Three Students Win Journalism Awards

By Stan Bindell

The Observer

Tempe, Ariz. – Three students from Hopi High School showed their journalistic writing ability is among the best in the state. Fawna Bullis, Cecilia Poneoma and Andrianna Walker won prestigious statewide journalism awards at the annual Arizona Interscholastic Press Association Fall Newspaper Contest. About 700 journalism and yearbook students from throughout the state attended the conference at Arizona State University.

Bullis, editor of the Hopi High Bruin Times newspaper, won first place for news writing. The first place award was for “Babies and Drugs Will Not Mix.” This story dealt with a presentation at the school where girls in a child development class wore goggles that made them feel drunk so they would know what it felt like and how it would impact babies.

Poneoma, assistant editor of the Bruin Times, snagged second place in news writing for “Elite Eight Students to Study at Harvard.” This story discusses how Hopi High School is the first school in the nation to have students who have not yet graduated from high school study at Harvard during the summer.

Walker, a sophomore writing sensation, grabbed third place in feature writing for “Koyawena Joins Hopi High Staff.” This story is about Walter Koyawena joining the teaching staff at Hopi High and Walker drew praise from the judges for the background work she obtained on the Hopi teacher.

Paul Reynolds, superintendent at Hopi High School, said the awards reflect the dedication of the staff at Hopi High School as he believes they are intent on helping the students improve academically. “I think this is excellent. I’m proud of the students. This reemphasizes the dedication that Hopi High School has to academics and our continued pursuit of attaining academic excellence,” he said. “We hope the students who won the awards will continue this into their secondary education programs.”

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