The Georgia Journalism Academy hosted by the University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication recently recognized their “All Stars,” including Cedar Shoals High School rising senior Justin Van Wicklen of Athens who was named the “MVP.”
Van Wicklen was one73 participants of the Academy—a weeklong camp for high school journalists. Students lived in a campus residence hall during the week and took classes at the Grady College in one of seven core areas: broadcast writing and reporting, broadcast news production, news writing, feature writing, editorial writing, photojournalism and graphic design. “Friday Night Lights” was the theme of this year’s camp.
The academy “All Stars” were recognized at a closing banquet in the Sanford Stadium Sky Suite. Along with Van Wicklen, the following students were named “All Stars” in their respective classes:
•Logan Butler (Stratford Academy/Macon), broadcast writing and reporting
•Margaret Chwat (Northview High School/Suwanee), editorial writing
•Meredith Fowler (Camden County High School/Kingsland), graphic design
•Macy Lister (Union Grove High School/McDonough), photojournalism
•Mary Lyons (Northside High School/Columbus), news writing
•Ayana Moore (Dunwoody High School/Lithonia), feature writing
As broadcast students produced The Grady Gridiron, a 20-minute TV news show, newspaper students were working on The Goal Post, a 12-page newspaper featuring local news, features, sports and opinions.
Van Wicklen, a member of the broadcast production team, was named an “All-Star” of his class by his instructor, Vanessa Nguyen, and competed against other class “All-Stars” for the title of “MVP.”
“Justin was a great team player who was willing to do anything,” said Nguyen. “He is a multi-talented student who not only produced great work, but motivated other students to do their best.”
Van Wicklen, who also has an interest in sculpting, said he enjoys the creative aspect of broadcast production. “I’m a very hands-on kind of person,” he said. “I like to create things, and I like to show people what’s going on in the world, so broadcast news is a natural fit.”
Van Wicklen, who hopes to attend the University of Georgia and the Grady College, said his Academy experience has helped further develop skills he learned under his high school adviser at Cedar Shoals. “I’ve gotten a new perspective on editing and I’ve learned some tremendous technique,” he said. “This has been a wonderful experience.”
Thursday, June 19, 2008
UGA Journalism Academy “All Stars” Recognized
Monday, June 9, 2008
Isakson Announces U.S. Military Academy Appointees for 2008
U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today proudly announced that 30 Georgia students whom he had nominated to the United States military academies have now received appointments to the prestigious schools.
“One of my favorite tasks each year is to nominate promising young leaders to our nation’s military academies,” Isakson said. “I know this year’s appointees will make Georgia and America proud.”
The annual nomination of young people to our nation’s military academies is the responsibility of each Member of Congress. Those nominees who are accepted into the academies are awarded full four-year scholarships, which are valued at approximately $350,000 each and include tuition, books, board, medical and dental care. Since his election to Congress in 1999, nearly 200 Isakson nominees have been accepted into U.S. military academies.
Isakson plans to host a reception for the students and their families this Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m. in Atlanta. The reception will be held at the Georgian Club, 100 Galleria Parkway, Suite 1700, Atlanta, Ga., 30339.
The Isakson nominees who have been accepted by the Academies (listed with their current schools and hometowns) are:
U.S. Air Force Academy
David Adams - Campbell High School, Mableton
Donald Adkins - Tift County High School, Tifton
James Collins - Greater Atlanta Christian, Norcross
Jacob Fulton - Chapel Hill High School, Douglasville
James Hill - Fayette County High School, Fayetteville
Rachel Mittleman - Starr’s Mill High School, Peachtree City
Kevin Rosen – Dunwoody High School, Dunwoody
U.S. Military Academy
Thomas Carney - Woodward Academy, Peachtree City
Rachael Duval - Hebron Christian Academy, Auburn
Matthew Joiner - Collins Hill High School, Lawrenceville
Nathan Markette - Deerfield Windsor School, Albany
Jarrod Oliver - Buford High School, Buford
Colin Patrick - Norcross High School, Norcross
Timothy Schmidt - Home Schooled, Loganville
Jessica Sexauer - Adairsville High School, Cartersville
Jev Valles - Pope High School, Marietta
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Michael Jeffers - St. Pius X, Atlanta
Mikhail Manalo - Brookwood High School, Lawrenceville
Bernard Underwood - Balboa Academy, Martinez
U.S. Naval Academy
James Brigham - Fellowship Christian School, Roswell
Michael Carothers - Greater Atlanta Christian, Flowery Branch
Tina Estrem - Union Grove High School, McDonough
Kyle Gentry - The Walker School, Woodstock
Paul Neidhardt - Brookwood High School, Lawrenceville
Daniel Perme - Blessed Trinity High School, Alpharetta
Robert Rountree - Tucker High School, Tucker
Hayden Van Dyke - Bremen High School, Villa Rica
Eric Von Behren - Camden County High School, Kingsland
Michael White - McIntosh High School, Peachtree City
Nathan Woodason - Northwest Whitfield, Dalton
