MCLEAN, VA — Journalism students at McLean High School earned praise from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors after being the only school in Virginia to earn a prestigious journalism award.
In March, McLean High School’s The Highlander won a Gold Crown award for high school hybrid news from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association for the second consecutive year. Two other Fairfax County student publications won Silver Crowns — Chantilly High School’s The Purple Tide news magazine and website and Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s tjTODAY news magazine and website.
McLean was among 16 schools in the U.S. to earn the Gold Crown honor. There were 805 publications eligible for judging this year.
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“You have done an amazing job,” Dranesville District Supervisor John Foust told students. “I know how hard it is to accomplish the types of things that you regularly are accomplishing, and so we thank you. As a community, we invest in public education, and you are a tremendous return on that investment.”
Farah Eljazzar, the editor-in-chief of McLean’s Highlander, spoke to the board about how the recognition resulted from students’ hard work and the guidance of teacher and advisor Lindsay Benedict.
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“I’ve not only had the experience of seeing my peers’ creative visions come to life but also become a part of the journalism family,” said Eljazzar. “We work as a well oiled machine. We go from doing rap battles and ranking the worst foods of all time to writing articles regarding [Governor] Youngkin’s changes to Virginia’s history curriculum or the debate on affirmative action in an instant. The staff has put their heart and soul into this publication.”
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik said the skills students learn from the student newspaper will benefit them well beyond school.
“Right now you’re probably a little bit focused on your GPAs and your SATs scores, but what really is going to stick with you forever and help you throughout your careers are these skills, the collaboration skills, the writing skills, the communication skills, the investigative skills, and your ability to be able to share what you’ve learned and what you want to share in the community and to help grow whatever future endeavors you have,” said Palchik.
Chairman Jeff McKay said it was impressive that the students are producing high quality journalism at the high school level.
“Journalistic integrity, in particular, seems to be in small quantities anymore with the advent of the Internet and so many other things that call themselves journalism but are not the type of journalism that you all are practicing, which is not only ethically based but also complete,” said McKay.
Eljazzar, a senior, said the team works like a well-established publication and has inspired her to pursue journalism as a career. Even when she graduates, she knows the Highlander will continue to thrive.
“I know that the Highlander work will continue to do great things, both in print and on our website and look forward to seeing all the publication accomplishes in the future,” said Eljazzar.
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