St. Joe student journalist, weekly student newscast receive international acclaim
MADISON, Miss. (Friday, March 26, 2021) – St. Joseph Catholic School’s student-produced weekly newscast “Bruin News Now” took second place this year for News Show for Web or TV in an international competition for high school journalists.
And senior journalism student Josh Briscoe took third place in the same competition in the Video Sports Package category. Briscoe’s story on St. Joe men’s basketball was part of the Jan. 15, 2021, edition of “Bruin News Now” – which also was the winning newscast episode.
“That’s two more major, high profile awards for our school’s broadcast journalism class and the students who work hard every week to produce a high-quality newscast that is timely, hard-hitting and informative,” said Dr. Dena Kinsey, St. Joe principal.
“For a small school of about 400 students to be successful on an international stage highlights the top quality students we have at St. Joe,” she said. “Our successful high school journalism program is just one example of the strong academic programs we offer at our school.”
Both awards were part of the 2021 International Writing, Photo and Multimedia Contest sponsored by Quill & Scroll International Honor Society for High School Journalists.
Students from six countries submitted a total of 2,508 entries in 34 categories; judges gave first, second and third place honors to 273 entries, or 10 percent of the total submitted. Entries came from schools in such places as Los Angeles, Miami, St. Louis and China.
St. Joe’s winning newscast episode and Briscoe’s winning sports story are available to view on the “Bruin News Now” channel on YouTube.
St. Joseph Catholic School, founded in 1870 by the Sisters of Mercy, is celebrating more than 150 years of faith formation and education excellence. The school offers seventh- through 12th-grade students a rigorous college prep curriculum grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church.
St. Joe, located at 308 New Mannsdale Road in Madison, just west of the Interstate 55-Mississippi 463 Madison Exit, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the accrediting arm of Cognia.
Journalism is one of several electives that students can take at St. Joe.
Besides “Bruin News Now,” journalism students also produce the school yearbook, The Shield; an online news website, The Bear Facts; a weekly podcast and radio show, “The Bruin Buzz Live”; and live broadcast radio and streaming video coverage of varsity football.
“The Bruin Buzz Live” and live sports coverage air over WJXC-LP Jackson, Mississippi Catholic Radio, 107.9, whose studio is located on the St. Joe campus. Journalism students produce the only local programming aired on WJXC, which otherwise carries EWTN radio programming.
“Bruin News Now” is in its sixth year. The Mississippi Scholastic Press Association has named St. Joe’s weekly newscast the state’s best high school newscast in 2017 and 2018; it was a finalist for the honor in 2019 and 2020.
“I’m glad that I was able to represent my journalism class and school by winning this award for my sports story,” Briscoe said. “The awards for our broadcast class’ work are a great reflection of our school and our high school journalism program.”