Inglemoor senior named WJEA Outstanding Journalist / Lu Flannery Scholar

The photography editor for the Inglemoor Nordic News, senior Fiona Lamason, was named the Washington Journalism Education Association (WJEA) Outstanding Journalist / Lu Flannery Scholar at the WJEA state conference, Saturday, March 7 at Central Kitsap High School.

New to Inglemoor during her sophomore year, Lamason joined the Nordic staff as a junior. "I instantly felt at home in our newsroom," she said in her personal statement. "The buzz of news topics, sports coverage, and ambitious editorials piqued my interest."

In the next year and a half, Lamason went from newbie to photography editor, section editor and prolific writer with a presence on every page of the paper.

In her letter of support, Nordic staff member Shyam Haritham wrote of "...Fiona's natural problem-solving ability and journalistic mindset, as she resiliently pushes through setbacks... making her an extremely versatile reporter, as she's written in all sections of the paper, even winning a Best of SNO award for her feature article on one of our teachers." [School Newspapers Online is a national web hosting service for school papers.]

Nordic News adviser Joanna Little wrote how Lamason's "willingness to show up, document important moments, and support the broader mission of student journalism speaks to her strong sense of responsibility, teamwork, and professional ethics."

The $2,000 Lu Flannery Scholarship is funded by a bequest from long-time journalism teacher and WJEA treasurer, Lu Flannery, who asked that the award recognize one Washington state senior who has made significant contributions to their journalism program. The money will go directly to the college or university that Lamason will attend, to be deposited into her student account.

Lamason plans to major in journalism, communications, and media production, with a minor or BFA in photography. "Her long-term goals—to use media as a tool for social and environmental advocacy, to highlight environmental injustice, and to work with missiondriven organizations—are thoughtful, realistic, and aligned with the values she already demonstrates in her work," said Little.