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Loudoun Valley High School Chosen to Receive the First Amendment Press Freedom Award
Loudoun Valley High School (LVHS) has been chosen as one of 16 high schools across the nation to receive the prestigious First Amendment Press Freedom Award for 2023. The award was announced on February 23, Student Press Freedom Day, to honor those schools for their support of student voices. This is the 23rd year for the award and the second year in a row that LVHS has been recognized.
A committee with representatives from the Journalism Education Association, National Scholastic Press Association, and Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society chose LVHS for this award that recognizes private and public high schools that actively support, teach and protect First Amendment rights and responsibilities of students and teachers, with an emphasis on student-run media where students make all final decisions of content.
To attain this distinction, LVHS’ newspaper adviser and student editors competed a questionnaire. For round two, a school administrator, the media advisers and a student editor from each publication responded to additional questions. The school also submitted their published district, school and media policies.
When asked about what the award meant to them, student editors provided the following:
"I believe winning this award reflects the values the publication has built itself upon. The environment we've curated with so many voices, opinions, and perspectives has encouraged ongoing empathy and individual truth that belongs to each of us." – senior Mercy Soly, Viking News editor.
“It is a great honor to win this award and receive recognition for utilizing our First Amendment rights in a school setting. Being able to hear from all different voices of students within the school and displaying their opinions to the public is so important to developing our voice as a school and embracing our differences.” – senior Carly Smith, Saga yearbook editor.
“It is a beautiful thing to believe in something and an even more beautiful thing to be able to share those beliefs freely. The First Amendment Press Freedom Award reflects the conviction that Loudoun Valley possesses towards an open intellectual and educational atmosphere and the fearless truth-telling that our staff is willing and able to wield.” – senior Elise Bowen, Viking News editor.
The 16 winning schools will be honored on April 20 as part of the Spring JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention in San Francisco.
Published March 21, 2023