The staff of “the Pebble,” MPH’s student news magazine, won 45 state awards at the Empire State School Press Association (ESSPA) Conference at Syracuse University on Nov. 3, including several of ESSPA’s top awards. “The Pebble” was one of seven publications to win Gold/All New York, ESSPA’s most prestigious award, for best all-around publication.
The 80th annual ESSPA Awards ceremony, which honors the state’s best scholastic newspapers, yearbooks and literary magazines, was held at the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
MPH was the only school to win gold in the First Amendment Honor Roll category for Jeongyoon Han’s “Color Kerfuffle,” which chronicled the school’s introduction of new marketing colors and the subsequent critical reactions among the school community.
Sam Goldman, Gavin Cardamone and Daniel Mezzalingua won gold for Service to School for the profile and alumni tribute to long-time coach and athletic director Don Ridall, called “The Don-asty.”
The staff also won gold for New Publication for introduction of its website, thepebblemag.com.
Seniors Lily Grenis and Daniel Mezzalingua each won two individual golds for their writing. Grenis won two golds in Editorial Writing categories for her commentary called “Make America America Again,” about the spike in hate incidents during last year’s presidential election. Mezzalingua won for a profile on student Josh Clardy called “Just Josh,” in the Personality category and in Sports Features for “A ‘Hole’ Lot of Lessons,” on the benefits of playing sports at MPH that go beyond the field.
The creative duo of Sam Goldman and Chris Hunter, 2017 graduates, pulled in 18 awards overall, mostly for design. Hunter won three individual golds and one silver, and Goldman won three individual golds, one silver, three bronzes and one honorable mention. As a team, the pair won one gold, three silvers, one bronze and one honorable mention.
Goldman’s piece on Ridall won three golds; in addition to Service to School, it won for Sports Feature and In-Depth Reporting. Goldman also won an honorable mention for his profile of MPH’s janitorial staff.
2017 graduate Jeongyoon Han won four silvers for her stories on refugees, “USA: U Start Again;” the MPH colors, “Color Kerfuffle;” and a profile on MPH parent and Paralympian Jill Walsh, “The Silver Lining.”
Sophie Novak, also a 2017 graduate, won gold in Feature Writing and bronze in Special Topic for her creative look at the blockbuster play “Hamilton,” called “Blow Us All Away.”
The 2017 awards reflect the students’ work during the 2016-17 school year.
Full list of MPH’s awards:
Best all-around publication
Gold/All New York
New publication
Gold for thepebblemag.com, the Pebble’s new web site
First amendment honor roll
Manlius Pebble Hill School, for Jeongyoon Han’s “Color Kerfuffle.”
Service to school
Sam Goldman, Gavin Cardamone & Daniel Mezzalingua for “The Don-asty,” a profile and alumni tribute to Don Ridall.
Designer portfolio
Gold: Chris Hunter
Gold: Chris Hunter
Silver: Chris Hunter
Bronze: Sam Goldman
Bronze: Sam Goldman
Honorable mention: Nathan Sonnenfeld
Editorial columnist portfolio
Gold: Lily Grenis, “Make America America Again.”
Bronze: Zachary Montas, “On Screen and the Political Scene.”
Editorial page
Gold: Lily Grenis, “Make America America Again.”
Silver: Zachary Montas, “On Screen and the Political Scene.”
Feature writing
Gold: Sophie Novak, “Blow Us All Away.”
Silver: Jeongyoon Han, “The Silver Lining.”
Silver: Julia Mettler-Grove, “Good Eats.”
Silver: Jacob Roy, “The Price Is Not Right.”
In-depth coverage
Gold: Sam Goldman, “The Don-asty.”
Silver: Maddie Mafrici, “Hear Our Voices.”
Silver: Jeongyoon Han, “USA: U Start Again.”
Silver: Jeongyoon Han, “Color Kerfuffle.”
Silver: Gavin Cardamone, “On Par For Greatness.”
Bronze: Suzannah Peckham, “From the Ashes.”
Honorable mention: Daniel Braverman, “Kendama King.”
Front page design portfolio
Bronze: Chris Hunter and Sam Goldman, the Pebble covers
Feature layout
Gold: Chris Hunter and Sam Goldman
Silver: Chris Hunter and Sam Goldman
Personality
Gold: Daniel Mezzalingua, “Just Josh.”
Silver: Jeongyoon Han, “The Silver Lining.”
Silver: Daniel Braverman,” Kendama King.”
Honorable mention: Sam Goldman, “Unsung Heroes.”
Portrait photograph
Silver: Nathan Sonnenfeld, “Kendama King.”
Silver: Sam Goldman, “Just Josh.”
Honorable mention: Nathan Sonnenfeld, “Kendama King.”
Special topic
Gold: Chris Hunter, “Admire the Attire.”
Silver: Sam Goldman, Chris Hunter & Daniel Mezzalingua, “Just Josh.”
Silver: Sam Goldman, Chris Hunter & Daniel Mezzalingua, “MPH By the Numbers.”
Bronze: Sophie Novak, “Blow Us All Away.”
Bronze: Sam Goldman, “MPH By the Numbers.”
Honorable mention: “Nathan Sonnenfeld, “Comida Deliciosa.”
Honorable mention: Julia Mettler-Grove, “Good Eats.”
Honorable mention: Sam Goldman and Chris Hunter, “Spot the Difference.”
Sports feature
Gold: Daniel Mezzalingua, “A ‘Hole’ Lot of Lessons.”
Gold: Sam Goldman, “The Don-asty.”
