(This article, reprinted with permission, appeared in the Eastside Messenger  on May 21, 2001)     

Special update --

An article in the September 10, 2001 Eastside Messenger stated that The Torch has also received the George H. Gallup Award from Quill & Scroll and the honor of All-American with four marks of distinction from the National Scholastic Press Association.  The Gallup award is the highest award presented by the Quill & Scroll.  The All-American designation is the highest awarded to any publication by the NSPA.

National and statewide honors have the editors of Bexley High School’s student newspaper, The Torch, glowing with pride.

The Torch, led by BHS seniors James Stevens and Rachel Scott, has been named the “Most Outstanding High School Newspaper” for 2000 by the American Scholastic Press Association.

The newspaper, judged among publications from schools with an enrollment of 500-1,000, also received First Place with Merit honors with 10 other schools nationwide, the only one in Ohio to be recognized.

In addition, the Northeast Ohio Scholastic Press Association presented its “Golden Flash” award, its highest honor, to The Torch, named Julie Horger the “Outstanding Small School Advisor of the Year,” and showered the publication with 37 awards for individual stories, artwork, graphics and photographs.

The Torch has long been recognized for its excellence, and boasts such alumni as Chicago Tribune columnist Bob Greene.

Hard work, attention to detail and a willingness to step outside the boundaries of high school journalism have distinguished this year’s efforts.

“I think what made this year stand out has been the consistency,” said Horger, in her fifth year of advising the Torch staff. “We never had a bad issue this year. The editors really worked hard.”

“The staff had a lot of depth,” added co-editor Scott. “The news section has been really, strong. It’s been our anchor. We’ve had strong leadership. That has allowed us to dip into state and national issues, rather than just local happen­ings.”

The news staff tackled issues that directly affected Bexley High students, from a bond issue campaign to renovate the school, to censorship, to a fight involving Columbus Academy students that focused attention on how to keep rivalries under control.

News editor Jenni Stoff believes that Torch articles helped pass the $27 million bond issue. They also wrote on statewide issues such as the battle over school funding.

Feature articles included first-hand accounts on the experiences of concentration camp survivors and people struggling with mental health issues.

“With the education here, we have tons of good writers,” noted “In-Depth” section editor Taylor Sharp. “We take the top thirty, so we have a group of tal­ented people, and everyone, for the most part, pulls their own weight.”

The path toward a position on The Torch starts in Horger’s sophomore journalism class.

After taking the class, which concentrates on the basics of news writing and editing as well as journalism ethics and law, students can apply to work on The Torch.

“You shouldn’t think you have to be the best writer to apply,” Horger said. “I’m looking for people who I can trust, and are dedicated.”

That dedication is necessary as students work to produce the monthly publication. They spend three weeks of every month gathering ideas, assigning stories and then polishing submissions and layout through the late evening hours of “Torch week.”

It is gratifying to see the final product being read by her fellow students, Scott said.

“In the morning you see everybody carrying The Torch. Teachers will yell at students to put away The Torch,” Scott said.

Community members receive an edition of The Torch in the mail twice a year, and the feedback from residents also has been positive, the students said.

This year’s staff has shown its ability to work independently.

“A measure of my success is how little I’ve been involved,” Horger said. “To me, ideally, they make the decisions. This has been my most hands-off year.”

The trust is mutual, students agreed. “She has a very quiet but solid leadership style,” Scott said. “She gives us a lot of freedom. And she knows when to pull back on the reins.”