Londonderry High School’s Lancer Spirit Wins New Hampshire Press Association Awards

KEENE, NH — Londonderry’s school newspaper won several awards at the New Hampshire Press Association college and high school divisions’ 2023 Distinguished Journalism Awards.

The school was one of several to enter the contest this year, covering stories and podcasts published last year. The event was held at Keene State College on April 12.

Kaylee Mague won second place for Feature Writing for “Lancer ‘Angels’ go to great lengths for those in need.” A judge wrote: “A lively piece about a familiar way to support cancer patients, donating a 10- or 12-inch swag of hair for custom wigs – but with a curious twist. At this high school, the haircuts are performed as part of a public ritual that celebrates the donors and the cause. The writer elicits touching anecdotes from girls telling what inspired them to participate. Like any canny newspaper person, the writer appended four or five additional photos and first-person comments to attract maximum readership to that week’s edition!”

In the News Coverage category, Lily Abrams, Bridget Berry, and Kaylee Mague took second place for “PSAT: Perturbed Students, Admin, Teachers.” The judge wrote: “Good, solid reporting on what happened the day the College Board’s online platform failed just as Londonderry High School students were to begin taking the PSAT standardized exam – a stressful time for many under perfect conditions. Extra points for the accompanying quote box.”

2023 New Hampshire Press Association High School and College Workshop and Awards from Julio Del Sesto on Vimeo.

Rachel Hutchinson placed third with her piece, “Let the middle person speak.” The judge wrote: “A well-crafted opinion piece that argues ‘someone from the middle of the class’ should be allowed to speak along with the class president and valedictorian on graduation day. How to go about selecting that person? The author has an answer for that too. Even those who disagree should be impressed.”

Kelly Egan placed second in the Sports category, while Dillon Tufts placed third. Egan’s piece, “Lancer Hockey plays for ‘something bigger than themselves,’” was commended by the judge as a “Nice story about players taking the ice for a cause, told using multiple sources.” Tufts’ “Class of 24′ ends time under the lights the way it started: winning,” the judge said, “captures the feeling of how a high school season — even a successful one — can be bittersweet for seniors when it has to end.”

Corah Daigle took first for the Best Podcast/Multimedia offering for, “Get ink-spired by these local tattoo artists.” The judge wrote: “This was really well edited, shot and produced – great work! You clearly asked good questions and have an eye for B-roll. I appreciated the tight length too — I can tell a lot of thought went into how this was assembled.”

The complete list of winners, including wins from high schools in Alstead, Derry Durham, and college entries, can be found here.

For more information about the contest, visit the NH Press Association website.

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