AN Edinburgh independent school has taken the top prize at a competition celebrating the best of school magazines in Scotland.
St George’s School for Girls also netted the ‘Best overall design and layout’ and ‘Best original artwork or photography’ categories on their way to picking up the title, Scottish School Magazine of the Year 2009.
On Friday, in front of around 400 people, TV presenter, Cathy MacDonald presented the school’s Naomi Berry and Marcelina Hamilton with the prize, saying their magazine – in the opinion of the judging panel – comprised “excellent editorial, impressive articles, imaginative design, clever use of photographs, creativity and passion”.
Taking silver was Brae High School in Shetland. Bronze went to East Dunbartonshire’e Boclair Academy.
Among the other prize-winners was 12 year-old Jordan Duncan, from Calderglen High School in South Lanarkshire. Not only has he created a template for the magazine design and publicised the magazine within his school, he is planning to visit feeder primary schools to recruit new blood for next year.
The winner of the ‘Most inspirational teacher’ award went Paisley Grammar School’s Martin Gallacher who – in helping ensure the magazine’s unbroken publication since 1922 – gave up every lunchtime for a year to assist pupils working on the magazine.
This is the last year as chair of the judging panel for Ray Perman. He said: “It is getting harder and harder [to judge the competition] because the standards are getting higher and higher.”
The event was organised by the Periodical Publishers Association and its Scottish head: Kathy Crawford.
The winners:
Best magazine cover : Boclair Academy, East Dunbartonshire
Best overall design and layout: St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh
Best overall editorial content: Coatbridge High School, North Lanarkshire
Best feature article: Aiden Reid, Dollar Academy, Clackmannanshire: The Old Firm and Bigotry in Scottish Football
Best original artwork or photography: St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh
Best online presence: Shawlands Academy, Glasgow
Best commercial strategy: Brae High School, Shetland
Most inspirational teacher: Martin Gallacher, Paisley Grammar School Renfrewshire
Outstanding individual: Jordan Duncan, Calderglen High School, South Lanarkshire
Scottish school magazine of the year: St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh
