There is more to student journalism than meets the eye. On the front end, most see the interviewing, reporting and photography while components like leadership, design, multimedia, marketing and online presence remain hidden to ensure programs like The BluePrint run smoothly. The Florida Student Journalist of the Year Competition however, takes all of these aspects into consideration when choosing which student journalist will represent at the national level of the competition.
On March 2, BluePrint Editor-in-Chief Lia Miller won Florida Student Journalist of the Year—making it the third consecutive SJOY win for Hagerty.
“I knew from when I was announced as Editor-in-Chief [last school year] that [SJOY] was something I wanted to pursue,” senior Lia Miller said. “Our Editors-in-Chief historically always [applied] for Student Journalist of the Year.”
Since starting the application process in November, Miller has worked toward making her journalistic career as well rounded as possible— picking up new skills in addition to sharpening old ones for the competition.
“I had never used any sort of social media before, and I realized there was a section called Web and Social,” Miller said. “I learned how to post on there. I also gave a mini lesson to Journalism 1 […] so that I could include it in my Editing and Leadership section.”
In order to enter, applicants are required to design a website that showcases their proficiency across all facets of student journalism, which is why Miller began preparing last November.
“I really enjoyed doing social media [posts because] I love design,” Miller said. “I [also] love public speaking, so teaching was pretty fun too.”
Eleven judged categories include sections such as Social Media, Reporting & Writing, Leadership, Multimedia, Website Design, Personal Narrative and more. Miller managed to score 5/7 or higher in each category, with four 7/7’s (also known as “Exemplaries”).
“It’s a lot of work, so in the past there’s only been five to twelve entries per year,” BluePrint adviser Brit Taylor said.
The number of entries doubled compared to last year, however, which made the task even more daunting for Miller. Between the number of categories scored and the increase in applications this year, Miller remained confident in her submission especially because she has been in the program since freshman year.
“[Personally, I] thought the strongest part of my submission was my Reporting & Writing, [but] Web and Social Media were [actually] my strongest areas,” Miller said. “I was most proud of the Law. Ethics, and News Literacy section. It was very nice to lay [everything] out and remind myself that I was able to get through every single [ethical and legal] challenge.”
In addition to the SJOY title, a $1000 scholarship was on the line. The minutes leading up to the announcement were charged with anticipation. Miller and her friends stayed after class, as Taylor repeatedly reloaded the FSPA Instagram account until the announcement finally came on screen.
“It was very, very exciting,” Miller said.
As her time in high school journalism comes to an end, Miller looks forward to the Nationals results— the final evaluation of her application.She will be recognized at the FSPA Convention April 9-11.
“I know that we’ve produced a high-quality publication, and that I’ve done my part to keep the school informed,” Miller said. “I’m excited to move on, but I think I’ve gotten a lot from this experience.”
