Lemont's Heather Miller Becomes School's Second IHSA Journalism State Champ

Lemont High School junior Heather Miller set a new bar for future students at the 2016 IHSA Journalism State Finals, which were contested on the campus of Eastern Illinois University on April 29. Miller became the first Lemont student to earn state medals in multiple events in the same year, and also became just the second student in school history to win a state championship in journalism competition. With senior Reanna Comiso also earning a medal, Lemont brought home a single-season school record three medals from the 2016 IHSA State Finals.

Miller beat out more than 20 competitors to capture the Editorial Writing category. She joins Charmaine Balisalisa ‘12, who won a state title in Info Graphics in 2012, as the only state titlists in school history. Miller also finished sixth in the Advertising competition.

Comiso finished fourth in Feature Writing to earn her state medal.

Senior Alejandra Rodriguez (Headline Writing), and juniors Claudia Mayer (Info Graphics) and Maggie O’Brien (Yearbook Caption Writing) competed in the state finals but did not place among the top six in their categories.

This quintet of students advanced to the state finals competition after posting top-three finishes in their categories at the IHSA Homewood-Flossmoor Sectional on April 23. Lemont finished third in the team standings, and advanced multiple students to the state finals for the seventh straight season.

Rodriguez was the team’s lone sectional titlist, having captured the Headline Writing category. Comiso (Feature Writing), Mayer (Info Graphics) and O’Brien (Yearbook Caption Writing) all were runners-up in their respective competitions, while Miller was second in Editorial Writing and third in Advertising.

Lemont’s Journalism advisor is Susan Szafranski, and its head Yearbook sponsor is Cara Franta.

The IHSA Journalism State Finals includes contests in 17 newspaper- and yearbook related categories, with students being asked to meet a different challenge in each competition. The top three finishers in each category from seven IHSA Sectionals advance to compete at the IHSA State Finals.

Lemont has advanced qualifiers to the IHSA Journalism State Finals eight consecutive years, including a school-record seven qualifiers in 2014. Prior to this year, Lemont’s state medalists have included Balisalisa, David Timm ‘10 (2010; 4th - Headline Writing), Madeleine George ‘12 (2012; 4th - Feature Photography), Laura Harding ‘13 (2013; 3rd - Editorial Writing) and Kristin Washagan ‘15 (2014; 5th - Feature Writing).