2022-2023

IJEA All-State Journalism Team

IJEA began the All-State Journalism Team as a way to recognize those students who are “most valuable players” — those students whose leadership, energy, dedication and expertise make their publications possible but whose main contributions often occur behind the scenes. This year, the following MCHS students have made the team:

Kennedy Tetour

Cooper Ten Bruin

Best of School Newspapers Online

School Newspapers Online (also known as SNO) is the platform that the McHenry Messenger uses to publish its online newspaper. They acknowledge the best stories being published on the SNO Sites network by labelling it as “Best of SNO” and republishing it on their website. The following articles have earned such designation this year:

“Still fine” by Vanessa Moreno

“Opinion: It’s time to confront racism at MCHS” by Lydia Lawrence

“She’s not your perfect Mexican daughter” by Vanessa Moreno

“Cut it out” by Grace Hunt

“At the center of ‘the drug triangle'” by Vanessa Moreno

“The fight for survival” by Eli Frommes

“A child’s wish” by Rayaan Ahmed, Kyra Henry, and Apryl Hanneman

At the end of each year, SNO selects 25 stories that stand out as their “Stories of the Year.” The following articles have earned such designation this year:

“Still fine” by Vanessa Moreno

Youth Journalism International’s Frank Keegan Award for News

Yeah year, Youth Journalism International awards the Frank Keegan Award for News to honor an individual who shows tenacity in tackling one or more serious news stories. This year, the following article won this award:

“This is fine” by Vanessa Moreno

Illinois Women’s Press Associations’s 2023 High School Communications Contest

Started in 1885, the IWPA is an organization of communications professionals whose objective is to maintain and improve the professional standards of members in mass communications in Illinois, to promote their interest, and to provide for the sharing of ideas and information. First place winners of their annual contest go on to compete in the National Federation of Press Women’s High School Communications Contest.

“At the center of ‘the drug triangle'” by Vanessa Moreno (first place, Feature Story)

“Fact or fiction?” by Alayna Majkrzak (third place in Feature Story)

“The fight for survival” by Eli Frommes (honorable mention, Feature Story)

“An honor” by Nikki Sisson (honorable mention, Feature Story)

“Opinion: The United States needs stricter gun control laws” by Nikki Sisson (honorable mention, Opinion Story)

“Game time” from “Gallery: First football game of the season” by Mackenzie Sroka (second place, Sports Photo)

“SUPERINTENDENT MCTAGUE TAKES ON SOUR | Sour with Cooper Ten Bruin” by Cooper Ten Bruin (third place, Radio / Television Interview or Talk Show)

“Riding the Momentum” by Madison Harvey (second place, Video Sports Story)

“WSM Travels to Washington DC with Honor Flight” by Cooper Ten Bruin and Rayaan Ahmed (third place, Video Feature Story)

“Day in the Life of a Preschool Lab Teacher” by Madison Harvey (honorable mention, Video Feature Story)

National Federation of Press Women’s 2022 High School Communications Contest

The NFPW represents professionals and students working across the communications spectrum in the United States. The organization’s High School Communications Contest, one of only a few nationwide communications competitions for high school students, inspires students to do outstanding work in their quest for excellence. First place winners of the IWPA’s annual contest go on to compete in this highly acclaimed competition.

“At the center of ‘the drug triangle'” by Vanessa Moreno (third place, Feature Story)

IJEA Newspaper & Digital News Media Contest

Each year, the IJEA hosts a newspaper and digital news media contest to recognize the best stories and content published by student journalists in the state of Illinois. The competition recognizes individual writers and stories in addition to the best print, digital, and hybrid publications.

Best Hybrid Publication
3rd: The McHenry Messenger

Best Overall Publication
3rd: The McHenry Messenger

Best Website
2nd: The McHenry Messenger

Best Alternative Storytelling
HM: Humans of McHenry by Savannah Drost
HM: “Groovy Movies: Summer recap” by Kennedy Tetour

Best Editorial Cartoon
2nd: “Editorial Cartoon: Why replace the magic?” by Rachel Kaminiski
3rd: “Editorial Cartoon: The only two options” by Claire Guzman

Best Feature Story
2nd: “An honor” by Nikki Sisson
3rd: “Fact or fiction?” by Alayna Majkrzak

Best In-Depth News Story
1st: “Cut it out” by Grace Hunt
3rd: “At the center of ‘the drug triangle’” by Vanessa Moreno

Best Multimedia Story Package
1st: “An honor” by Nikki Sisson, Cooper Ten Bruin, and Rayaan Ahmed
3rd: “MCHS celebrates Homecoming 2022” by Kennedy Tetour and Ary Juarez

Best News or Feature Photo
1st: “An honor” by Nikki Sisson
2nd: “Teen girls ‘engulfed in growing wave of sadness,’ new national data finds” by Mackenzie Sroka

Best News Story
2nd: “MCC to charge for dual credit classes next year” by Tati Rubi

Best Personality Profile
HM: “Changing plans” Vanessa Moreno

Best Photo Gallery/Slideshow
3rd: “Real Warriors: Winter spirit week” by Preston Boysen

Best Review
HM: “Review: Fighting high expectations” by Gabe Santos

Best Sports Commentary
HM: “Opinion: Brock Purdy should be permanent first-string quarterback” by Hunter Blake

Best Sports Feature
2nd: “Balancing both” by Mackenzie Sroka

Best Sports News Story
HM: “Championship or bust” by Mackenzie Sroka

Best Sports Photo
2nd: “Gallery: First football game of the season” by Mackenzie Sroka
3rd: “Moore takes first at state wrestling tournament” by Krystal Zamudio

Best Staff Editorial
HM: “Editorial: Be kind this summer”

Best Use of Social Media
2nd: McHenry Messenger Instagram by Nikki Sisson
HM: McHenry Messenger Facebook by Marcos Lagunas

Best Video Story
1st: “A child’s wish” by Rayaan Ahmed, Apryl Hanneman, Kyra Henry
HM: “Not-so-home-court advantage” by Cooper Ten Bruin, TJ Haws

NSPA Leadership Award in Student Journalism

To earn the National Scholastic Press Association‘s Leadership Award in Student Journalism, a high school student must serve with distinction for at least two years on the staff of an NSPA-member broadcast, literary arts magazine, newspaper/newsmagazine, specialty magazine, website or yearbook. Students must also be in good academic standing and demonstrate journalistic excellence and staff leadership while maintaining the high ethical standards outlined in the NSPA Model Code of Ethics. Inductees r are eligible to wear the NSPA Leadership in Student Journalism teal honor cord at graduation. The following students received this honor from the NSPA this year:

Alayna Majkrzak

Vanessa Moreno

Nikki Sisson

Mackenzie Sroka

Kennedy Tetour

NSPA Clips & Clicks

Open to all National Scholastic Press Association members, Clips & Clicks offers multiple categories for student achievement in broadcast, design, photojournalism and writing. With a name that merges historic clips contests for print publications with current digital clicks, the competition is offered per semester. The following articles have earned such designation this year:

“Fact or fiction?” by Alayna Majkrzak (honorable mention in Feature Story)

NSPA Individual Awards

Open to all National Scholastic Press Association members, the Individual Awards honor the nation’s best scholastic journalism. Entrants are individuals and small teams whose work is judged by teams of professionals with experience and expertise in the contest category. The following are finalists for this award:

The Hall Pass by Eli Frommes (Digital Story of the Year finalist in Podcast category)

Illinois High School Association State Journalism Tournament

Members of the McHenry Messenger’s staff competed alongside their fellow journalists from Warrior Student Media (including The Warrior Weekly and The Warrior) at the IHSA’s State Journalism Tournament. The following students placed in the top six at the tournament’s Sectional competition on April 1, 2023.

Allie Everhart – 1st in Photo Story Telling

Rachel Kaminski – 1st in Editorial Cartooning

Rayaan Ahmed – 1st in Radio News

Alayna Majkrzak – 2nd in Feature Writing

Freedom Tomasello – 2nd in Editorial Writing

Suzanne Arizmendi Licona – 2nd in Yearbook Layout Double-Page Spread, 5th in Yearbook Caption Writing

Brooke Danz – 3rd in Copy Editing

Cooper Ten Bruin, Madison Harvey and Madisyn Spencer 3rd in TV News

Paige Ackerman – 3rd in Yearbook Theme Development

Vanessa Moreno – 3rd in News Writing

Hunter Blake – 4th in Sports Writing

Beth Brackman – 5th in Advertising

Kennedy Tetour – 5th in Review Writing, 6th in Headline Writing

Trinity Tonyan – 6th in Infographics, 6th in Yearbook Copy Writing

Students who placed in the top three at Sectionals went on to compete at the IHSA State Journalism Finals on April 21, 2023. McHenry High School and Warrior Student Media (including The McHenry Messenger, The Warrior Weekly and The Warrior) won fourth place as a team at that tournament. Additionally, the following students placed in the top six in their categories:

Brooke Danz – 1st in Copy Editing

Vanessa Moreno – 3rd in News Writing

Allie Everhart – 3rd in Photo Story Telling

Alayna Majkrzak – 4th in Feature Writing

Cooper Ten Bruin, Madisyn Spencer and Madison Harvey – 4th in Video News

IJEA Fall Journalism Conference Write-Off Competition

Each year, the Illinois Journalism Education Association hosts a write-off competition during their Fall Journalism Conference at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This year, students focused their writing on Chicago Sun-Times columnist and Roosevelt University Professor John Fountain, the conference’s keynote speaker. Students were allowed to compete in one of three categories: News Writing, Feature Writing or Editorial Writing. The following students placed in the competition:

Vanessa Moreno (1st in News Writing)

Kennedy Tetour (1st in Feature Writing)

Freedom Tomasello (1st in Editorial Writing)

Past Recognition

2021-2022

Highlights Include…

• Online Pacemaker Nomination (NSPA)
• Third Best Overall Publication (IJEA)
• First Place Feature Story (IWPA)
• First in Photo Storytelling at IHSA State

2020-2021

Highlights Include…

• Newspaper/Newsmagazine Pacemaker Nomination (NSPA)
• Second Best Overall Publication (IJEA)
• Third in News Writing at IHSA State
• All-State Journalism Team (IJEA)

2019-2020

Highlights Include…

• Best Wesbite (IJEA)
• Third Best Hybrid Publication (IJEA)
• All-State Journalism Team (IJEA)