May 19, 2016 3 min read

Bethel Park High School initiated 14 upperclassmen and honored two freshmen into its chapter of Quill & Scroll, the International Honorary Society for High School Journalists.

The ceremony was held May 23. with Bethel Park resident Cara Sapida, reporter for Pittsburgh’s WPXI-TV, giving the keynote address.

Awards were presented to student staff members of the high school’s newspaper, yearbook, video production studio and literary magazine who have excelled in communications work during the past year.

Students initiated into Quill & Scroll membership are Kara Brunner, Natalie Coccagno, Noah Gearhart, Tessa Helfer, Rachel McClaine, Molly McDowell, Ty Miller, Jacob Marcovecchio, Phoebe Nerem, Madison Sypherd, Greydon Tomkowitz, Haley Radcliffe, Bailey Sims and Joanna White.

The Bethel Park High School chapter of Quill & Scroll was established in 1947, although it had been inactive in recent years. The local group builds on the history of the international society, which was founded April 10, 1926, when a group of high school advisers organized it to encourage and reward individual achievements in journalism and allied fields.

Quill & Scroll has granted charters in more than 13,350 high schools across the nation and around the world.

Charles Youngs, Bethel Park High School curriculum facilitator of English language arts, served as emcee for the May 23 event. After his welcome, school publications advisers shared highlights of the academic year: John Allemang, adviser of the Hawk Eye online student newspaper; Rob Hooton, adviser of the Beacon yearbook; Brad Kszastowski, adviser of Black Hawk TV; and Leigh Ann Totty, adviser of the Vernissage literary magazine.

The initiation, which included a ceremonial candle lighting and pledge, took place following Sapida’s remarks. The initiates received membership pins, award of honor certificates, membership cards and a year’s subscription to the Quill & Scroll magazine.

According to Quill & Scroll’s by-laws, members are from students who meet these requirements: They must be a senior, junior or second-semester sophomore; be in the upper third of their class in general scholastic standing; have done superior work in some phase of school publications; and be recommended by their publication’s adviser.

Following the initiation, the advisers will present achievement awards to students who have done superior work on the newspaper and yearbook staffs. The recipients will be announced at the event.

For more information about Quill & Scroll, visit quillandscroll.org.