Seashore Student Newspaper Wins Silver Medal From Columbia University
LONG BRANCH, September 14– The tallies are in. After being evaluated on 140 different criteria against a national standard, judges from Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) at Columbia University in New York City have awarded a silver medal to Seashore Student Views, a newspaper written by students at The Seashore School in Long Branch.
“Very few papers enter the competition and earn one. Be proud of yourself and your staff,” the CSPA board of judges told journalism teacher Sharon Metz and graphic arts instructor Dorothy Jones. “You have taken a challenge to achieve not only a good paper, which you already have (one far better than the majority of middle schools across the nation) to printing a GREAT paper. You have all the potential to become one of the top middle school newspapers in the country.”
The publication, produced three times a year, was evaluated in essential, verbal and visual categories, earning outstanding marks for editorial content and design.
“I am simply amazed at what your middle school students have accomplished in terms of writing and insight. They demonstrate a wisdom well beyond their years, yet still maintain an authentic middle school voice,” said a CSPA judge, who taught middle school for 12 years, citing an editorial about Governor Christie, written by Elena Shalom from last year’s fifth grade class.
“Great job bringing national and state issues to your readers. The editorial about the governor was wonderful! It shows how one child can be affected by state politics in a real way.”
The board also praised the Roving Reporter column, the Views Reviews, seventh grade Anthony Sambogna’s article on a S*T*A*R Party attended by Seashore’s Astronomy Club and the way Makoto Brown from last year’s sixth grade class credited his research sources.
As part of the critique, judges said “the letters from the editors of each edition were great and the ‘what’s inside this issue’ angle did a good job showcasing the unique personality of each editor.”
According to Metz and Jones, who introduced the publication as part of a new journalism class three years ago, students transformed their four-page newsletter into an eight-page broadsheet with advertising after attending the Fall Journalism Conference at Columbia University last November. Classes on writing, design and photography at the Ivy League college inspired them to take their newspaper to a higher level. They will return to the historic Morningside Campus November 7 for Columbia’s 72nd Annual Fall Journalism Conference.
“We are proud of our journalism class. It is a real achievement for Editor in Chiefs as young as fifth grade to be recognized with a silver medal from Columbia,” said John Villapiano, Director of The Seashore School, who congratulated Metz and Jones for teaching students to communicate effectively and create an award-winning publication that boosts their esteem.
The Seashore School, which opened in 1974, is designed for families who want a smaller class size and more progressive curriculum than their town offers, at an affordable tuition. From preschool-eighth grade, the curriculum includes advanced foreign language, computers, science and swim lessons, along with training in dance, music, drama and art. The approach to education is so successful that students win academic competitions, score in the top percentile in standard exams, are recognized nationally for achievement and typically gain acceptance into the high schools of their choice. For more information, please call 732-222-6464 or visit www.seashorecampandschool.com.