Downers Grove North Students Take Third Place in Journalism State Finals

With five students taking home state medals in individual journalism events,  took third place at the IHSA Journalism state finals April 27.

It was the best finish for the school since IHSA Journalism competition started three years ago. In IHSA competition, there are 16 events students can compete in, from yearbook and newspaper design to advertising and cartooning. 

Leighanne Crawford took first place in advertising. Alex Duta took third place in broadcast news writing. Ashley Iannantone took third place in yearbook layout double page spread, Heather Johansen took third place in news writing and Ashley Hemmingway took fourth place in review writing.

Downers Grove North students qualified in nine events for state competition by placing first, second or third in their event at the sectional competition held April 20.

Students are given a set amount of time on the day of competition to complete their work. For instance, students competing in yearbook design are given 90 minutes to create a double page layout and are provided with photos and text as well as a computer and design software.

A panel of multiple judges reviews each student’s work with a set rubric, which is designed to reflect high journalistic standards. 

All of the students are part of the journalism program. did not have any students compete in IHSA Journalism competition.

The IHSA competition is the side gig to teaching students to express themselves, said Liz Levin, advisor of the school newspaper, Omega and English teacher at North. Though preparing students to do well in IHSA doesn’t feel foreign to putting a publication together, she said.

“It’s nice to be able to compete in a venue that the larger school and community understands,” Levin said. “People understand the importance of taking first place in a state competition.”

The Downers Grove North high school newspaper, Omega, has received several awards in the past.

The publication took sixth in best in show out of 395 publications at the Journalism Education Association (JEA) National Convention in November. Omega also took fourth in best in show at the Kansas City National Convention in October. 

Leighanne Crawford, who took first place in advertising, is a lifelong artist but never tried her hand at advertising until the 2012 state competition. She was given 90 minutes to create a black-and-white newspaper ad. Winning the state title was a welcome surprise.

“I was just grateful to be up there for state,” Crawford said. “I just wanted to be satisfied with the work I did. I was very honored and very happy.”

It was also the first time Ashley Iannantone tried her hand at yearbook design, in which Iannantone took third. As the editor-in-chief Omega, Iannantone has experience in newspaper layout, but the two disciplines can be very different.

“Yearbook goes against everything my teacher ever taught me in design,” Iannantone said. “I had to be more creative with my design and do things that were more outside my comfort zone.”

Crawford plans to continue her artistic training at the College of DuPage. Iannantone will attend Loyola University in the fall and hopes to attend medical school.