The e-mail arrived in Patrick Reichart’s inbox about a month ago, giving him enough time to collect permission slips from his editors at the Chaminade High School student newspaper Tarmac and make travel arrangements to Saratoga Springs.
They arrived at the Gideon Putnam Resort just as the annual New York Press Association convention and Better Newspaper Contest got underway, ready to accept the various awards that come with their publication being named the Best High School Newspaper in the state.
“It is very gratifying to be in the office every day and see the hard work they put into this paper, day in and day out, year in and year out, pay off,” said Reichart, of Wantagh, a Chaminade English teacher and former New York Post sports reporter who is one of Tarmac’s three faculty advisors.
Tarmac received 115 points and took first place honors for General Excellence, Best News Story, Best Column and Overall Design Excellence.
The Mineola Catholic school’s newspaper also won second place and honorable mention awards for Best Feature Story, third place and honorable mention for Best News Story, third place for Best Sports Story honorable mention for Photography and swept Best Column.
“We really enjoyed how this school’s paper incorporated students’ illustrations and photography into the articles to keep your attention,” the judges said of Tarmac. “…Stories are strongly and well written, and the topics and coverage incorporate many school issues.”
Reichart, faculty advisor Salvatore Garofalo and four of the newspaper’s editors were presented with their awards Saturday by Blank Slate Media Editor and Publisher Steven Blank, whose publications won three awards in the competition.
“It just feels pretty fantastic,” said Chaminade student Julian Mancini, who took first place for Best Column. “Those of us who are seniors have worked toward something like this for so long and to be recognized for our countless hours is just fantastic.”
Tarmac publishes five to six print issues during the school year, comprised primarily on feature stories, editorials, photography and art.
News and sports articles are posted about three times a week on the Chaminade High School website, but its editors are currently finishing a new site that is expected to launch in the next few months.
The newspaper introduced a redesigned layout for its 80th anniversary this year that printed student-created art on its front cover for the first time in its history, as well as a new color scheme centered around the school’s notorious crimson and gold.
“My homeroom teacher put out the first issue in the front of the room when it came out this year, and kids opened it, they stopped to look at the artwork,” said New Hyde Park resident Andrew Bendini. “It just looked so clean and unique and inviting.”
Added Reichart: “Our No. 1 focus is recognizing what people will want to read about, what about our school will make students pick up the paper, and it seems like we’ve done a pretty good job of that this year. Our kids are picking up the paper.”
