Members of South’s media co-curricular clubs, including The Oracle, The Etruscan, and Advanced TV and Film won awards at both the state and national levels at journalism competitions and a film festival.

At the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Journalism state final competition, junior Riley Shankman, Assistant Opinions Editor for The Oracle, placed first in Editorial Writing, and senior Anna Marquardt, Co-Features Editor for The Oracle, placed second in Features Writing. 

Although Marquardt was anxious while competing, she soon recognized that her writing had value. 

“I was nervous [at the start] because everyone [seemed to be] writing faster than me, but as [the competition] went on, I became more confident and realized [my work] was something [to be] proud of,” Marquardt said.

Shankman recommends all aspiring journalists to compete in writing competitions because they provide highly uplifting experiences. 

“[Although] the [reason] I went [to the competition] was to have fun with my friends, winning was amazing,” Shankman said. “I was over the moon when [my name was] called [for first place].”

The Etruscan, South’s 2022 Yearbook staff won the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) Pacemaker, the Golden Eagle award from the Northern Illinois School Press Association (NISPA), and won first place in the Illinois Journalism Education Association (IJEA) Yearbook Contest.

From the Midwest Media Educators Association (MMEA) Video Festival, TV and Film students placed first in the Documentary category for Joey: In the Limelight, the Dramatic Narrative category for No Matter What, and the Social Media category for How Not to Find Elvis.