Rockwood Journalists Earn Recognition at National Conference

Rockwood student journalists from Marquette and Eureka high schools attended the National Scholastic Press Association/Journalism Education Association Fall Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, from Nov. 13-15.

The students had opportunities to learn from professional journalists and connect with peers from around the country, along with bringing home some hardware in the conference’s “Best of Show” contest. The Marquette Messenger earned sixth place for its first issue this school year and ninth place for its website, while Eureka's Caleb Pickens earned honorable mention in Press Law and Ethics.

In total, 5,312 people from 46 states and eight countries attended the conference, with 1,668 students competing in photo, broadcast, graphic design, literary magazine, design and writing contests, the largest group of competitors since 2019. All the competitors had their submissions assessed by teams of judges.

Earlier this fall, the Messenger was also one of only 10 student publications from around the country - including only three from Missouri - to earn the George H. Gallup Award in the 2025 Quill and Scroll News Media Evaluation Service. This award is given only to those publications that achieved and sustained excellence during the 2024-2025 academic year. Gallup Award recognition is based on extraordinary improvement, exceptional service to the school and community, editorial campaigns and in-depth reporting on special issues.