Columbia, MO, March 31, 2022 — Joseph Pulitzer said to “Put it before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.” That is just what Mehlville High School journalism students did this school year. Last week Mehlville Media and the Reflector Yearbook students traveled to Mizzou for J-Day. Their work was noticed and honored by the state journalism organization Missouri Interscholastic Press Association and Missouri Journalism Education Association (MIPA-MJEA). Students competed with 60 schools from the state of Missouri.

MehlvilleMedia.com, which showcases work from the newspaper, broadcast and digital storytelling classes, was awarded a superior overall rating in the overall website category. Seniors Irma Kalender and Grace Potter serve as the webmasters for the site. Gabriella Collignon (12), Abby Mahfood (12), Alli Mahfood (12), Grace Potter (12), Nela Suljic (11) and Emily Worthmore (11) are the producers for video content and Amna Nukic is the editor-in-chief for written web content. Irma Kalender is the social media director. 

Accolades include individual awards for many student journalists. For their sports coverage of Coach Harper’s 200 wins, seniors Adisa Jahic and Aldin Sahbaz won Best of Show, the highest award in the state for convergence journalism. Emina Brkic (12) of the Reflector Yearbook staff contributed a photo to this online package.

Emily Worthmore (11) and Josh Everding (12) earned All Missouri honors for their news coverage of the decline in local mall shoppers. 

Producer Grace Potter (12) received All Missouri Honors for her coverage of Mental Health in Schools with contributing reporting from Cameron Ulmer (11), Amelia Hays (11), Aynur Akhmedova (12), Emma Hawkins (12) and Livi Roberts (11). 

Rolen Lively and Nico Catarinicchia earned a superior rating for the Mehlville Minute announcement segment. 

Dino Mahmutovic earned an excellent rating for his Mehlville Media broadcast intro. 

Taylor Kordik earned a superior rating for sports coverage of girls swimming. 

Amna Nukic earned a superior rating in news writing for the District Hall of Fame story.

Additionally, Adisa Jahic won an excellent award for sports reporting of the St. Louis Ambush soccer team. 

Mya Williams earned an honorable mention for her review of Firehouse Grill and Grace Potter earned an honorable mention for her music review of local band Bleach. 

Taylor Kordik earned an honorable mention for her news feature on the Violence Prevention Center, which also ran in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch this past fall. 

Sejla Karic (12) earned placement on the Missouri Journalism Honor Roll for the Reflector Yearbook.

Mehlville Media adviser Erin Moeckel is the treasurer of MIPA-MJEA and Oakville adviser Christina Manolis also serves on the board of directors.

About MIPA-MJEA,  Mehlville Media and the Reflector Yearbook

Missouri Interscholastic Press Association has been an integral part of scholastic journalism for nearly a century. MIPA was founded in 1923 by Missouri School of Journalism Dean Walter Williams and E.W. Tucker with the Kemper Military Academy.The Missouri Journalism Education Association is an affiliate of the Journalism Education Association and aligns itself with the Journalism Education Association’s mission, vision and core values. Learn more about JEA here. 

Mehlville Media combines the work of student newspaper Student Prints, Mehlville Today broadcast and digital storytelling programs to serve the population of Mehlville High School and surrounding community. All three programs are advised by Erin Moeckel. 

The Reflector is the yearbook program at Mehlville High School and is advised by Cora Stout.