Eight total awards is a new school record
Four members of the West Bend Current earned six first place prizes in a statewide contest.
The Current earned eight total awards in the 2019 Wisconsin Newspaper Association contest for student journalism, which sets a new school record.
Editor in Chief Samantha Dietel led the staff with four WNA awards, including first place for her general reporting about students asking the district to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dietel’s five-part series about school safety earned top honors for in-depth reporting. Her article about French exchange students experiencing U.S. security measures garnered first place in the feature story category.
Caitlin Marsch won in the editorial category for her piece about political discussions in schools. Auburn Larson’s report about practice being disrupted by unusual weather took the top prize for sports story. In the news/feature photography category, Olivia Langdon earned first place honors for her photo of a choir teacher.
Last month the Current earned a total of 29 awards in the 2019 Northeastern Wisconsin Scholastic Press Association contest. The student news site is advised by Eric Beltmann.
Full List of WNA Awards
Samantha Dietel, Editor in Chief
- First place, General Reporting (“Student Club Wants Martin Luther King Jr. Day Recognized”)
- First place, In-Depth Reporting (School Safety Five-Part Series)
- First place, Feature Story (“‘They Took My Plane Ticket’: French Exchange Students Surprised by Security Checks”)
- Third place, Feature Story (“Welcome to the Dollhouse”)
Caitlin Marsch
- First place, Editorial Writing (“School Is the Perfect Setting for Political Discussions”)
Auburn Larson
- First place, Sports Story (“That’s Snow Way to Practice”)
Olivia Langdon
- First place, News/Feature Photography (“Tess Tranel”)
Elise Marlett
- Third place (shared), General Reporting (“‘I Couldn’t Just Sit Back:’ Protest Organizers Call for Change”)
Lauren Oppermann
- Third place (shared), General Reporting (“‘I Couldn’t Just Sit Back:’ Protest Organizers Call for Change”)
The West Bend Current 