Student journalists, designers earn top honors in 2016 KEMPA competition

October 25, 2016 The Pulse About, News 0

On the bus ride to UW-Whitewater, Communications seniors Meagan Ginnaty-Moore, Ramisa Ahmed and Ashley Brown relax before a day full of journalism sessions at the KEMPA conference.
On the bus ride to UW-Whitewater, Communications seniors Meagan Ginnaty-Moore, Ramisa Ahmed and Ashley Brown relax before a day full of journalism sessions at the KEMPA conference.

In 2016, The Pulse took first place overall in the KEMPA (Kettle Moraine Press Association) newspaper competition. Student reporters also earned a total of 10 individual awards in the categories of sports feature writing, cartooning, review writing, page design, hard news reporting, and feature writing. Winners included 2016 Communications Academy graduates Holden Henry for his editorial cartoon “Scholarships” and illustrations “Donald Trump” and “The Pulse nameplate”; Jeralynn Borges for her “Corsettes” illustration; Valencia Campbell for her sports feature on Gavin Lux; Dakota Vernezze for her opinion column on E-cigarettes; Karli Dellar for her feature on counselors; Anna Matson for her hard news story on the shortage of mental health care for Kenosha teens and general studies senior Amanda Tennant for her review on the K-Pop craze and her hard news story on emotional abuse.

Indian Trail’s yearbook, The Blaze, also earned accolades for its 2016 yearbook publication, garnering third place in the KEMPA competition.

About 20 yearbook and newspaper students attended the 53rd Annual Scholastic Journalism Conference at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in early October to receive the awards.

Students take a break from their studies.
Students take a break from their studies.
Communications Academy senior Andie Bernhardt works the camera as visiting students practiced anchoring for Wake Up Whitewater.
Communications Academy senior Andy Bernhardt anchors during a broadcast journalism session at University of Wisconsin – Whitewater.
In the production studio at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Andie Bernhardt learns how to operate some of the equipment.
(From left to right and front) Communications Academy seniors Ramisa Ahmed, Daisy Ruiz, Montana Bunner, and Gonzalo Enriquez were among the students traveling to Whitewater for the journalism conference earlier this month.
Yearbook and Newspaper students gather outside University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, before heading back to an afternoon of more journalism training.