Merrick resident Sophia Kelly spent much of her senior year after school editing stories, assigning coverage and brainstorming ideas with fellow student journalists. This summer, those efforts were recognized when Kellenberg Memorial High School's student newspaper, The Phoenix, earned first place for Best Overall Publication from the New York Press Association.
Kelly, one of the newspaper's editors, said the statewide recognition was a rewarding conclusion to a year of hard work behind the scenes.
"I was really happy about it," she said. "The whole year we spent a bunch of time working really hard, getting stories through editing and working as a team. A lot of that can sometimes go unnoticed, so it was nice to see our hard work recognized."
Kelly joined The Phoenix as a writer during her sophomore year before becoming an editor as a senior. In addition to writing articles, she spent two afternoons each week in the newsroom editing submissions, assigning stories and helping plan future coverage.
"I've always liked to write," Kelly said. "It was a creative outlet for me and a way to apply what I've learned in school while highlighting everything we do at Kellenberg."
One story that stands out to Kelly was an interview with Kellenberg volleyball coach Mrs. Vaughn after she was named coach of the year.
"I got to know her through the interview process," Kelly said. "She shared a lot of meaningful life lessons, and I was happy to highlight that accomplishment for her."
Producing the newspaper required teamwork, she said, with editors dividing responsibilities ranging from managing publication schedules to editing stories and developing new article ideas.
Kelly said her experience on The Phoenix strengthened her communication, leadership and time-management skills.
"I learned how to speak up and share my ideas," she said. "I also learned how to prioritize my time, balancing newspaper responsibilities with everything else during senior year."
Although Kelly, who will attend Loyola University Maryland this fall, does not currently plan to pursue journalism professionally, she hopes to continue writing for her college newspaper.
Faculty moderator Mike Flood said the award reflects the dedication of the newspaper's student staff.
"It's a testament to the students," Flood said. "I've got dedicated editors and a driven editor in chief who sets the tone. They're student leaders, and I love seeing them work together."
Flood said he recognized Kelly's potential after she wrote an in-depth article about the school's cafeteria food service during her junior year.
"She took that assignment and really ran with it," he said. "From a sophomore who came shyly into the office to a senior heading off to Loyola, she was a delight to work with every week."
Beyond awards, Flood said student journalism equips young people with valuable lifelong skills.
"Getting students to ask questions, interact with people and publish something with their name on it benefits them in ways they probably don't even realize," he said.
