Schools Journalist of the Year 2012 winner, Benjamin Palmer, 15, from Buckie High School
Update by news editor
20-04-2012
Schools Journalist of the Year competition
Our winner is announced!
Thousands of Daily What News readers have been voting with their
fingers to select the Herald and Daily What News Schools Journalist
of the Year 2012.
We can finally reveal that the report that got the most unique
online hits was Evening
mews, by Benjamin Palmer, 15, from
Buckie Community High School.
Benjamin beat hundreds of other entrants from across the country
with his winning story about sightings of mysterious large black
cats on golf courses and railway lines in the Buckie area.
"I got the idea for my story after hearing about sightings of
black cats locally," Benjamin said.
"I thought, considering the mystery surrounding the sightings,
an article about them would be the perfect piece for readers."
In the first stage of the competition, Benjamin's story was
chosen by the editor of the Herald, Jonathan Russell, as one of
four finalists.
It was then up to each of the young hopefuls to promote their
story using social networking, personal contacts and word of mouth.
The report that got the most unique online hits over the school
Easter holidays was to be the overall winner.
Explaining his success, Benjamin said:
"In our generation going viral is critical. I put the link to my
site on Facebook as well as people's personal Twitter accounts and
the Moray Council Twitter page. Also, I managed to get
support from the Highland League website who wrote a piece on me,
encouraging locals to help me in my bid to win.
"Also, I got the local papers to help out with spreading the
word. And because Buckie is quite a rural area, I also used
word of mouth to its fullest advantage, getting everyone I could to
help me win."
Benjamin's prize was a Kindle for his school and a chance to
visit Edinburgh Zoo's pandas with a one-day family pass.
Congratulations to our other finalists: Caris Brus, 10, from
Burgh Primary School, Erin Dennis, 10, from Cadder Primary School,
and Eva Prato Luna, 13, from Cults Academy.
Was your report not chosen?
Don't worry! There are other ways to get your work
published.
S1 community websites are looking for reports on local issues.
If you come from a small community, there may be an S1 site for
your area where you can easily upload your story for everyone in
your village or town to read.
Go to www.s1community.com to find
your local site and start publishing your news.
No S1 website for your area? Use this
A-Z guide to find your local newspaper - why not send your
report to them?
Thanks again to everyone who entered - we loved reading
your reports.
Schools Journalist of the Year competition
Our winner is announced!
Thousands of Daily What News readers have been voting with their
fingers to select the Herald and Daily What News Schools Journalist
of the Year 2012.
We can finally reveal that the report that got the most unique
online hits was Evening mews, by Benjamin
Palmer, 15, from Buckie Community High School.
Benjamin beat hundreds of other entrants from across the country
with his winning story about sightings of mysterious large black
cats on golf courses and railway lines in the Buckie area.
"I got the idea for my story after hearing about sightings of
black cats locally," Benjamin said.
"I thought, considering the mystery surrounding the sightings,
an article about them would be the perfect piece for readers."
In the first stage of the competition, Benjamin's story was
chosen by the editor of the Herald, Jonathan Russell, as one of
four finalists.
It was then up to each of the young hopefuls to promote their
story using social networking, personal contacts and word of mouth.
The report that got the most unique online hits over the school
Easter holidays was to be the overall winner.
Explaining his success, Benjamin said:
"In our generation going viral is critical. I put the link to my
site on Facebook as well as people's personal Twitter accounts and
the Moray Council Twitter page. Also, I managed to get
support from the Highland League website who wrote a piece on me,
encouraging locals to help me in my bid to win.
"Also, I got the local papers to help out with spreading the
word. And because Buckie is quite a rural area, I also used
word of mouth to its fullest advantage, getting everyone I could to
help me win."
Benjamin's prize was a Kindle for his school and a chance to
visit Edinburgh Zoo's pandas with a one-day family pass.
Congratulations to our other finalists: Caris Brus, 10, from
Burgh Primary School, Erin Dennis, 10, from Cadder Primary School,
and Eva Prato Luna, 13, from Cults Academy.
Was your report not chosen?
Don't worry! There are other ways to get your work
published.
S1 community websites are looking for reports on local issues.
If you come from a small community, there may be an S1 site for
your area where you can easily upload your story for everyone in
your village or town to read.
Go to www.s1community.com to find
your local site and start publishing your news.
No S1 website for your area? Use this
A-Z guide to find your local newspaper - why not send your
report to them?
Thanks again to everyone who entered - we loved reading
your reports.