Southern Nevada high school students win journalism awards

Friday, May 10, 2002 | 8:46 a.m.

Ashley Busch of Green Valley High School and Zulla Getahun of Las Vegas Academy won the top honors in a high school journalism awards program co-sponsored by the Las Vegas Sun and CLASS! Publications.

Busch was named Student Journalist of the Year and Getahun received the CLASS! founders award for excellence in high school journalism. Each received a $500 scholarship.

CLASS! is a nonprofit monthly publication for, by and about local high school students. The founders award was established this year in honor of the founders of CLASS!, David Phillips and Sari and Paul Aizley.

Her journalism adviser described Busch as the "epitome of a model student whose work ethic is impeccable." She is the editor of the Green Valley High School student newspaper, "The InvestiGATOR" and has written articles for CLASS!

Busch has a 4.3 grade point average and is involved in many extracurricular activities.

Her newspaper articles are described as "informative and thoughtful." A teacher says "her tone is never demanding or acerbic, but welcoming and conciliatory, which keeps the reader engaged without fear of confrontation or reprisal."

Getahun's journalism adviser says Getahun's stories are well written because she "cares not only about the people or topic she is reporting on, she cares to provide her readers with accurate information in innovative ways."

As a child, Getahun and her family escaped from Ethiopia because her father's life was in danger. She started a school chapter of Amnesty International.

This was the first year that CLASS! awarded two scholarships to students planning to study communications in college. Angel Flowers of Foothill High School and Joanna Sproul of Indian Springs High School each received $500 scholarships at the CLASS! journalism awards ceremony April 30 at UNLV.

Representatives of 13 schools won awards in 17 categories. The other high school journalism winners were:

Non-School Publication Writing: First -- Stephanie Espinoza, Green Valley; second -- Christina Cassell, Centennial.

Front Page Layout: First -- Casey Diskin, Green Valley; second -- Matt Mayhood and Ashley Conners, Foothill; third -- Ashley Busch, Green Valley; honorable mention -- Melanie Crockett, Las Vegas, and Nate Sablan, Palo Verde.

Reviews: First -- Alexis Brown, Clark; second -- Ashley Miller, Centennial; third -- Andrew Fowler, Las Vegas Academy; honorable mention -- Kerri Moore and Becca Jensen, Centennial, and Pat Houlihan, Basic.

Sports News Writing: First -- Megan McGinty, Centennial; second -- Bryan Manalang, Basic; third -- Ashley Busch, Green Valley; honorable mention -- Samantha Serrano, Basic, and Sam Mandello, Centennial.

News Writing: First -- Christina Cassell, Centennial; second -- Ashley Busch and Lori Faber, Green Valley; third -- Becca Jensen, Centennial; honorable mention -- Angela Jupp, Green Valley, and Coley Hawkins, Coronado.

Editorial Writing: First -- LaTasha Burse, Desert Pines; second -- Patricia Pierre and Holli Riley, Desert Pines; third -- Zula Getahun, Las Vegas Academy; honorable mention -- Yolanda Baca, Las Vegas High, and Allison Carney, Centennial.

Column Writing: First -- Stephanie Settlemyre, Durango; second -- Johnny Driggs, Coronado; third -- Alexis Brown, Clark; honorable mention -- Zulla Getahun, Las Vegas Academy, and Kellie Olson, Basic.

Feature Writing: First -- Lisa Phillips, Green Valley; second -- Ashley Busch, Green Valley; third -- Asmeret Asghedom, Silverado; honorable mention -- Angela Jupp, Green Valley, and Allison Carney, Centennial.

Sports Feature Writing: First -- Ryan Rabold, Green Valley; second -- Lisa Phillips, Green Valley; third -- Casey Diskin, Green Valley; honorable mention -- Daja Gegen, Foothill, and Ryan Raagas, Silverado.

Sports Photography: First -- Samantha Clemens, Green Valley; second -- Diana Bernard, Green Valley; third -- Chauntel Leavitt, Las Vegas High; honorable mention -- Tina Townsend, Durango, and Kaila Hart, Centennial.

Non-Sports Photography: First -- Samantha Clemens, Green Valley; second -- Becca Wikler, Coronado; third -- Diana Bernard, Green Valley; honorable mention -- Christine Ramirez, Clark, and Christina Cassell, Centennial.

Art and Illustrations: First -- Casey Diskin, Green Valley; second -- Danny Winston, Las Vegas Academy; third -- Marcus Nelson, Centennial; honorable mention -- Casey Carpenter, Foothill.

Editorial Cartoons: First -- Marcus Nelson, Centennial; second -- Justin McDaniel, Foothill; third -- Prentice Johnson, Clark; honorable mention: Noah Tyson, Las Vegas High.

Issue (tabloid format): First -- Green Valley; second -- Centennial; third -- Clark.

Issue (reduced format): First -- Basic; second -- Durango; third -- Moapa Valley.