Thriving Together
The Fourth Estate Receives High Marks From National Scholastic Press Association
This month, The Fourth Estate received its annual critique results, which are based on the first four issues of the high school magazine. The Fourth Estate was awarded a First-Class rating with two Marks of Distinction for Visuals & Presentation. The critique is a written evaluation and rating of a work submitted by a publication. Professional journalists, experienced media advisers, and other media professionals serve on the NSPA board of judges. All student media is scored in several categories, including coverage, writing, and design. The composite score from all sections awards an honor rating ranging from Third Class to All American.
Note from the NSPA Judge:
“Congratulations to The Fourth Estate staff for producing a unique student newsmagazine for the Laguna Blanca School community. Your publication serves as a main source of information and entertainment for the school. First of all, huge congratulations for producing a newsmagazine during COVID. This shows the dedication of the staff and advisor. While many journalism staffers stopped working when schools went virtual, The Fourth Estate members produced a senior issue to give the Class of 2020 a good send off. Reporters did an excellent job of writing strong interview questions that resulted in storytelling answers in the Q&A's. Quality photographs and artwork supplement the stories. Marks of Distinction for Visuals and Presentation for exemplary work.”
The impressive dedication shown by The Fourth Estate staff during the uncertainty of the pandemic is not lost on Faculty Advisor Trish McHale. “Producing the June Issue was a challenge to do remotely especially while the staff navigated AP exams and Senior Projects,” she says. “However, the staff came together and collaborated to create a beautifully designed and well-written magazine. I could not be prouder of them.”
Claire Tolles ’22 reflects back on the experience this spring and the unique roles that each staff member plays in successfully publishing each issue. “What I loved about working on The Fourth Estate was that my position as a graphic artist allowed me to float around to a bunch of different students' projects,” she says. “I loved getting a sense of what everyone else was working on, and doing my part to contribute to the overall aesthetic.”
Congratulations to each member of The Fourth Estate staff. We are so proud of you!
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Note from the NSPA Judge:
“Congratulations to The Fourth Estate staff for producing a unique student newsmagazine for the Laguna Blanca School community. Your publication serves as a main source of information and entertainment for the school. First of all, huge congratulations for producing a newsmagazine during COVID. This shows the dedication of the staff and advisor. While many journalism staffers stopped working when schools went virtual, The Fourth Estate members produced a senior issue to give the Class of 2020 a good send off. Reporters did an excellent job of writing strong interview questions that resulted in storytelling answers in the Q&A's. Quality photographs and artwork supplement the stories. Marks of Distinction for Visuals and Presentation for exemplary work.”
The impressive dedication shown by The Fourth Estate staff during the uncertainty of the pandemic is not lost on Faculty Advisor Trish McHale. “Producing the June Issue was a challenge to do remotely especially while the staff navigated AP exams and Senior Projects,” she says. “However, the staff came together and collaborated to create a beautifully designed and well-written magazine. I could not be prouder of them.”
Claire Tolles ’22 reflects back on the experience this spring and the unique roles that each staff member plays in successfully publishing each issue. “What I loved about working on The Fourth Estate was that my position as a graphic artist allowed me to float around to a bunch of different students' projects,” she says. “I loved getting a sense of what everyone else was working on, and doing my part to contribute to the overall aesthetic.”
Congratulations to each member of The Fourth Estate staff. We are so proud of you!
Community
Laguna Blanca is Santa Barbara’s premier private, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students in Early Kindergarten through Grade 12.