Macomb Teen Named to All-State Student Journalist Team

Alissa Szandzik, of Macomb, a student at Utica High School, was named to the equivalent for student journalists of all-state athletic teams, the 2015 Student Journalist Staff.

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A Utica High School student from Macomb Township is among 16 named Monday to the 2015 Student Journalist Staff by the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association.

The students — who represent the state’s top journalists among scholastic media outlets — were honored at MIPA’s Spring Awards and On-Site Contests at the Lansing Center in Lansing.

Also Monday, Danielle Kullmann of Rochester High School was selected to be Michigan’s representative in the national Journalism Education Association Student Journalist of the Year contest. Each state can submit the portfolio of one student journalist to the prestigious contest.

Jeremy Steele, executive director of MIPA and a faculty member in the Michigan State University School of Journalism, said in a news release that the students are the equivalent to athletic all-state teams.

“This is our all-state team of student journalists,” Steele said. “The work these students have produced is impressive and is more proof of the value of student-led journalism in our schools.

“Regardless of their career paths, journalism is uniquely positioned to prepare students to be college- and career-ready thanks to its practical application of writing skills, strong research skills, real-world use of technology and civic engagement.”

MIPA also recognized six members of the Student Journalist Staff as All-MIPA Award recipients, the organization’s highest honor for student journalists. These journalists represent the top students in their field for News Design, News Writing & Reporting, Photojournalism, Video, Yearbook and Multiplatform journalism.

Members of the 2015 Student Journalist Staff are:

Kendall Ashman, of Lake Orion, Lake Orion High School (Multiplatform)

Makenzie Cool, of Fenton, Fenton High School (Photojournalism)

Madeline Halpert, of Ann Arbor, Community High School (News Writing & Reporting) — All-MIPA

Caitlin Heenan, of Fenton, Fenton High School (News Writing & Reporting)

Darby Hopper, of Okemos, Okemos High School (News Writing & Reporting)

Danielle Kullmann, of Rochester Hills, Rochester High School (News Design) — All-MIPA

Sarah Lawrence, of Fenton, Fenton High School (Yearbook) — All-MIPA

Natalie Nohr, of Quincy, Quincy High School (News Writing & Reporting)

Narmeen Rehman, of Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Hills High School (News Design)

Sydney Schneider, of Laingsburg, Laingsburg High School (News Writing & Reporting)

Matthew Smith, of Davison, Davison High School (Video) — All-MIPA

Simon Sun, of Rochester Hills, Stoney Creek High School (News Design)

Alissa Szandzik, of Macomb, Utica High School (Yearbook)

Madelyn Wheelock, of Midland, Midland High School (News Writing & Reporting)

Megan Yarberry, of Novi, Novi High School (Photojournalism) — All-MIPA

Courtney Zhu, of Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Hills High School (Multiplatform)