Print and broadcast journalism students from Bryant Junior High and Bryant High traveled to Kansas City April 4-6 to attend the Spring National High School Journalism Convention. Hosted by the Journalism Education Association and the National Scholastic Press Association, more than 2,500 students from around the United States and three countries spent time learning from industry professionals, experts and highly-effective teachers within the field of journalism.
One of NSPA’s biggest competitions is the Best of Show awards, recognizing programs for stellar contributions to scholastic journalism. Bryant placed in five Best of Show categories:
The junior high’s media website, BJHS Media, earned 1st place for Website (Junior High/Middle School) .
The junior high’s monthly show, Swarm Productions, earned 2nd place for Broadcast News Program (Junior High/Middle School) .
The high school’s monthly show, The Bryant Buzz, earned 4th place for Broadcast News Program (High School).
The junior high’s yearbook, The Blue and White, earned 5th place for Yearbook (Junior High/Middle School).
The high school’s weekly show, Hornet News Now, earned 6th place for Broadcast News Program (High School).
The high school’s yearbook, The Hornet, earned 10th place for Yearbook (High school/ 376+ pages).
JEA also recognized outstanding journalist work and staff leadership in young journalists. For the 2024 Aspiring Young Journalist, Lexie Metheny was awarded as a finalist.
Students also participated in individual competitions on Friday in order to challenge their skills in writing, design and photography. Competing against 825 participants, 14 Bryant students upheld a long history of journalistic excellence in their respective competitions with the following awards:
Chelsea Jensen - superior in Broadcast Anchor
Krisha Patel - superior in Yearbook Copy/Captions: Student Life
Asher Bird and Nick Gibbs - excellent in Broadcast Package
Kaylee Anderson - excellent in Yearbook Cover/Endsheets
Blessing Colter - honorable mention in Yearbook Copy/Captions: Academics
Taylor Dischinger, Keira Evans and Riley Forte - honorable mention in Online News Package
Alyssa Guevara - honorable mention in Themed Photo
Hannah Heston - honorable mention in Yearbook Copy/Captions: Sports
Lexie Metheny - honorable mention in Feature Photo
Maria Morales-Ocampo - excellent in First Year Photo
Katie Wright - honorable mention in Newswriting
Bryant print and broadcast staffs are off next to Little Rock on April 25 and 26 for the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association’s State Convention. Meag Abo serves as the BJHS Media Staff Adviser and Media Communications teacher; Colton Croy is the Journalism teacher and Publications Adviser at BHS along with co-advisor Justin Turner; and Michael Westbrook is the TV Production teacher at BHS.