Embedded Files
The Word, the official, school-sponsored newspaper & news website (https://vrhsword.com/) of Vista Ridge High School, and The Lonestar, the official, school-sponsored yearbook serve as a laboratory and an educational tool in the training of student journalists.
Faculty Adviser - Kellidawn Gililland - kellidawn.gililland@leanderisd.org
Purpose
The Word, the official, school-sponsored newspaper of Vista Ridge High School, and The Lonestar, the official, school-sponsored yearbook serve as a laboratory and an educational tool in the training of student journalists to provide information and editorial leadership concerning the school, local, national and international issues, to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints, and to give coverage of newsworthy events directly related to the school, individual students, staff and organizations. The Word and The Lonestar are not professional publications, but provide students with hands-on scholastic journalism training.
Audience
The Word and The Lonestar are written primarily for the students who attend Vista Ridge High School. Secondary audiences include faculty and staff, members of the local community, other school journalism programs and organizations that promote scholastic journalism.
Coverage
The Word and The Lonestar serve its audience with accurate and factual reporting on subjects relevant to the campus community. Although students work under the leadership of a faculty adviser, the content of The Word and The Lonestar is determined by the student staff and should reflect all areas of student interest. The Word and The Lonestar will not publish material determined by the editorial board to be “unprotected speech,” meaning any material that is libelous, obscene, disruptive of the school process or an unwarranted invasion of privacy. However, so-called controversial issues cannot be banned because the topics may be unpopular. All content must be newsworthy, reflect an intense scholastic journalism background and a continuously reinforced awareness of audience concerns. The Word and The Lonestar staffs follows ethical principles including, but not limited to responsibility, freedom of the press, truth and accuracy, impartiality and fairness. The Word and The Lonestar's editorial board and adviser are responsible for all content. Administrators have a non-review role; they may not control content prior to publication. However, administrators may offer advice on sensitive issues and will offer criticisms that are warranted following publication.
THE LONESTAR YEARBOOK AWARDS
THE LONESTAR YEARBOOK AWARDS
2024 ILPC Star Nominee
2022 CSPA Gold Crown
2021 NSPA Pacemaker
2020 CSPA Gold Crown
Top 13 yearbooks in nation
2020 CSPA Gold Circles Individual Awards
First Place Theme and Concept: Cynthia Plasencio and Mason Slover
First Place Index: Madeline Martin, Lycia Poh and Amelie Spurlin
First Place Academic Spread: Lauren Loftin and Mason Slover, "What You Missed"
Second Place Title Page: Mason Slover and Skye Nguyen
Third Place Endsheets: Gracie Davis, Cynthia Plasencio and Mason Slover
Third Place Feature Presentation: Grace Davis, Natalie McCain and Mason Slover, "Under Pressure"
Third Place People Spread without Mugs: Grace Davis, Mason Slover and Taylor Travis, "That’s So Me"
CM Photo Portfolio: Grace Davis
CM Student Life Spread: Natalie McCain and Cynthia Plasencio, "The Big Q"
2020 NSPA Pacemaker & Best in Show Yearbook
Top 20 yearbooks in nation. The staff also won NSPA Best in Show for yearbooks 224-272 pages at the Spring National High School Journalism Convention, outranking all yearbooks in its category nationwide. Gracie Davis earned a Photo of the Year nomination & Mason Slover earned a Design of the Year nomination.
2020 Interscholastic League Press Conference Gold Star
Top five yearbooks in Texas
2019 CSPA Gold Crown
2019 Interscholastic League Press Conference Gold Star
2019 ILPC Individual Achievement Awards
Third Place Theme Development: Analise Narine, Jaimie Kim, Mason Slover
Honorable Mention Headline Writing: Analise Narine
Honorable Mention Caption Writing: Cynthia Plasencio
First Place Index & TOPS in Texas: Melanie Ayres
Second Place Feature Spread: Gracie Davis & Stephen Gilmore
First Place Student Life Spread: Samantha Johnson
Third Place Student Life Spread: Stephen Gilmore & Mason Slover
Honorable Mention Sports Spread: Grace Davis
Honorable Mention Sports Spread: Madeline Martin
Honorable Mention Class Spread: Marcus Litz
Honorable Mention Class Spread: Nataline McCain
Third Place Multi-Topic Spread: Marcus Litz & Mason Slover
Honorable Mention Multi-Topic Spread: Analise Narine
2019 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circles
First Place Headline Writing: Analise Narine
Second Place Table of Contents: Ali Dozier, Jaimie Kim & Analise Narine
First Place Informational Graphics Portfolio: Mason Slover
First Place Division Page Design: Jaimie Kim, Analise Narine and Mason Slover
2019 Balfour Company Sample Book
2019 Balfour "Best of"
2018 Interscholastic League Press Conference Silver Star
2018 NSPA Fall Convention: 2nd Place Best in Show
2018 Balfour Company Sample Book
2018 Balfour "Best of"
2018 ILPC Individual Achievement Awards
Tops in Texas (selected from all 1A-6A schools) for Secondary Coverage -- Iliana Tavarez Sanchez
1st Place Theme Development - Jaimie Kim
1st Place Theme Copy & Captions - Jaimie Kim
1st Place Multi-Topic Spread - Mason Slover
1st Place Sports Spread - Mason Slover
1st Place Class Spread - Analise Narine
1st Club Spread - Virginia Jandal
1st Place Secondary Coverage - Iliana Tavarez Sanchez
1st Place Personality Profile Story - Sammi Johnson
2nd Place Class Spread - Cynthia Plasencio
3rd Place Student Life Spread - Ali Dozier
3rd Place Secondary Coverage - Jae'Den Riggs
2018 Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Circles
Organization/Greek writing.
CM. Catherine Rogers, “Take it to the Next Level,” The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX.
Y7. Sidebar Writing
CM. Rebekah Schulte, “Third Time’s a Charm,” The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX.
Y8. Headline writing
CM. Grace Davis, The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX.
End sheets
2. Jaimie Kim and Allison McCain, The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX;
Table of contents
3. Jaimie Kim and Allison McCain, The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX;
Informational Graphics: Portfolio
CM. Allison McCain, The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX.
Y29. Student Life spread: multi-page spread
1. Madeline Martin and Allison McCain, “What to Wear,” The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX;
Y31. Sports spread: multi-page spread
3. Madeline Martin and Allison McCain, “Facing the Firsts,” The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX;
Y36 People spreads without mug photos: multi-page spread
3. Alison Dozier, Allison McCain and Mallory Stewart, “Life on Top,” The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX;
Organization or Greeks spread: multi-page spread
CM. Virginia Jandal, “Just a Dream Away,” The Lonestar, Vista Ridge High School, Cedar Park, TX
2017 CSPA Gold Crown
2017 5 CSPA Gold Circle Awards
2017 NSPA Pacemaker
2017 ILPC Gold Star
2017 Balfour Company Sample Book
2017 Balfour "Best of"
Page updated
Report abuse