This past Monday, Apr. 11, Santa Fe’s newspaper staff traveled to Norman for the Oklahoma Scholastic Media (OSM) Spring Contest. The staff was awarded with All Oklahoma Honors and the James F. Paschal Memorial Sweepstakes Award for Best Online News Publication.

Along with the staff awards, a handful of individual staff members took home plaques for themselves. All of these writers showed extreme proficiency in their craft and were awarded for having the best article in their respective categories. Claire Ash won for Food Review, Alanna LaDeaux won for On Deadline Food Review, Oleksandr Marmuta won for Opinion Column, Kaitlyn Marshall won for On Deadline Blog, Olive Miller won for News Story, Channing Hill won for On Deadline Mini Feature, Leah Parkhurst won for TV Review and our very own Stephanie Bray won Adviser of the Year. 

Other students received recognition for their work. Zachary Mcnaught received a third-place award for Feature Over an Organization and Kilynn Hammons received a second-place award for Profile Feature. Olive Miller also received a second-place award for Showcase feature

“The Howler” won the James F. Paschal Memorial Sweepstakes Award for Best Online News Publication and beat out other publications such as Edmond Memorial’s “Ruff  Draft” and Yukon’s “The Insight”.

While at contest, the staff attended multiple writing workshops, so they could refine their skills. Much of the staff will be returning, and they hope to continue their great work next year.

“I think that we have made so much progress in just one year with an all-new staff,” Staff Adviser Stephanie Bray said. “I think we will continue to put out good articles and hopefully we will secure state for many years to come.”