8th annual Lone Star Journalism Writing Contest

co-sponsored by the Texas Press Association and the Interscholastic League Press Conference

Publication Deadline was Nov. 12

TPA and the Interscholastic League Press Conference have teamed together for the seventh year to create a contest designed specifically for journalism students throughout Texas. The contest, known as the Lone Star Journalism Writing Contest, will entail a student writing a "general interest feature" and having it published in their local paper. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners of the contest. Since UIL Academics does not have an amateur rule, students may participate in this contest as well as participate in UIL journalism (or any academic course.)

We encourage students to write and have published several general interest features in the local paper. Each paper or school should sen entries to the ILPC office for judging.

Entries at the state contest will be broken down into small school (A-3A) and large school (4A-5A) categories. Local papers may choose to have a local contest before submiting entries to ILPC.

First place in each category will receive a $125 cash prize, second will receive a $100 cash prize and third will receive a $75 cash prize.

RULES:

1. Article must be published in the local paper. The paper's editor has the right to edit the story or return it to the student for re-write before publishing it.

2. Local newspapers may enter one entry for each category (small school and large school) or may enter one entry for the entire community.

3. The story can be any length, but must be considered a general interest feature. It does not have to focus on the school. The feature can be about anything dealing with the community or something that has had some effect on the community. Good feature writing skills are encouraged and expected.

4. A first, second and third place winner in the small school category and a first, second and third place winner in large school category will receive cash prizes as listed above.

5. Deadline for publication is Nov. 12 and all local winners must have their entries postmarked to the state office no later than Thursday, Nov. 14. Winners will be notified by mail.

6. There is no entry form, but on the back of each entry, please place the writer's name, school, local newspaper, date published and a phone number where the contestant can be reached. Also include your school address as well as the newspaper's name and address.

7. Send entries to: ILPC, c/o Jeanne Acton, P.O. Box 8028, Austin, TX 78713-8028.

2008 Winners

Big School 4A-5A:

1st place $125 — Katie Milewski, Duncanville High School, published in Neighbors Go

2nd place $100 — Deanna Kelley, Duncanville High School, published in Duncanville Today.

Small School A-3A:

1st place $125 — Kayla Slimp, Decatur High School, published in Wise County Messenger

2nd place $100 — Liz Tovar, East Bernard High School, published in East Bernard Express.

2007 Winners

Big school

1st place: Sarah Tiamberg, Duncanville High School
Published in The Dallas Morning News

2nd place: Tomi Maxted, St. Mark's School of Texas
Published in TheDallas Morning News

3rd place: Katie Rawlings, Pine Tree High School
Published in the Longview News Journal

Small school

1st place: Kelley Peterson, Decatur High School
Published in the Wise County Messenger

2nd place: Beck Alleman, Utopia High School
Published in the Bandera County Courier

3rd place: Leann Lopez, Winters High School
Published in The Winters Enterprise

2006 winners:

Big school (4A to 5A)

1st place - Kelsey Whipple, Clark High School
Published in San Antonio Express News

2nd place - Katie McGee. Lake Travis High School
Published in Lake Travis View

3rd place - Albert Santoya, Miller High School (Corpus Christi)
Published in Caller-Times

Small school (A to 3A)

1st place - Jordan Foster, Utopia HS
Published in Bandera County Courier

2nd place - Whitney Laas, Royal High School
Published in The Times Tribune (Waller County)

No 3rd place

2005 winners:

Small School division (A to 3A)

First Place
Amanda Blakely and Heather Venrick, Crandall High School
Kaufman Herald, Les Linebarger, publisher

Second Place
Amanda Blakely, Crandall High School
Cedar Creek Pilot
Athens Daily Review

Third Place
Jordan Foster, Utopia High School
Bandera Bulletin

Large school division (4A to 5A)

First Place
Chelsea Young, McKinney High School
The McKinney Courier-Gazette

Second Place
Lesli Benefield, Rockwall High School
Rockwall County News 

Third Place
Levi Sterling, Wylie High School
The Wylie News

2004 Lone Star winners:

Large school division (4A to 5A)
First place $125, David Lowe, Lampasas High School, Lampasas Dispatch-Record
Second place $100, Brett Tidwell, Duncanville High School, Duncanville Today
Third place $75, Jennifer Hungerford, Burleson High School, South Tarrant Star

Small School division (A to 3A)
First place $125, Whitney Boyce, Utopia High School, Uvalde Leader-News
Second place $100, Lindsay Camp, Utopia High School, Bandera Review
Third place $75, Katy Tamez, Crandall High School, Kaufman Herald

2003 Winners & Participating Newspapers:

Small Schools
1st place $125 Mandy Countryman, Scurry-Rosser High School, Kaufman Herald
2nd place $100 Ryan Keser, Wylie High School, The Wylie News
3rd place $75 Ashlee Kidd, Clarendon High School, The Clarendon Enterprise

Large Schools
1st place Victoria Williams, Duncanville High School, Duncanville Today
2nd place Kristy Gillentine, Santa Fe High School, Texas City Sun
3rd place Meaghan Owens, Westlake High School, Westlake Picayune

2002 winners

The winners for 2002 were:
Anne Cervenka, East Bernard High School
Carrie Helms, Clarendon High School
Travis Sutherland, Utopia High School

The finalists for 2002 were:
Briana Parramore, Winters High School
Robin Watterson, Ingleside High School
Jessica Williams, Industrial High School