Feature

Loy Norrix Journalists Take Big Steps at MIPA 2019

Devon Gross, Editor-in-Chief

May 18, 2019

mipa2019k — Co-Editor in Chief of the Loy Norrix yearbook, Michaela Martin, checks her phone for the online guide of the awards ceremony. Yearbook will go on to win 34 individual awards. Photo Credit, Miranda Cole

Each year, the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association holds a ceremony awarding various Michigan school publications and student journalists’ hard work and unique content they’ve published throughout the previous year.
At the 2019 MIPA awards ceremony, there were a total of 4,112 entries submitted for both yearbooks and student newspapers from across Michigan that were submitted for awards. Each school that enters work in various categories is divided into one of four divisions based on the size of the school they’re representing and the size of the publication itself.
The Loy Norrix yearbook, Accolade, was placed in division three, and the Loy Norrix Knight Life publication, representing both the school newspaper and knightlifenews.com, was placed in division two. As a whole, the Loy Norrix publications took home over 60 awards of recognition, including but not limited to, seven third place prizes, five-second place awards, and two first-place prizes, rewarding students for their dedication and hard work.
At the MIPA awards ceremony, senior Yesenia Salas won first place for an editorial cartoon she created. Since this year is her first year on the Knight Life staff, Salas was really excited to earn first place.

Graphics Editor Yesinia Salas cheers as she wins first place for her Editorial Cartoon in Knight Life. Opinion Editor Olivia Ely cheers with her. Photo Credit, Miranda Cole

“It felt really good to be recognized for something I love,” she explained. “I never really felt like my artwork mattered to anyone else, so to win an award for it felt really good.”
Students earning first place in each category are awarded by receiving their certificates as soon as their names are called, meaning everyone attending the MIPA conference got to recognize them All other certificates are given to the publications advisors at the end of the conference.
Junior Michaela Martin received three honorable mention awards for her writing and layout on the yearbook for the 2017-2018 school year.
“Honestly I was quite shocked that our yearbook won as many awards as we did,” Martin explained. “Last year our layout theme was all about circles. Because I’m one of the head editors this year, I’m hoping I can help people win more awards at the next MIPA conference.”
Yearbooks enter work from the previous year due to the fact that books are still in progress by the time the MIPA conference takes place in April.
Another Loy Norrix Journalist who made a mark at the 2019 MIPA conference was junior Alexis Weeden. Weeden won a total of four awards for her work published through the Knight Life publication. “Winning awards at MIPA has definitely made me feel more confident in my work. It’s like I knew I was writing things, and I knew my work was okay and all, but to be awarded for my writing has definitely made me more sure in the things I was publishing,” Weeden explained.

Copy Editor, Alexis Weeden, poses proudly with her awards from the MIPA Spring Awards. She received 3 Honorable Mentions and one 3rd Place. Photo Credit, Miranda Cole

All in all, both the Knight Life staff and the Loy Norrix yearbook staff put great effort into their respective publications. By entering their projects into the MIPA contest, these students are officially recognized and are able to take pride in what they’ve achieved and prove they’ve worked hard, which in turn, motivates the young journalists to continue publishing award-winning content.

About the Contributor

Devon Gross, Editor-in-Chief

I am a senior at Loy Norrix High School. I have been on the Knight Life staff for three years and this is my first year as the editor in chief. I first joined Knight Life because I love writing and editing other peoples work.