Trailblazer wins 12 awards in statewide school publication contest
In its first year entering the GSSPA contest, the Trailblazer won six awards and six honorable mentions.
Vani Apanosian and Briana Keenan
The Trailblazer editorial staff for the 2020-21 school year. By row from left to right: Briana Keenan, Vani Apanosian (advisor), Simmie Brisman, Kate Zydor; Jared Mitovich, Riley Solomon, Maeve Rossig, Christina Kim; Daniel Albert, Justine Marinkovic, Mackenzie Blowers, Izzy Frangiosa, Claudia Kim, Jacob Charnow, and Siera Boffa.
On Feb. 18, the Garden State Scholastic Press Association, an organization that supports school publications around New Jersey, announced the 2019-20 winners for its annual awards contest. In its first year entering the contest, the Trailblazer won six awards and six honorable mentions. Check out the full results below, and click on an article to read it in full.
Awards
- News Writing – 2nd Place, Division B – Maeve Rossig, “Alec Boyajian becomes Pascack Hills’ first-ever NJ DECA President“
- Multimedia News – 1st Place – Jared Mitovich, “Police reform, mascot removal underscored at racial equity rally in Woodcliff Lake“
- Broadcast News – 1st Place – Jared Mitovich and Mackenzie Blowers, “‘It’s not just George Floyd’: Hills-Valley equity team plans protest”
- Breaking News – 1st Place – Jared Mitovich, “Board of Education votes to remove Cowboy and Indian mascots at Hills and Valley“
- Pandemic Features – 1st Place – Jared Mitovich, “‘They did not have any tests’: how Covid-19 tore through the tri-state area“
- Pandemic Opinion – 3rd Place – Claudia Kim, “How virtual learning is obfuscating self-image“
Honorable mentions
- News Writing – Honorable Mention, Division B – Briana Keenan, “Amid vocal praise and criticism, Board says Cowboy and Indian mascot removal is final“
- Feature Writing – Honorable Mention, Division B – Briana Keenan, “From ‘Hills Pride’ to ‘Wagon Wheel’: deMarrais’ impact on Hills“
- Pandemic News – Honorable Mention – Jared Mitovich, “AP students at Hills encounter errors submitting virtual exams“
- Pandemic News – Honorable Mention – Jared Mitovich, “National Honor Society hosting contactless food drives outside members’ homes“
- Pandemic Arts & Lifestyle – Honorable Mention – “Privilege during a pandemic: how cancel culture continues in quarantine“
- Pandemic Personal Narrative – Honorable Mention – Sofia Papadopoulos, “From a senior during the coronavirus pandemic“
Jared Mitovich joined the Trailblazer his freshman year as a staff writer. He has helped manage the Trailblazer's social media since his sophomore year, and in his junior year he edited the Opinion section. Now in his final year of high school, Mitovich is looking forward to working with Mackenzie Blowers as Editor-in-Chief along with the entire Trailblazer staff. You can follow him on Twitter at @jmitovich!
Fun fact: Mitovich once met a presidential candidate.
