Students Savor Eddy Awards Experience

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Shayla Colon will graduate next month knowing she correctly planned for what’s next. The St. Catharine Academy senior received the High School Feature award, one of five trophies won by her team at the 43rd annual Eddy Awards at the archdiocese’s ITV Studios in Yonkers on May 20.

“This year was amazing,’’ said Shayla, who will study communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. “I oriented my school schedule to take three English courses. I took communications, public speech as well as AP English, and they oriented me with writing skills and speech aspects. I now have a feel for all the different aspects, and it’s definitely something I want to pursue.’’

The Eddy Award nominees in the elementary and high school divisions were selected from 323 student broadcasters at 11 elementary and six high schools in the archdiocese who produced the 15-minute weekly news show, “News and Views.”

WNYW-TV weatherman Nick Gregory hosted the awards show. Presenting the awards were WNBC-TV’s Lynda Baquero, WABC-TV’s Marcus Solis, WCBS-TV’s Lonnie Quinn, News 12’s Grace Noone and Dr. Timothy J. McNiff, superintendent of schools in the archdiocese.

“While it’s great for you to participate, it’s also great for the rest of us,” said Gregory in opening the show. “Why? Because we get to see the world through your eyes and see what your hopes and dreams might be.

“ITV’s ‘News and Views’ gives the opportunity for you to see what it’s like to work as a team, just like what happens in our professional newsrooms every day.”

In the high school division, St. Catharine Academy in the Bronx and Maria Regina in Hartsdale combined to win nine of the 10 awards.

St. Catharine Academy’s “Friends in Faith: Nostra Aetate and the Catholic-Jewish Relationship” earned awards for News Team, Research (team award), Interview (Yei Mansuo, Rebecca Cutino), Editorial (Cailyn Shepherd) and Feature (Colon).

“I feel it’s just a mere representation of St. Catherine’s Academy,” Shayla said. “We have an amazing work ethic and we strive to do the best. Our teachers are an amazing support system, not just our teachers but our entire school…It was just an amazing experience, and I’m so grateful we were able to have it.”

Maria Regina’s “Invasive Species: Environmental Bullies” picked up awards for Photo Essay (Mrika Gocaj, Vivien Llanes), Debate (Kathleen Brereton, Elizabeth Curanaj), Anchorperson (Margaret Chiara) and Graphics (team award).

In the elementary school division, St. Denis/St. Columba received four awards for its “Autism: I Cannot Speak, But I Have a Voice,” including News Team and Research. Adrian D’Souza and Carey Gallagher were named Anchorpersons of the Year, and Adrian joined teammates Tyler Beresford and Michael Faughnan in winning the award for Photo Essay.

Anna Forlenza and Debbie Waters of St. Denis/St. Columba were named Moderators of the Year.

“It’s just been surreal. Just to be nominated was amazing that they recognized how hard we worked and the amount of work we put into it,” Carey said. “For St. Denis/St. Columba, this has been an amazing experience.

“We came down here, appreciated the recognition of all our hard work and our amazing moderators were recognized. They are always pushing us to do our best no matter when the deadline is.”

Annunciation in Crestwood was a multiple winner in Elementary School for its “Do Manners Matter?”—Survey (Jack Breen) and Feature (Kayla Klein).

James Pocchia, a seventh-grader at St. Patrick’s School on Staten Island, summed up his experience after winning the Eddy Award for Elementary School Debate with teammate Rebecca Torres.

“It’s really been one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had the privilege of being a part of,’’ he said. “It’s something I’m going to remember. I feel what I gained is not only the knowledge I gained but the friendships that developed with my teammates.”