This past Saturday, Joliet West High School Multimedia students demonstrated their endurance and talent at the Southwest Prairie Conference (SPC) Journalism Championship held at Plainfield North High School. Competing against a strong field of talented student journalists, the Tigers earned five All-Conference awards, showcasing both their creativity and commitment to excellence.

Through scrupulous attention to detail and dedication to their craft, the Joliet West team proved their ability to move beyond the initial excitement of a project and fully engage in the rigorous, multi-layered work required for high-level journalism.

The following students earned All-Conference recognition:

• 1st Place – Photo Storytelling: Gabi Popova
• 3rd Place – Editorial Cartooning: Milani Roman
• 4th Place – Yearbook Caption Writing: Nic Nielsen
• 5th Place – Yearbook Layout: Aspen Ramirez
• 5th Place – Video News: Courtesy Griffin & Emmett Kelly

“I am incredibly proud of the dedication these students have shown to their craft,” said Advisor Jenn Galloy. “Their performance this weekend was a testament to their growth as storytellers. They represented Joliet West with the highest level of professionalism and character, proving that they are ready to lead our school’s voice into the future.”

Members of the Joliet West Conference Team included Milani Roman, Courtesy Griffin, Aspen Ramirez, Makayla Hawkins, Kylie Tyus, Gabi Popova, Deissa Gutierrez, Nic Nielsen, Madison Wingerter, Emmett Kelly, and Maia James.

The team is already preparing to build on this momentum as they look ahead to the IHSA Journalism Sectionals in April.