The ROCK newspaper staff and Flashback yearbook staff attended the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association’s J-Day on the University of Missouri-Columbia campus on Wednesday, April 4. During the awards ceremony, the staffs claimed a combined total of 46 individual awards and three overall publication awards. Flashback Yearbook and Bearing News both received All-Missouri, the highest possible distinction, in the categories of Overall Yearbook and News Site, respectively. The ROCK received the second-highest rating, Superior, although no schools received an All-Missouri rating in the overall newspaper category.
Tony Balandran, who judged entries in the categories of newspaper art and writing, said he was impressed with The ROCK’s performance.
“The entries from RBHS were all a pleasure to read. Your school collected the most ‘show-me’ winners among the 22 school entries I judged in this category,” Balandran said in a note to the publications advisor, Robin Stover. “Bravo to all involved.”
Juniors Lauren Puckett and Drew Rodgers placed in on-site competitions. Rodgers took second in the editorial cartooning competition while Puckett placed third in review writing.
These are only the latest awards recognizing the RBHS journalism department. Local radio station 101.5 KPLA recently named Stover as a nominee for its “Apples for Teachers” award, and the National Scholastic Press Association named both Flashback Yearbook and Bearing News as Pacemaker finalists, putting them among the top high school publications in the country.
Of the 44 individual awards, judges distinguished 19 as “Show-Me” award winners, the highest possible rating for an individual entry.
The following list includes the names, awards and categories for the 44 individual awards:

Thomas Jamieson-Lucy			Superior		Sports writing
Muhammad Al-Rawi			Show-Me		Photo illustration
Shivangi Singh			Show-Me		Editorial
Sami Pathan			Superior		News story
Avantika Khatri			Superior		News story
Jack Schoelz			Show-Me		Feature story
Shivangi Singh			Show-Me		Editorial
Jude El-Buri			Superior		Feature story
Maria Kalaitzandonakes			Show-Me		Diversity awareness
Avantika Khatri			Show-Me		Diversity awareness
Mahogany Thomas			Show-Me		Diversity awareness
Mahogany Thomas			Show-Me		Diversity awareness
Mahogany Thomas			Show-Me		Diversity awareness
Nomin Jagdagdorj			Superior		Diversity awareness
Adam Schoelz			Superior		Diversity awareness
Daphne Yu			Superior		Diversity awareness
Joanne Lee			Superior		Cartoon/art/infographic
Theresa Whang			Show-Me		Cartoon/art/infographic
Kelly Brucks			Show-Me		Cartoon/art/infographic
Nomin Jagdagdorj			Superior		Center spread page design
Theresa Whang			Superior		Center spread page design
Nomin Jagdagdorj			Show-Me		In-depth article/series
Kaitlyn Marsh			Show-Me		In-depth article/series
Avantika Khatri			Show-Me		In-depth article/series
Marissa Soumokil			Superior		Sports action
Grant Wright			Superior		Academic design
Abbie Drown			Show-Me		Academic design
Rena Rong			Show-Me		Academic design
Chris Roberts			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Devin Carney			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Parker Sutherland			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Theresa Whang			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Katie O’Connor			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Stazi Prost			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Shawn Crouch			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Chris Roberts			Excellent		Best overall coverage
Jessica Jost			Show-Me		Sports reporting
Sammi Bell			Superior		Sports reporting
Devin Carney			Excellent		Portraits page design
Shawn Crouch			Excellent		Portraits page design
Drew Rodgers			Show-Me		Organizations reporting
Kira Lubahn			Show-Me		Organizations design
Katrina Fox			Superior		Academic photo

 
By Jack Schoelz