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West High student named Missouri Student Journalist of the Year

5/7/2024 -- West High’s Elizabeth Franklin was selected as the Missouri Student Journalist of the Year.

Franklin is a fourth-year journalism student who describes herself as a storyteller who gives “a voice to communities that are often eclipsed, especially historically disadvantaged communities.” She currently holds the position of Editor-in-Chief of Parkway West’s student news site, the Pathfinder. She has future plans of becoming a civil rights attorney.

The Missouri Student Journalist of the Year competition is one that annually honors the top student journalist from the state of Missouri. To apply, journalists enter a rigorous process of building a portfolio, highlighting their work in the following areas:

  • editing, leadership and team building
  • reporting and writing,
  • design,
  • broadcast,
  • photojournalism,
  • web and social media,
  • law, ethics, and news literacy
  • marketing and audience engagement
  • commitment to diversity

Since 1969, the Missouri Interscholastic Journalism Association has honored student journalists from all over the Show Me State.

Franklin is the first journalist from Parkway West High School to earn this honor. More information about Franklin can be found here.