High schoolers test writing skills at annual competition
For the third consecutive year, Waynesburg University hosted the John Knox Writing Contest.
The contest is an opportunity for the Department of Communication, Academic Affairs and Admissions to collaborate with the local newspaper, the Observer-Reporter, located in Washington, Pennsylvania. The event is also sponsored by the Waynesburg chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Observer Publishing Co. and Waynesburg Universityís student-run public relations firm, Redbrick Communications.
The Knox Writing contest is open to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors in the tri-state area. This year, nine schools were represented and 15 students in total participated. Nine out of the 15 students were from Freedom Area High School, located in Freedom, Pennsylvania.
As part of the writing contest, participants were required to interview former voice of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Lanny Frattare, and tell his story.
As a new writer, Rachel DeCesaris, a junior at Freedom Area High School, was mostly worried about the interview process.
“You never really know how an interview is going to go, especially in that situation where you have a bunch of people asking questions,” said DeCesaris.
The participating students were given an opportunity to view the campus for a tour after the contest. During the contest, three Waynesburg University students hosted a parentsí panel, where parents could learn about the Department of Communication and Waynesburg University as a potential option for college for their children.
Instructor of Communication Dr. Brandon Szuminsky said the John Knox Writing Contest serves simultaneously as a great opportunity to show off the department to prospective students.
“The contest is to not only encourage and reward high school students that are interested in journalism or writing,” he said. “But also to seek out people that might not have Waynesburg on their radar.”
Szuminsky was happy to give potential students a chance to explore their interest in journalism.
“It was rewarding to see all the hard work of Sarah Bell and the students come together,” said Szuminsky. “Plus, it’s always great to encourage future journalists.”
After the interview, the students were taken into the Mac computer lab in Buhl Hall with a limited amount of time to complete an article using the information they got from the interview with Frattare.
DeCesaris was impressed with her performance after the interview and the integrity of the contest in general.
“It was quite interesting to interview [Frattare],” DeCesaris said. “He really took the interview seriously which I really appreciated because sometimes high school students arenít necessarily looked at as true journalists.”
The winner of the contest will be determined by blind judging and announced within three weeks. The winner will also receive a monetary prize for the accomplishment.