February 24, 2022
Tori Thorp, a senior at West Albany High School, was named the 2022 Oregon High School Journalist of the Year. Thorp is now a candidate for the National High School Journalist of the Year sponsored by the Journalism Education Association. The winner of the national award will be named at the Spring National High School Journalism Convention in April.
Thorp submitted samples of her work, an application, an essay, a transcript, and multiple letters of recommendation. Thorp serves as editor-in-chief of The West Albany Whirlwind, the West Albany High School student newspaper. Her work samples included coverage of student protestors attending a climate strike, school related stories on a variety of topics and examples of exceptional work with social media and design.
As winner of the JOY award Thorp receives the Alyce Sheetz Scholarship of $1,000.
The selection committee consisted of current and former high school publications advisers and board members of Oregon Journalism Education Association (www.oregonjea.org). Please contact Brian Eriksen, JEA State Director, at 503-560-3818, with any questions.
Tori is pictured above with her parents Josiah and Kim Thorp and Journalism teacher Michelle Balmeo.
LEFT: Tori learns about her award.
RIGHT: Reporter Tori Thorp photographs a student protestor attending a climate strike in front of the Albany, Ore. courthouse in September of 2019. Thorp’s collection of audio and photo material at this event ended up as a radio story that was published on her school publication’s YouTube channel and website.
More stories: https://wahswhirlwind.com/