Members of the Red Bank High School Blue & White staff pose with their first in state trophy at the Tennessee High School Press Association's annual awards ceremony on the campus of Lipscomb University in Nashville. Pictured are front row, left to right, Alaire Gage, Katie Curtis, Alexandria Oviatt, Vicky Stafford, and Jacob Patterson; back row, Ansley Helton, Alice Gilmore, Amee Desai, Taylor Lewis, Bianca Richardson, Sarah Brown, and Christian Brown.
The Red Bank High School Blue & White newspaper staff finished in first place on Monday at the Tennessee High School Press Association awards ceremony hosted by Lipscomb University in Nashville. The Blue & White won for best independent news website, www.theblueandwhite.net.
This is the second consecutive year that Red Bank High has captured first place.
In addition, Alexandria Oviatt, the Blue & White copy editor and valedictorian for the class of 2012 won third place for an editorial she wrote supporting the school's "return to tradtion" by changing the girls' sports nickname from Lady Lions back to Lionettes this school year.
Dr. Jimmy McCollum, director of the THSPA, said there were over 900 individual entries from across Tennessee.
Founded in 1942, this fall will mark The Blue & White's 70th year of continuous publication. Red Bank's paper is believed to be Hamilton County's longest continuously-published high school publication.
"We are extremely proud to take first place for two straight years," said adviser Greg Cantrell. "The students deserve all the recognition and praise for this accomplishment."
This year's staff members are seniors Vicky Stafford (editor-in-chief), Katie Curtis (managing editor), Alexandria Oviatt (copy editor), Christian Brown (sports editor), Sarah Brown, Jake Keller, Jacob Patterson, Bianca Richardson; Juniors Amee Desai, Alaire Gage, Alice Gilmore Ansley Helton and Taylor Lewis.