Journalism/Talisman & Yearbook

Past Program Highlights!

Shingle Yearbook | March 2019 | The Shingle yearbook staff had several winners at the WA Journalism Education Association(WJEA) competition on March 16, 2019. 

Talisman Update | 2018 | Talisman Reps Free Speech Bill Signing | A handful of Talisman staffers participated in the historic governor’s signing of a free speech rights bill for student journalists. In the attached photo, seniors and Co-Editors-in-Chief Jackson Croy and Eleanor Dudley stand outside the state capitol with state Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn (sponsor of the bill), along with senior political correspondent Oscar Zahner. 

Update March 2018 | Talisman coverage of students walk out in March. The coverage includes a podcast with excerpts from speakers, and student voices. In addition, the Talisman was able to interview Gov. Inslee. 

Talisman Update | 2017 Two Talisman staff members testified in the House Education Committee hearing on the student free speech bill SB5064 this week. You can listen to their testimony here. Feature editor Eleanor Dudley and political reporter Oscar Zahner testify around 1:02:00, and their testimony lasts about 2 minutes.

Additional articles include Story on blind Iranian student’s success | Q & A with two-time state wrestler, sophomore Jeremy Miyake | Gymnastics competes at the state tournament | Cheer takes 1st place at state | Coverage of the women’s march in Washington state | Q & A with socialist council member Kshama Sawant | Behind the scenes making Les Misérables.

Talisman awarded consecutive Pacemaker award finalist | 2015 | The BHS Journalism Program produces a school newspaper called The Talisman that is award winning and nationally recognized. For the second year in a row the Ballard Talisman was nominated as a Pacemaker finalist in the Tabloid category from the National Scholastic Press Association (NSPA) which is considered the highest honor for a scholastic newspaper in the country. Many consider the Pacemaker award as the high school equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize for professional newspapers. It marks the second Pacemaker nomination in the school’s history. Staff editors submitted 5 issues that judges critiqued based on the following: coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics.

In addition, each year we also have state and national award-winning writers, photographers, artists, designers and reporters—some of whom later earn journalism honors status (all of which are worthy additions to any college application). Former members of our staff include the Washington state journalist of the year, Anna Ferkingstad, a nationally nominated page designer, Evan Bunnage, and a nationally honored arts writer. Staff members compete both at the state and national level in many areas of newspaper production, often while we attend national conventions all over the country.

The Talisman has had students receive story and design of the year nominations from the NSPA. Most recently, graduated managing editor Greta Rainbow’s story, “Teaching the arts,” was nominated for story of the year. She also won third place in the Edward R. Murrow high school competition for her news story, “Vapor Store Opens Steps Away From School.” The Talisman also won first place as the best website at the Murrow competition.

In 2014, the staff received 2nd place in the country for Design of the Year in the NSPA Newsmagazine category. The newspaper, over the last few years, has also placed in the top ten in the best of show competition at two different JEA national conventions.