Three students journalists shine
Students from Johnsburg, Naperville Central and Batavia high schools have won a total of $1,600 in Northern Illinois High School Journalism Scholarships.
The money included $600 from NINA and $1,000 in matching awards from the students' hometown newspapers.
"By matching our scholarship amounts, the contributing newspapers have helped NINA encourage promising student journalists to continue their education at the college level and, ultimately, pursue careers in our profession," said John Etheredge, NINA's scholarship coordinator and past president. "Newspapers everywhere can benefit from the type of talent, creativity and ambition that these students already have demonstrated."
Winners are:
First place: Nathan Charlan, Johnsburg High School. Judges were impressed with the high quality, variety and sheer volume of Charlan's work for the Johnsburg High School Weekly News.
Judges also noted Charlan's recommendation from Randy Swikle, his publications adviser who has worked more than 30 years with high school newspapers. Swikle wrote: "With all the objectivity I can muster, I truly believe that Nathan Charlan is a phenomenon. ... In 32 years I have not crossed paths with a student journalist who has had it more together than this young man. ... He is destined for great things."
Charlan will receive $1,000: $300 from NINA, $300 from the Northwest Herald; $300 from the McHenry Sun and $100 from The Observer.
Second place: Anna Thackeray, Naperville Central High School. Judges commented on the consistently high quality of Thackeray's work as news editor and reporter for her school newspaper, The Central Times.
"The judges found Thackeray's article on one student's struggle with drug abuse especially compelling," Etheredge said.
Thackeray will receive $400: $200 from NINA and $200 from the Naperville Sun.
Third place: Abby Nies, Batavia High School. Nies demonstrated a deft ability to write concise news and feature articles for her student newspaper, The Spectator. She also has written several interesting columns in her role as the Batavia High School correspondent for The Daily Herald.
"Nies shows great promise as a journalist," Etheredge said. "Here is an ambitious student who already can write compelling news and feature articles," Etheredge said.
Nies will receive $200: $100 from NINA and $100 from Press-Republican Newspapers.
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