Students from across the district involved in journalism programs gathered at Bakersfield College for the 6th annual Journalism Day on Friday, March 8.
Attendees explored career pathways in print journalism, broadcasting, PR, and marketing while learning best practices from local experts in the field. Robert Price, seasoned local print reporter turned broadcast journalist, shared his wealth of knowledge with eager students, reflecting on how journalism, newspapers, and television have evolved over the years.
"I’ve been in the business for quite a while," Price said. "I can share with students stories they may have never heard or imagined. I want to encourage as many high school students as possible."
Among the aspiring journalists in attendance was Edgar Maas from Arvin High School, who anchors the school's student-run broadcast show, Bear 9 News.
"I want to be better at scriptwriting," Maas said. "I have a lot of trouble doing that. I want to take in the advice they give me personally and take it to Bear 9 News to make way better scripts, better videos, and better segments."
Similarly, Jolie Wyatt from Bakersfield High School shared her passion for feature writing and storytelling for the student-run newspaper, The Blue and White. She also expressed her interest in exploring the various opportunities in journalism.
"I am really hoping to get some information about the field that I am going into because I am not sure what aspect I'd like to get into," Wyatt said. "I primarily want to get into print, but I am really open to anything at this point."
Kern High School District students were recognized for their commitment and exceptional contributions to their respective student-run news organizations. The following students and schools were awarded for their excellence in the diverse areas of journalism, including writing, broadcasting, and photojournalism:
Best Broadcast
1st Place - Arvin High School
2nd Place - Ridgeview High School
3rd Place - Highland High School
4th Place - Shafter High School
1st Place - Arvin High School
2nd Place - Ridgeview High School
3rd Place - Highland High School
4th Place - Shafter High School
Best News Story
1st place - Lakeside Water - Abigail Arellano - Ridgeview High School
2nd place - School Shooting - Audrina Natividad - Ridgeview High School
3rd place - Reflecting on the Impact of 9/11 - Aiden Hocevar - Centennial High School
Honorable Mention - Renovation of Warren Hall - Brandon Roberts - Bakersfield High School
1st place - Lakeside Water - Abigail Arellano - Ridgeview High School
2nd place - School Shooting - Audrina Natividad - Ridgeview High School
3rd place - Reflecting on the Impact of 9/11 - Aiden Hocevar - Centennial High School
Honorable Mention - Renovation of Warren Hall - Brandon Roberts - Bakersfield High School
Best Feature Story
1st place - Untold Stories - Jayson Ford - Ridgeview High School
2nd place - Assistant Principal Dutton - Kayla Vaughn - Del Oro High School
3rd place - Dia de Los Muertos: Origins and local celebrations - Dulce Castro - Bakersfield High School
Honorable Mention - Stayin’ Cool & Lookin’ Cooler - Landon Ramirez - Centennial High School
1st place - Untold Stories - Jayson Ford - Ridgeview High School
2nd place - Assistant Principal Dutton - Kayla Vaughn - Del Oro High School
3rd place - Dia de Los Muertos: Origins and local celebrations - Dulce Castro - Bakersfield High School
Honorable Mention - Stayin’ Cool & Lookin’ Cooler - Landon Ramirez - Centennial High School
Best Sports Story
1st place - You can't slow this Sun down - Miguel Estevez - Del Oro High School
2nd place - Luis Gil Senior edition - Alex Trujillo - Ridgeview High School
3rd place - Inside View of Our RedZone - Taylor Weeks - Centennial High School
Honorable Mention - Homecoming 2023 - Azuliris Flores - Bakersfield High School
1st place - You can't slow this Sun down - Miguel Estevez - Del Oro High School
2nd place - Luis Gil Senior edition - Alex Trujillo - Ridgeview High School
3rd place - Inside View of Our RedZone - Taylor Weeks - Centennial High School
Honorable Mention - Homecoming 2023 - Azuliris Flores - Bakersfield High School
Best Front Page
1st place - Del Oro High School
2nd - Ridgeview High School
3rd - Bakersfield High School
Honorable Mention - Centennial High School
1st place - Del Oro High School
2nd - Ridgeview High School
3rd - Bakersfield High School
Honorable Mention - Centennial High School
Best Photo
1st place - Gym - Bakersfield High School
2nd place - Rally - Ridgeview High School
3rd place - Football - Ridgeview High School
Honorable Mention - Highland High School
1st place - Gym - Bakersfield High School
2nd place - Rally - Ridgeview High School
3rd place - Football - Ridgeview High School
Honorable Mention - Highland High School