While many students spent their Saturday morning sleeping in, rising at the smell of cooking breakfast, one group of students arrived at school at 6:15 for competition.

Yearbook and journalism students traveled two hours on Saturday, April 22 to Carbondale, Ill. to compete in IHSA Journalism Sectionals. Each student participated in a category ranging from writing-based competitions, like editorial writing, to hands-on contests, like photo storytelling.

“(Journalism teacher Amanda) Thrun suggested which categories she thought suited us best,” senior yearbook layout contestant Erin Morrisey said. “We also got to choose our categories based on which ones we thought we would (like) the most.”

The day was separated into two blocks; A-Block ran from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and B-Block lasted from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the allotted time, students must complete a prompt for their category. Some events also required students attend an interview/press conference.

“The first part of my competition was a live news conference,” senior broadcast contestant Kerrington Holland said. “To make the broadcast, I had to write the story I was going to say and say each bit into a microphone to record myself. As I did this, I clipped my own recordings and pieces from the interview to make it one coherent news story.”

EHS won first place for the fifth year in a row; of the 16 students who placed, seven earned first place.

Three sophomores were among the first place contestants, competing in infographics and yearbook theme development.

“I was completely thrown off by getting first,” sophomore yearbook theme development winner Jessica Fosse said. “I had confidence in placing in the top six but not winning overall.

However, the win didn’t come without preparation. Mrs. Thrun focused on sectional practice during the week prior to the competition, while non-writing based participants had to practice on their own.
“It was amazing to win first place,” Morrisey said. “Mrs. Thrun’s cheering was so loud; I loved the feeling of community that erupted when we heard our school’s name announced.”