The following Westerville North High school seniors will be honored by the OCC Academic League with Jim McCann Excellence in Journalism Awards. This recognition is given to students who have excelled as leaders in their school publications. Television/radio personality Shawn Ireland will be the guest speaker at a ceremony to be held at Westerville Central on March 1.

According to the OCC Academic League, “There are few subjects in high school that provide such a true learning experience.” The study of journalism fosters responsible citizenship through the study of ethics, constitutional rights and the law. Every day these students make decisions that impact their community.

North’s students represent the school’s newspaper, The Odyssey, and the school’s yearbook, The Golden Warrior. Publication advisers are Maryann Hines and Melanie Celello, respectively.

Danny Donovan, a senior, is co-editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, The Odyssey. In this role, Donovan works constantly to improve the writing of the reporters, while refining his own contributions to the paper. From horoscopes to heroin, he tackles all topics with an awareness of the interests of his audience. He will attend Cornell University in the fall.

Samantha Dustman, a senior, is a third year member of The Golden Warrior Yearbook staff, as well a second-year reporter for the school newspaper, The Odyssey. She currently holds leadership positions on both publications, as copy editor and sports editor. She has dedicated much of her high school career to producing quality journalism with her gifts of writing and editing.

Sarah McCarty, a senior, is a fourth-year member of The Golden Warrior Yearbook staff. She has worked her way through the ranks, first as a copy editor her junior year and currently as editor-in-chief. She has a strong passion for creative writing and will pursue a major in English at Ohio State University in the fall.

Andrew Tanner, a senior, is co-editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, The Odyssey. He works tirelessly before and after school to improve the design, as well as the content of our monthly publication. His coverage extends beyond the walls of the school to include community, state and world issues. Andrew’s work is thoughtful and thought-provoking.

Lindsey Zimmerman, a senior, is co-editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, The Odyssey. She leads by example. Her stories are sophisticated in scope and content. She tackles difficult, as well as timely topics with a mature eye for detail. Her contributions are on-going and strong. In the fall, Zimmerman will be attending Ohio University’s Scripps School of Journalism.