Owen donnelly of Clarke Central high school is the 2021 Georgia Champion journalist of the year.

Owen Donnelly, co-editor-in-chief and writing coach for ODYSSEY Media Group at Clarke Central High School in Athens, Georgia, has been named the 2021 Georgia Champion Journalist of the Year by the Georgia Scholastic Press Association and the Journalism Education Association. The award recognizes the top high school senior journalist in the state.

Natalie Ripps, co-editor-in-chief of Clarke Central’s iliad literary art magazine, was the runner-up in the competition.

The winners were selected from a highly competitive group of seven senior candidates, each with portfolios filled with academic achievements and journalism accolades. Portfolios were scored in the following categories: Reporting and Writing; Editing, Leadership and Team Building; Web and Social Media; Design; Broadcast Journalism; Photojournalism; Law, Ethics and News Literacy; Marketing and Audience Engagement; and Commitment to Diversity.

CAPTURE THE MOMENT: ODYSSEY Media Group Digital Editor-in-Chief and Journalism I Facilitator Owen Donnelly, a Clarke Central High School senior, presents on photography to the Journalism I class on Jan. 29, 2020. The presentation was given to launch… — CAPTURE THE MOMENT: ODYSSEY Media Group Digital Editor-in-Chief and Journalism I Facilitator Owen Donnelly, a Clarke Central High School senior, presents on photography to the Journalism I class on Jan. 29, 2020. The presentation was given to launch the photography unit, in which students learned to take different types of journalistic photographs. “The presentation went well. I think the kids got a lot out of it and are excited to get to work,” Donnelly said. Photo by Beatrice Acheson

One contest judge offered Donnelly the following praise for his work: “Your portfolio is thorough and shows tremendous growth and prosperity. As journalists, we are some of the most versatile, creative, communicative, and hard-working sets of people. We show the ability to multi-task and thrive under chaotic circumstances. Your reporting showed depth, your broadcasts showed skill and your photography showed technical grace.”

Donnelly joined the ODYSSEY staff his freshman year, which ignited a passion for journalism. “I initially joined the program just because I liked the people but I quickly grew to love the camaraderie, hard work and purpose behind it all,” he wrote in a personal narrative essay.

“(Journalism is) exhilarating, and it’s for the greater good,” he continued in the essay. “It’s the duty of journalists, and in turn myself, to fight for the truth, the unbiased account of what’s happening in and around our school. That’s the best part. I’m working with a team, and it’s more than just for myself or a grade. It’s to inform the students of my school and my community.”

Donnelly will receive a plaque and a $100 prize. He also advances to represent the state in the Journalism Education Association's National Journalist of the Year competition.

In addition to the senior-level Georgia Champion Journalist of the Year contest, GSPA honors the top high school junior journalist in the state. Audrey Enghauser, lead copy editor for ODYSSEY Media Group was selected as the Georgia Junior Champion Journalist winner. Natalie Schliekelman, news editor for ODYSSEY Media Group, was the runner-up. There were eleven entries in the junior division.

All winners will be recognized during the GSPA Spring Awards April 14, 2021. The virtual ceremony will debut at 4 p.m.