First Place: Hannah Schuh, North Kansas City High School
Junior Moria Simanowitz, playing the Wicked Witch of the West, raises her hands at the peak of her song “No Bad News.” The theatre department presented “The Wiz” musical with five performances during the second week of November for a variety of students, family, friends, and community members. (Hannah Schuh)
Judge’s Comments: This is a great example of a photograph that breaks the rule of thirds guidelines but still works effectively. The subject is the clear focal point, and the audience can feel her emotion and concentration during her performance. Furthermore, the photograph is well balanced due to the stage props repeated on either side of her.
Second Place: Selena Escutia, Staley High School
Heading the ball, senior Michael Theoharidis attempts to get possession Nov. 2. Varsity lost in the District Semifinals against Liberty High School 1-2. “I gave it all I had because I knew it could be our last game,” Theoharidis said. “I didn’t want to take anything for granted.” (Selena Escutia)
Judge’s Comments: The framing and clarity in this image is fantastic. Nothing is cut off, the action is clear and the photographer was even able to still incorporate rule of thirds. There is also a bit of humor in seeing the mirrored body language and expressions between the two jumping players.
Third Place: Sarah Allen, Willard High School
Wyatt Bricker (12), Carlos Abrams (12), Thomas Shuster (12), and James Sly (12) revel in their glory after the Willard boys cross country team placed second in State Nov. 5 at Gans Creek in Columbia, Mo. The team placed first in Districts Oct. 30, making them District Champions. Shuster placed 13th at State. “Getting second in State was an eye-opener. It truly felt amazing being able to hold a team plaque up on the podium,” Shuster said. (Sarah Allen)
Judge’s Comments: While there isn’t a whole lot of action going on in this picture, it does do a good job of capturing the reaction of the athletes on their win. In particular, there is a nice contrast of all the athletes on the outside looking toward the cameras for their picture and the one subject in the middle smiling at the award. This creates a sense of pride and accomplishment in the photograph.
Social media has played both a positive and negative role in our lives today. Whether it is keeping up with the newest trends, posting quality content frequently or editing that city vibes picture, social media can feel like a chore. The pressure of fitting to standards has grown larger than ever, now that social media is a bigger part of today's society. "Social media is definitely harmful for mental health through promoting unrealistic ideas and romanticizing mental health," senior Alexis Dowdy said.
