After a long application process dating back to before winter break, senior Sophie Nedelco has been awarded the state Journalist of the Year Award by the Missouri Interscholastic Press Association. The Journalist of the Year award has been awarded since 1969. According to Adviser Alison Long, this is a prestigious award that recognizes her as the best journalist in the state of Missouri this year.

“It speaks to how well-rounded she is as a journalist. She has so many strengths in several categories, that’s why I submitted her name,” Long said.

Nedelco described the application process as extensive. For her application, she had to create a website portfolio that split her work into eleven different categories from the past two years. Some of the categories included writing, design, photography and entrepreneurship.  The application also called for three teacher recommendations, a resume and an essay, according to Nedelco.

About two weeks after turning in her application on Jan. 15, Nedelco learned that she was a finalist. Not only was she chosen to be a finalist, but she had tied with three other students.

“I think they usually just pick a winner and don’t go onto a finalist round,” Nedelco said. “I was surprised to be in the finalist round because Missouri has a lot of high schools in both Kansas City and St. Louis that are pretty involved in journalism.”

While at work, Nedelco received an email that she had won the entire contest. This news came about a week after she found out she was a finalist. During that week, Nedelco and the three other finalists’ portfolios were sent to be re-judged, and that’s how she came out on top according to Long. After finding out the news, Nedelco quickly shared the news with Long and her parents. For her, being in this contest was a way for her to share and encourage others and the staff of Le Journal to always push and challenge themselves outside of their comfort zone.

“I would’ve been fine either way, winning or losing,” Nedelco said. “I was just really humbled to even be considered for the contest and so grateful for my past two years on Le Journal.”

Nedelco currently serves a co-editor in chief on the Le Journal staff. She will now be preparing to enter into the national level of this competition. Ellie Schwartz, co-editor-in-chief of Le Journal will be writing a recommendation for her.

“I just felt this sense of justice, because she worked so hard. Just seeing all this effort coming in such a meaningful result. I love seeing things like this because it makes you feel that hard work does pay off. And the people who really deserve it win in the end,” Schwartz said.

Nedelco will be headed down to the University of Missouri-Columbia to be recognized at J-Day April 6.