The Iowa High School Press Association recognized both the West Side Story and Trojan Epic yearbook at its state journalism conference Oct. 24. The West Side Story staff was named a 2024 All-Iowa News Team of the Year, and the 2023-24 Trojan Epic staff received multiple photo and design awards for last year’s “It’s Our Moment” yearbook.
IHSPA judges selected the News Teams of the Year from a field of finalist schools, determined from the schools with the highest number of points accumulated during IHSPA’s various journalism contests. In 2017, IHSPA introduced the All-Iowa awards, and West has been recognized every year since.
In addition to the awards ceremony, the annual state conference featured a keynote speaker, 40 breakout sessions, newspaper and yearbook critiques and tours of the KRUI radio station and DITV broadcast studios.
Lucy Rohden, sports personality for the Dan LeBatrd Show with Stugotz, was the keynote speaker.
Sixty-one West High journalists attended the conference, joined by nearly 700 other student journalists from across the state.
The Trojan Epic staff received these awards from the 2023-24 yearbook:
- First place Cover: “It’s Our Moment” by Akshethaa Naveen-Kumar ’24
- Second place Infograph/Mod: “Rewind the Year” by juniors Mayar Aliwaisi, Kiera Crowe, Emily Rabe and Charlotte Stephens
- Second place Design/Mugs: “Meet the Class of ’25” by Akshethaa Naveen-Kumar ’24
- Second place Environmental Photo/Caption: “Feeling the Spirit” by Emily Rabe ’26
- Honorable Mention Theme: “It’s Our Moment” by Trojan Epic staff
- Honorable Mention Design/Mugs: “Meet the Class of ’24” by Akshethaa Naveen-Kumar ’24
- Honorable Mention Infograph/Mod: “Senior Superlatives” by Akshethaa Naveen-Kumar ’24 and Wesal Haroun ’24
