improve, including national

high school journalism conventions, prestigious contests and scholarships, a publication service and much more.

THE QUILL AND SCROLL SOCIETY is a high school honor society devoted to fostering interest and excellence in the field of journalism. It has member chapters in all 50 states and in 44 countries around the world. Quill and Scroll fulfills its mission by awarding scholarships and sponsoring contests.

THE SOUTHERN INTERSCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (SIPA), is a nonprofit organization of public schools, including middle, junior and senior high schools. Its purpose is to encourage a high degree of professionalism in scholastic journalism and mass communications in the Southeast. Founded at Washington and Lee University in 1926, SIPA moved to the University of South Carolina in 1972. Members are from District of Columbia and 15 states- Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

YOUTH JOURNALISM INTERNATIONAL: Youth Journalism International connects student writers, artists and photographers with peers around the globe, teaches journalism, fosters cross-cultural understanding, and promotes and defends a free youth press.

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH: The National Council of Teachers of English is devoted to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. The Council promotes the development of literacy, the use of language to construct personal and public worlds and to achieve full participation in society, through the learning and teaching of English and the related arts and sciences of language.

In-House Awards LEARN ABOUT OUR

YEAR

2022-2023

2022-2023

2023-2024

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ODYSSEY and iliad Recognition

Ball State University’s JDay

RECIPIENT

Janie Ripps

Mykolas Kumpis

Isabella Westrich, Isabella Gresham and Molly Harwell

Eleanor Robinson, Liya Taylor, Wyatt Meyer, Riley Ramsey, Evan Cornish, Cooper Jones, Cadence Schapker, Lucas Donnelly, Aza Khan, Anna Shaikun

Cadence Schapker

Miles Lawrence

Nico Willman and Riley

Ramsay

Cadence Schapker, Daniel Cruz and Anna Shaikun

Cadence Schapker and Mykolas Kumpis

Wyatt Meyer

Maya Shrivastav

Jesse Dantzler

Janie Ripps

Janie Ripps

Peter Atchley

Mykolas Kumpis

Nico Willman

Isabella Westrich

Cadance Schapker Staff

Sam Harwell

Sam Harwell

Antonio Starks

Maya Clement Staff

Staff

Staff

Wyatt Meyer

AWARD

Broadcast, Sports Story Package; Excellent Online, Multimedia Story; Excellent Online, Multimedia Story; Excellent

Online, Multimedia Story; Honorable Mention

Online, Multimedia Story; Honorable Mention Online, Multimedia Story; Honorable Mention Online, Multimedia Story; Honorable Mention

Online, Multimedia Story; Honorable Mention

Online, News Story; Honorable Mention

Online, News Story; Honorable Mention Online, Podcast, Excellent Online, Podcast, Excellent Online, Podcast, Honorable Mention Online, Podcast, Honorable Mention Online, Podcast, Honorable Mention

Online News and Print, Feature Story; Superior Online News and Print, Feature Story; Superior Online News and Print, Feature Story; Excellent Online News and Print, Feature Story; Excellent Online News and Print, Feature Story; Honorable Mention

Online News and Print, Illustration; Superior Online News and Print, Illustration; Excellent Online News and Print, Illustration; Honorable Mention

Online News and Print, Review, Honorable Mention

Online News and Print, Staff Editorial, Excellent

Online News and Print, Staff Editorial, Honorable Mention

Online News and Print, Staff Editorial, Honorable Mention

Online News and Print, Sports Story, Superior

2023-2024

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2023-2024

Cadence Schapker

Cadence Schapker

Molly Harwell and Janie Ripps

Janie Ripps

Maya Clement

Maya Clement

Janie Ripps

Wyatt Meyer

Cadence Schapker

Maya Clement

Aza Khan

Aza Khan

Aza Khan

Online News and Print, Sports Story, Excellent Online News and Print, Sports Story, Honorable Mention

Print, Print Feature/Entertainment Design, Superior Print, Print Feature/Entertainment Design, Superior Print, Print Feature/Entertainment Design, Excellent Print, Print Feature/Entertainment Design, Excellent Print, Print Feature/Entertainment Design, Honorable Mention

Print, Print Sports Design, Excellent Print, Print Sports Design, Honorable Mention

Open Form, Personality Portrait, Honorable Mention

Photojournalism, Event Photo, Superior

Photojournalism, Feature Photo, Superior

Photojournalism, Feature Photo, Honorable Mention

Columbia Scholastic Press Association

RECIPIENT AWARD

2023-24

2023-24

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23

2022-23 YEAR

ODYSSEY

iliad

Wyatt Meyer

Antonio Starks

Wyatt Meyer

Antonio Starks

Maya Clement

Miles Lawrence

Nico Wilman

Ayanna Lonon

Temprince Battle

Kaija Gilbertson Hall

Hybrid General Magazine Gold Crown Award

Hybrid Literary Magazine Gold Crown Award

Print Magazines: Alternative Story Presentation; First Place

Print Magazines: Cartoon Portfolio; First Place

Print Magazines: Special Section, three or more pages; First Place

Digital Publications: Hand-drawn art/illustration; Third Place

Print Magazines: Alternative Story Presentation; Certificate of Merit

Digital Media Publications: Personality Profile; Certificate of Merit

Print Magazines: in-depth news/feature story; Certificate of Merit

Literary Art Publications: Experimental Fiction; Second Place

Literary Art Publications: Single Artistic Photograph; Third Place

Literary Art Publications, Entertainment Reviews, Certificate of Merit

Georgia Scholastic Press Association

RECIPIENT AWARD

2022-23

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2022-23

2022-23 2022-23 YEAR

iliad

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

ODYSSEY Media Group

Molly Harwell

Wyatt Meyer

Olivia Hendershot

Aza Khan

Olivia Hendershot

Superior General Excellence Literary-Art Magazine

Superior General Excellence Newsmagazine

Superior General Excellence News Website

Georgia Champion Journalist of the Year

Georgia Champion Junior Journalist of the Year

Social Media Promotion; All-Georgia

Literary Art Magazine Photo; All-Georgia

Literary Magazine Advertising Design; All-Georgia

2022-23

2022-23

2023-24

2022-23

2023-24

2022-23

2022-23 2022-23

2023-24 2023-24

2022-23

2023-24 2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

Aza Khan and Olivia Hendershot

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

Cadence Schapker

Wyatt Meyer

Jane Ripps

ODYSSEY Staff

Wyatt Meyer

Aza Khan

Aza Khan and Jane Ripps

Wyatt Meyer

Kimberly Sanabria-Amaya

Maya Clement

Cadence Schapker

Isabella Westrich

Cadence Schapker

Liya Taylor

Cooper Jones

Cadence Schapker

Wyatt Meyer

Antonio Starks

Maya Clement

Literary Art Magazine Social Media Storytelling; All-Georgia

Newsmagazine; All-Georgia Newsmagazine News Package; All-Georgia Newsmagazine News Story; All-Georgia Newsmagazine Feature Story; All-Georgia Newsmagazine House Editorials; All-Georgia Newsmagazine Sports Feature Story; All-Georgia Newsmagazine Feature/Entertainment Photograph; All-Georgia

Newsmagazine Photo Essay; All-Georgia Newsmagazine Double-Truck Layout/Design; All-Georgia

Literary Art Magazine Artwork; Superior Newsmagazine Podcast; Superior Newsmagazine News Story; Superior Newsmagazine Feature Profile; Superior Newsmagazine Feature Story; Superior Newsmagazine Critical Review; Superior Newsmagazine Sports News Story; Superior Newsmagazine Sports Feature Story; Superior Newsmagazine Sports Column; Superior Newsmagazine Illustration; Superior Newsmagazine Double-Truck Layout/Design; Superior

National Council of Teachers of English

YEAR iliad

RECIPIENT AWARD

2023

Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines (REALM); First Class

National Scholastic Press Association

RECIPIENT

iliad

ODYSSEY

ODYSSEY

iliad

Jane Ripps

Aza Khan

Aza Khan

Maya Shrivastav and Jesse Dantzler

Adah Hamman, Wyatt Meyer and Nico Willman

Jane Ripps

Aza Khan

Kaija Gilbertson Hall, Sofia

Morales and Antonio Starks

Wyatt Meyer

Michael Campbell and Salai

Diekumpuna

AWARD

Pacemaker

Newsmagazine Pacemaker Finalist

All-American with Four Marks of Distinction

All-American with Seven Marks of Distinction

Magazine Page/Spread; First Place

News Photo; Third Place

News Photo; Honorable Mention Feature Story; First Place

Sports Story; Second Place

Opinion; Honorable Mention

Feature Photo; Honorable Mention

Literary Art Magazine Page/Spread; Honorable Mention

Social Media/Promotion; Honorable Mention Podcast; Third Place

Southern Interscholastic Press Association

YEAR

2022-2023

2023-2024

2022-2023

2023-2024

2023-2024

2023-2024

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

RECIPIENT

iliad

ODYSSEY Media Group

iliad

ODYSSEY Newsmagazine

Violet Cantarella

Wyatt Meyer, Lydia Rowell, Carolyn Griffeth and Cooper Jones

Molly Harwell, Peter Atchley, Amya Hopkins and Jovi Grantham

Maya Clement, Jane Ripps and Adah Hamman

Victoria Garland, Margo

McDaniel, Sam Harwell and Lea D’Angelo

Olivia Hendershot, Niles Flath, Flanery Ragan and Jazlyn

Gonzalez-Albarran

David A. Ragsdale

Maya Clement

Maya Shrivastav

Jesse Dantzler

Mykolas Kumpis

Isabelle Duncan

Nico Willman

Antonio Starks

Ayanna Lonon

Jesse Dantzler

Jane Ripps

Mykolas Kumpis and Cadence Schapker

Antonio Starks

Nico Willman

Maya Clement

Riley Ramsey

Wyatt Meyer

Jane Ripps

Antonio Starks

Maya Shrivastav

Cadence Schapker

Nico Willman, Molly Harwell,

Aza Khan and Isabella Westrich

Aza Khan

Aza Khan

Aza Khan

AWARD

2024 Scroggins Award: Best of South Best of Show Award; First Place

Best of Show Award; Third Place

Best of Show Award; Second Place

Review Writing; First Place

Online Team On-site Production Competition; Best visual/interactive element

Newsprint Team On-site Production Competition; Best story

Newsprint Team On-site Production Competition; Best design

Literary-Art Magazine Team On-site Production Competition; Best overall

Literary-Art Magazine Team On-site Production Competition; Best written element

Leslie Dennis Heart for Diversity Award

Audio/Video, Podcast; First Place

Audio/Video, Podcast; Second Place

Audio/Video, Podcast; Third Place

Audio/Video, Short Film; First Place

Literary Art Magazine, Drama; Third Place

Literary Art Magazine, Personal Essay; Third Place

Literary Magazine, Poetry; Third Place

Literary Magazine, Prose Fiction; Third Place

Literary Magazine, Song Lyrics/Music Composition; Third Place

Newsmagazine, Entertainment/Feature Column; First Place

Newsmagazine, News; Honorable Mention

Newsmagazine, Review; Honorable Mention

Newsmagazine, Review; Honorable Mention Online, Blog; Third Place

Online, Column; Third Place

Online, Personality Feature; Second Place

Online, Personality Feature; Third Place

Online, Revew; Second Place

Online, Review; Third Place

Online, Sports Feature; Honorable Mention Online, Sports News; First Place

Photo Cutlines, Feature; Second Place

Photo Cutlines, News; Second Place

Photo Cutlines, Portfolio; First Place

YEAR

2022-23

Quill and Scroll Honor Society

RECIPIENT AWARD

Cadence Schapker, Anna

Shaikun, Wyatt Meyer, Cooper

Jones, Evan Cornish, Eleanor

Robinson, Aza Khan, Lucas

Donnelly, Liya Taylor and Riley

Ramsey

2022-23

2023-24

2023-24

2023-24

2023-23

Riley Ramsey, Nico Willman, Antonio Starks, and Anna

Shaikun

Isabella Westrich

Jane Ripps

Anna Shaikun

Wyatt Meyer

Multimedia Sports Package; First Place

Multimedia Opinions Package; Second Place

DEI-Social Justice Writing; Third Place Review Writing; Honorable Mention Non-Sports Column Writing; Honorable Mention Sports Column Writing; Honorable Mention

Youth Journalism International

RECIPIENT AWARD

2024 YEAR Isabella Westrich Student Journalist of the Year

Above: ODYSSEY Media Group Staff pose for a picture at the Southern Interscholastic Press Association Conference on March 2.

Lorien Awards iliad’s

The Lorien Awards, established by the Campbell family, are given annually. Lorien is a 2006 CCHS alumna who loved poetry and the arts. For the past several years her family has sought to award the top poetry, prose, art and photography in each year’s edition of the iliad literary-art magazine. Writers will be invited to read an excerpt of their winning pieces and visuals winners’ work is displayed here and in the 2024 iliad.

POETRY: Kelbi Philips, “Genesis”

PROSE: Aza Khan, “Void of the Unknown”

PHOTOGRAPHY: Izzy Duncan, “Quiet Through Chaos”

ART: Sekou Sesay, “I’m Stressed”

Above: Sekou Sesay’s mixed media piece, “I’m Stressed”

Left: Izzy Duncan’s photograph, “Quiet Through Chaos”