Heights HS Pilot's Log Wins Best of Show Award

The Hasbrouck Heights High School Pilot's Log has done it again.

The high school student newspaper once again earned a Best of Show award at the National Scholastic Press Association competition at the fall national high school journalism conference this month.

The Pilot's Log earned a Best of Show award for its special edition on coverage of Hurricane Sandy. Hasbrouck Heights took second place in the category.

"Winning Second Place in Best of Show competition for our Special Edition Magazine about Hurricane Sandy was truly special.  Because we thought getting New Jersey's story out at the National Scholastic Press Association Convention about the devastation here, the students managed to produce a 12-page magazine in just four days," said Lora Geftic, adviser to the Pilot's Log.

She said it was inspiring to watch the students feverishly work to find pictures, write articles, proofreading the magazine, and send it out to be printed in time.

Geftic and assistant principal Catherine Cassidy escorted five students from the student paper staff to the annual conference which was held in San Antonio, Texas this month.

“The students always do a great job representing Hasbrouck Heights,” says Cassidy. “During the closing ceremony we were all waiting to see if  the Special Edition won.   We were ecstatic that we won second place – Best in Show.” 

"Winning second place nationally in this contest is no easy feat," said Geftic. "We competed against such heavy-hitters as The Spark, from Lakota East HS, Liberty Township, Ohio, which produced a 108-page magazine, and The Chronicle, from Harvard-Westlake School, North Hollywood, Calif., which swept every category they entered at the convention."

Cassidy added, “We go up against schools that have 2000, 3000 students in the high school alone and for the students and Mrs. Geftic to continuously do well is a testament to the program."

"What the students came away with was pride in Hasbrouck Heights and what they - Samantha Sproviero, Julianna Nass, Frairee de la Fuente, and Ali Robitaille - and the rest of the staff, were able to accomplish," said Geftic.  

"Most importantly, they left San Antonio, Texas with a renewed spirit of cooperation and a communal desire to promote journalism across the country.," she said.

In addition to the competition the students were also able to enjoy some of San Antonio visiting the Alamo and the Riverwalk and dining in local restaurants, said Cassidy.

Last year the Pilot's Log earned a second place Best of Show award in the Newspaper 13-16 Pages category.

Once again the Pilot's Log was the only New Jersey high school newspaper to take home in award in this national competition.

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