Seniors Meghan Myracle and Jordan Campagna will be competing at State Academic UIL in Austin, Texas for journalism May 21-23, the first time that Rider has had students qualify in every journalism event.
Myracle placed in editorial, and Campagna placed in headlines, news, and feature.
“I never thought that I’d be in this place,” Myracle said. “I never thought that I’d be going to state, even past district to regionals. I’m glad I’m going with Jordan because we’ve known each other for a really long time and we’re pretty good friends. It’ll be fun.”
Placing in state was a shock for Myracle. Last year she didn’t intend to move on past district, but this year she has advanced to the final level. She also didn’t expect editorials to be the event she placed in.
“At district, I was so focused on feature and headline that I just went to editorial and was like whatever, but that ended up being the one I placed in,” Myracle said. “I guess it comes more natural to me. It’s more argument based.”
In fact, Myracle was surprised by the comments given to her at district.
“The judge actually said that I was mean and brutal, so that was a first, but I think that’s something that helps me in editorial writing,” Myracle said. “I don’t see myself as a mean or brutal person, but when I get in that frame of mind for editorials, that lawyer, persuasive frame of mind, I’m brutal I guess. When I’m going in for editorial I always have to think, ‘Who am I going to make mad?’”
Campagna, likewise, received scores that she didn’t expect. She placed first in feature writing at district and fifth at region. Before the competition, she was convinced that she wasn’t a feature writer, but now she has changed her mind.
“I was leaving when they came out and announced it,” Campagna said. “Mrs. Lee looked over the guy’s shoulder before he announced it, and she got her phone out, so that’s when I knew that I placed at feature because she filmed me, and she wouldn’t have done that otherwise. Meghan was mad at me because she’s the feature writer. I think it was playful. She threw some stuff at me.”
Campagna has qualified for the trip to state two years in a row now, but last year she was an alternate, and this year she is going to be competing.
This year marks the eighth year in a row that the journalism department has sent a representative to state. The state meet will occur during the last week of school.
“It’s going to be a little stressful [missing school and finals], but it’ll be OK. It’s definitely worth it. I think the memories will be worth it, and me and Jordan it’s our senior year, to get to spend our last week, two days of it in Austin, seeing UT, that’s pretty exciting.”