By Nick Pullia
The Northern Illinois Newspaper Association has awarded three high school
seniors college scholarships, totaling $1,300, which included matching funds
from community newspapers in the winners' hometowns.
"NINA is pleased to encourage talented, young student journalists to
continue their journalism education at the college level through this scholarship
program," said John Etheredge, NINA scholarship coordinator and past
president. "Once again, NINA judges found it very difficult to select
only three winners."
Hannah Kenser of Joliet West High School in Joliet received the first-place
scholarship of $600, which included $300 from NINA and a matching grant
of $300 from her hometown newspaper, the Joliet Herald-News, which had published
several articles Kenser wrote as a free-lancer while attending high school.
These clips, along with those from her high school newspaper, impressed
scholarship judges. Kenser, one of four national Hemmingway Award winners,
also has been named the Illinois High School Association High School Journalist
of the Year.
Rorrie Spengler of Yorkville High School in Yorkville earned a second-place
scholarship of $500, which included $200 from NINA and $300 from the Kendall
County Record Newspapers. Spengler's work as a stringer for the Record and
the Aurora Beacon-News caught the attention of judges, who were impressed
by her persuasive editorial- and column-writing style.
Sarah Lynn Hedgespeth of Hall High School in Spring Valley earned a third-place
scholarship of $100. NINA judges noted her dual talents of editing and writing
for a quality high school newspaper.
In addition to the cash scholarship, winners were also awarded with commemorative
plaques and acknowledgment in NINA-member publications.
Established in 1998, the NINA scholarship program strives to recognize outstanding
achievement by high school students in the field of print journalism. In
the short life of the program, more than 125 high school students have applied
for a NINA scholarship.
"NINA also wants to thank the Record Newspapers and the Joliet Herald-News
for responding positively to our invitation to match scholarship awards.
Their contributions to our scholarship program will not only help these
students pay for their college expenses, but it also helps to promote print
journalism as a profession," Etheredge said. Matching scholarships
from supportive newspaper publishers has added $1,500 to NINA scholarship
award money over the past two years.
The scholarship competition was open to high school seniors who intend to
pursue a print-journalism major in college and who exhibit honesty, integrity,
attention to detail, creativity and a commitment to community journalism.
Members of the NINA Board of Directors served as judges.