The Tiger Yearbook won a prestigious gold medal from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Friday for its 2011 publications On the Edge.
“I’m happy that all our hard work paid off,” said Megan King, last year’s yearbook editor and current student at University of Oregon.
Yearbooks throughout the world enter the contest, which uses 44 criteria to judge yearbooks. Located at Columbia University’s School of Journalism in New York City, CSPA is one of the leading national scholastic press associations.
“Only the best high school staffs in the nation enter their publications in national critiques and competitions,” said Rob Melton, a member of the Northwest Scholastic Press Association board of directors and an award-winning publications adviser from Oregon. “The Tiger yearbook has distinguished itself as one of the best in Oregon and a leader in yearbooks nationally.”
“The next step,” said Nancy Mayer, Tigard High School publications adviser, “is to get a gold crown,” which is a top national competition among gold-metal winners.”
Other key student leaders who aided in the book’s production include this year’s editor Anna Roberts, online editor Allison Chino, photography editor Alexis Wagar, assistant yearbook editor Jamie Burgess, and copy editor Herbert “Alex” Good.
The critique contains a written set of standards developed by the Association to itemize the best practices for student media. An experienced adviser-judge reads the print or online publication and analyzes its strengths and weakness as described by the critique. The judge write out comments and make constructive suggestions for building on current strengths and correcting deficiencies noted in the critique.
Gold medalists are given total scores from 800 to 1,000 points; silver medalists, from 600 through 799 points; and bronze medalists, 599 points and below. In addition to medalist ratings, all Columbian Honors are given within a scorebook section when the sectional total reaches 95 percent or more of the possible points.
“We recognize the long hours and hard work that goes into producing great student publications, whether print or online,” Melton said. “Tigard High School has consistently won state and national awards and has a long history of excellence. Their work has once again shown the commitment to excellence that is required to support great publications from students, parents, and the school and district.”