Press release from North Carolina Scholastic Media Association:
The North Carolina Scholastic Media Association has announced West Henderson High School journalist Elise Trexler as the 2020 Rachel Rivers-Coffey North Carolina High School Journalist of the Year.
Trexler is the editor-in-chief of the West Henderson (Hendersonville) school newspaper, Wingspan. Judges noted her editorial leadership, skillful storytelling and community media links.
Alternates for Journalist of the Year are Emily Schmidt of J.H. Rose High School in Greenville, Lucy Smithwick of East Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte and Emmy Trivette of First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills.
Schmidt is the co-editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, Rampant Lines; Smithwick is the co-editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, The Eagle; and Trivette is the editor-in-chief of her school newspaper, Nighthawk News Magazine.
Since 2001, the North Carolina Press Foundation (NCPF) has funded the annual scholarship award in memory of Rachel Rivers-Co ey, former N.C. Press Association president.
NCPF will award a $3,000 scholarship to Trexler. The three alternates will each receive $1,000.
The foundation will also award the winners’ journalism programs. The Journalist of the Year’s program will receive $500. The three alternates’ pro- grams will each receive $250.
Trexler will now represent the state in the National High School Journalist of the Year scholarship competition. Winners will be announced April 18 at the National High School Journalism Convention in Nashville.
The Rivers-Coffey state scholarships and awards will be presented June 16 at UNC-Chapel Hill during the N.C. Scholastic Media Institute, a summer journalism workshop open to students and teachers across the state.
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