Missouri Interscholastic Press Association announces Daniel Bodden, the editor-in-chief for the Francis Howell North North Star, has been selected as Missouri’s Student Journalist of the Year for 2015.

Because of his selection, his portfolio will be the state’s entry into the Journalism Education Association’s national journalist of the year scholarship competition.

The judge, Teri Finneman, said she was especially impressed with Bodden’s personal essay. “You have a voice, which is a rare gift for a high school journalist to have,” Finneman wrote. “A lot of adult journalists don’t even have a voice in their writing.”

MIPA is very pleased to be sending such a qualified, dedicated and talented student journalist to represent Missouri. The award for winning the state student journalist of the year competition will be presented during MIPA’s Scholastic Journalism Day (J-Day) at the University of Missouri in Columbia April 8, 2015.