Utica Community Schools student publications earn more than 150 top state honors

Utica Community Schools student publications earned more than 150 top state honors for excellence in writing, photography and design.

Yearbook and newspaper staffs from Utica, Eisenhower, Stevenson and Henry Ford II high schools competed at the state competition in Lansing last month. The yearbook and newspaper staffs from Utica and Eisenhower earned Spartan awards from the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, ranking them as top publications in the state.

Utica’s adviser is teacher Stacy Smale, and Eisenhower’s adviser is Erica Kincannon. Stevenson’s newspaper, advised by teacher Paula Pantano, earned a Silver award. Henry Ford II’s newspaper, advised by teacher Alexis Bunka, also earned a Silver award, and their yearbook earned a Bronze award.

After judging over 3,000 newspaper entries, along with over 2,000 yearbook entries, Utica High students earned 66 individual awards in their division, while Eisenhower students earned 52, Stevenson students earned 31 and Henry Ford II earned nine.

Additionally, Eisenhower’s Lauren Kostiuk was named All-MIPA Multiplatform Student, as well as Michigan’s JEA Journalist of the Year. Utica High’s Elizabeth Wilson was named to MIPA’s All State Journalist Team.

Utica High School’s Warrior Yearbook
Feature Writing: Student Life
First Place
Darian Montgomery
Second Place
Alissa Szandzik & Ron Lozano
Sports Reporting
Second Place
Joe Dunn & Alex Maroof
Honorable Mention
Laura Pauck
Sports Feature Writing
Second Place
Kayla Guertin
Academic Writing
First Place
Mairi Thomson Clow & Darian Montgomery
Organizations Writing
First Place
Darian Montgomery & Jessica Moore
Honorable Mention
Laura Westich & Jasmine Tyler-Woodard
Personality Profile
Second Place
Basma Rasnia & Mariam Qasid
Honorable Mention
Brittney Misiak
Sidebar Writing
First Place
Shayne Bullaro & Kayla Guertin
Second Place
Justine Hageman, Brittney Misiak & Kelsey Benoot
Headline Writing
First Place
Darian Montgomery, Austin Jackson, Nick Wiezorek & Brittney Seguin
Second Place
Alissa Szandzik, Ron Lozano, Shayne Bullaro & Dan Gieger
Caption Writing
First Place
Laura Pauck & Darian Montgomery
Student Life Spread
First Place
Mairi Thomson Clow, Jenna Metcalf & Laura Pauck
Second Place
Darian Montgomery
Sports Spread
First Place
Jodi McKinney & Jessica Moore
Honorable Mention
Emilee Gorche
Organization Spread
Honorable Mention
Brittany Sequin
Individual Advertisement
Honorable Mention
Saeed Habeb
Honorable Mention
Saeed Habeb
Graphics
First Place
Elizabeth Wilson
Third Place
Elizabeth Wilson
Sports Action Photo
Second Place
Chelsea Brennan
Third Place
Gjeka Juncaj
Sports Feature Photo
Honorable Mention
Gjeka Juncaj
Photo Illustration
First Place
Gjeka Juncaj
Honorable Mention
Eric Marberger
Academic Photo
Honorable Mention
Gjeka Juncaj
Club/Performance Photo
Second Place
Hailey Sikorski
School Spirit Photo
First Place
Gjeka Juncaj
Third Place
Stefanie Sarti
Feature Presentation
First Place
Jasmine Tyler-Woodard, Alexandra Thomson & Jessica Moore
Third Place
Shayne Bullaro & Kayla Guertin
Theme Development
Second Place
Staff
Cover
Second Place
Justine Hageman & Eric Marberger
Endsheets
Third Place
Amanda Koss, Bailee Hall & Elizabeth Wilson
Opening & Closing
Second Place
Justine Hageman & Eric Marberger
Division Page
Second Place
Justine Hageman
Index
First Place
Eric Marberger
People’s Choice Awards
Second Place
Yearbook Sports Spread
Third Place
Yearbook Student Life Spread

Utica High School’s Arrow Newspaper
Editorial
Honorable Mention
Staff
In-Depth Feature
Second Place
Kirsten Domsic
Human Interest Feature
First Place
Mairi Clow
Alternative Story Form
First Place
Melissa Kwiatkowski & Kirsten Domsic
Alternative Story Form
Third Place
Nick Lucido & Julia Vasquez
Sports Action Photo
Third Place
Gjeka Juncaj
Honorable Mention
Sydney Flater
News/Feature Photo
Honorable Mention
Madeline Rotarius
Honorable Mention
Sydney Flater
Environmental Portrait
Second Place
Madeline Rotarius
Illustration
Honorable Mention
Mike Laskowski
Information Graphic
Third Place
Mike Laskowski
Honorable Mention
Dylan Hamilton
Front Page/Newsmagazine
Second Place
Dylan Hamilton & Sydney Flater
Honorable Mention
Madeline Rotarius
Front Page/Newspaper
First Place
Kirsten Domsic
Story Package
Third Place
Alaina Jaster & Mimi Murphy
Editorial Opinion Page/Spread
Honorable Mention
Staff
Feature Page/Spread
Honorable Mention
Chris Winter
Sports Page/Spread
Honorable Mention
Dylan Hamilton
Photo Story
Honorable Mention
Dylan Hamilton
Professionally Published Page
Second Place
Dylan Hamilton
People’s Choice Awards
Third Place
News Design

Eisenhower High School’s Esprit de Corps Yearbook
Feature Writing: Student Life
Honorable Mention
Brianna Millicia
Sports Feature Writing
Honorable Mention
Heather Piccariello
Honorable Mention
Courtney Sturza
Personality Profile
Third Place
Courtney Banks
Honorable Mention
Emma Densmore
Sidebar Writing
Second Place
Taylor Stevenson
Headline Writing
Second Place
Staff
Third Place
Staff
Caption Writing
First Place
Courtney Sturza, Sarah Bratton, Kristen Mezser & McKenzie Acton
Honorable Mention
Chelsea Thayer, Grace Reich & Alex Rusicka
Student Life Spread
Honorable Mention
Lauren Kostiuk, Miranda Perschetti, Taylor Stevenson & Emma Densmore
Sports Spread
First Place
Emma Densmore & Meghan Coakley
Academic Spread
Third Place
Miranda Persichetti
Honorable Mention
Gabriella Palazzolo
Organization Spread
First Place
Jenna Skorbe, Emma Densmore & Lindsay Moore
People Spread
Third Place
Natalie Gatt & Maria Fornari
Honorable Mention
Beyonca Gray & Meredith Camacha
Advertising Spread
Honorable Mention
Johanna Zweng
Honorable Mention
Johanna Zweng
Individual Advertisement
Second Place
Johanna Zweng
Honorable Mention
Johanna Zweng
Sports Action Photo
Honorable Mention
Kristen Mezser & Morgan Clark
Sports Feature Photo
First Place
Mckenzie Acton
Portrait/Personality Photo
Honorable Mention
Taylor Stevenson
Feature Presentation
First Place
Alex Rusicka & Jenna Skerbe
Honorable Mention
Staff
Cover
Second Place
Stephanie Freeman & Lindsay Moore
Endsheets
Third Place
Lindsay Moore
Opening & Closing
Third Place
Lindsay Moore, Emma Densmore & Morgan Clark
People’s Choice Awards
First Place
Student Life Photo
Second Place
Yearbook Sports Spread
Third Place
Yearbook Student LIfe Spread

Eisenhower High School’s Eagle’s Eye Newspaper
Feature Column
Honorable Mention
Lauren Kostiuk
Pro/Con Editorial Columns
Honorable Mention
Emily Cook & Chelsea Thayer
Informative Feature
Honorable Mention
Angie Wysocki
Personality Profile
Honorable Mention
Chelsea Thayer
Honorable Mention
Taylor Stevens
Diversity Coverage
Honorable Mention
Courtney Banks
Environmental, Health or Science
Honorable Mention
Mackenzie Gurne
Alternative Story Form
Second Place
Erica Eeman & Melanie Surdue
Sports Column
Honorable Mention
Mike Burkhardt
Honorable Mention
Mike Burkhardt
Environmental Portrait
First Place
Taylor Stevens
Editorial Cartoon
Honorable Mention
Emily Cook
Honorable Mention
Emily Cook
Comic Strip
Honorable Mention
Emily Cook
Information Graphic
Honorable Mention
Sam May & Kayla Varicalli
Front Page/Newsmagazine
Second Place
Stephanie Freeman
Front Page/Newspaper
Second Place
Kayla Varicalli
Honorable Mention
Hayley Himanek
Feature Page/Spread
Honorable Mention
Stephanie Freeman
News Page/Newsmagazine
Second Place
Hayley Himanek

Stevenson High School’s Ambassador Yearbook
Sports Reporting
Second Place
Christopher Holman & Beth Edberg
Sports Feature Writing
Third Place
Krista Glebosky & Shelby Rasmussen
Sidebar Writing
Honorable Mention
Priscilla Isaac
Honorable Mention
Sarah Malaspina
Caption Writing
Second Place
Christopher Holman & Jaime Titus
Third Place
Lauren DeSantis & Priscilla Isaac
Student Life Spread
First Place
Jaime Titus
Sports Spread
Honorable Mention
Christopher Holman & Beth Edberg
Academic Spread
First Place
Sarah Malaspina
Honorable Mention
Corrine Blimka & Jaime Titus
Organization Spread
Third Place
DeCarlo Miles & Tyler Mabie
Honorable Mention
Julia Bernardi & Corrine Blimka
Advertising Spread
First Place
Joshua Pettibone
Third Place
Joshua Pettibone
Sports Action Photo
Honorable Mention
DeCarlo Miles
Sports Feature Photo
Second Place
Sarah Malaspina
Academic Photo
Third Place
DeCarlo Miles
Honorable Mention
Priscilla Isaac
School Spirit Photo
Third Place
Christopher Holman
Honorable Mention
Ashley Krywy
Feature Presentation
Second Place
Jaime Titus
Third Place
Christopher Holman
Theme Development
Honorable Mention
Christopher Holman
Opening & Closing
Honorable Mention
Christopher Holman
Division Page
Second Place
Christopher Holman
Index
Second Place
Christopher Holman

Stevenson High School’s Vanguard Newspaper
Review
Honorable Mention
Krystal Hamama
Pro/Con Editorial Columns
3rd Place
Megan Svgrve & Frank Orsini
Human Interest Feature
Honorable Mention
Jennifer Howell
Honorable Mention
Krystal Hamama
Advertising Layout
Honorable Mention
Lauren Turner

Henry Ford II High School’s Executive Yearbook
*Note that since HFII has a new adviser, individual student names were not available.
Sports Reporting
Honorable Mention
Staff
Organizations Writing
Third Place
Staff
Caption Writing
Honorable Mention
Staff
Honorable Mention
Staff
Sports Spread
Second Place
Staff
Sports Feature Photo
Honorable Mention
Staff
Club/Performance Photo
Honorable Mention
Staff

Henry Ford II High School’s Executive Yearbook
Pro/Con Editorial Columns
Honorable Mention
Gabby Canu & Samantha Phillips
Advertising Layout
Second Place
Chris Kanam & Sabrina Nigliazzo