The AHS yearbook team added another notch to their belt after claiming the Award of Distinguished Merit last week. In the IHSPA-sponsored contest, the 2018-19 yearbook repeated the feat of the 2017-18 book.

The Award of Distinguished Merit is the second-highest title for a yearbook. According to the IHSPA, publications given the award are “solid journalistically, photographically, and graphically,” meaning all aspects of the book–photos, captions, and design–showcase cleanliness and emotion. The Javelin was critiqued by Jack Kennedy, who said AHS “has a fine media program and the 2019 book stands above most schools in your class.”

Journalism adviser Allison Berryhill said she enters the Javelin into contests to see what the team can improve on. “It either gives us a pat on the back or a kick in the pants,” Berryhill said. According to Berryhill, Kennedy is the go-to guy when it comes to yearbook. “He is an icon in the journalism world,” she said. 

Editor-in-Chief of the Javelin, Emma Templeton, said, “It was very exciting to hear” about AHS journalism’s latest award. “Knowing that all the hard work and dedication had paid off felt very good,” she said. Templeton worked on the book everyday in class, as well as during the summer. Knowing what the judge thought on certain spreads will help Templeton and the team perfect the 2019-20 yearbook.