Arrowhead Wins 5 Statewide Awards

Four Arrowhead journalists’ work was recognized by the Iowa High School Press Association’s Spring Journalism Contest on April 30.

Senior Fatimah Williamson placed second in the category of feature story with the article, “Seniors Get Political.” Williamson took multiple approaches in reporting the class of 2024’s first opportunity to participate in the presidential nomination and election process. She interviewed seniors with a variety of political views and a government teacher, and she also polled members of the class to learn more about their interest and participation in the electoral process. Arrowhead editor Tanner Lehtinen praised Williamson for her complex approach to reporting this feature.

Williamson also took third place in the school news story category with “Waukee Walkout,” which covered students protesting gun violence on January 8. Williamson interviewed leaders and participants on the scene, reporting the news while giving readers a sense of the atmosphere at the walkout.

Senior Taylor Thornton placed third in the category of personality profile, which is an article that focuses on one person from multiple perspectives–their own, as well as those who know them well. Thornton profiled senior exchange student Ayla Taghiyeva in the article “A Friend from Afar.” Thornton interviewed Taghiyeva about the ups and downs of her experiences and how she has impacted the community at WHS.

Junior Noa Nyguard received an honorable mention for the feature story “Double Double Toil and Trouble,” which explores the supposed curse of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” The article was a creative and informative preview for the fall play that also explored the historical intrigue surrounding ther play. Nyguard described her process of keeping track of sources’ quotes and research notes with Google forms and docs, which help her ensure that many students get a voice in the artilce.

Sophomore Tavian White was awarded an honorable mention for his sports action photo of boys basketball. The photo featured WHS senior Mason Costello shooting the ball against the Northwest Wolves. The photo’s clarity and composition capture the action of the game. White remarked that he had very little photography experience before joining the staff, and he has improved by shooting many games and using feedback from photo editor Maddox Zanders.

The IHSPA holds an annual conference for student journalists, which Publications staffers attended last fall. Full results of the contest can be found here.