The 'Iolani student newspaper, Imua 'Iolani, won the top high school journalism award in the state at a ceremony Wednesday at the Pagoda Hotel sponsored by the Hawaii Publishers Association, The Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star Bulletin.
It was the first for 'Iolani's paper in the 38-year history of the awards. Imua 'Iolani also won best-in-state in several other categories, including best editorial writing, best illustration and best single issue.
Editor-in-chief Keyana Stevens and chief photographer Nash Witten, along with adviser and English teacher Karin Swanson, were on hand to accept the awards. Their surprise in winning was made evident by their failure to bring a camera to record the occasion.
The award cited and congratulated the entire Imua 'Iolani staff for covering stories that mattered to students, tackling controversial issues and exercising their freedom of speech.
The paper is unique among top-rated student newspapers in the state as it is a pure extra-curricular activity. 'Iolani does not currently offer a journalism class, and students receive no academic credit for their work on the paper. It is truly an amateur enterprise, done for the love of it.
Deadlines can extend into the wee hours and require massive infusions of pizza and encouragement from adviser Swanson.
The excellence of the newspaper can be attributed to a long-serving, devoted staff and the expertise of Swanson, a professional journalist and dedicated teacher of the art.
Read the Star Bulletin account here (with art):
http://starbulletin.com/2008/04/24/news/story15.html
And the Advertiser--no art, but written by Kimi Fassler, 'Iolani, Class of 2002:
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804240341
