The Scene

The Scene student newspaper wins state awards

The Scene student newspaper at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park won 30 awards at the Missouri College Media Convention, which was held April 11 at Missouri State University in Springfield.

The Scene competes in Division 4 of the Missouri College Media Association. That consists of two-year colleges in the state.

The Scene's awards included Best Overall Newspaper in Division 4.

Here is a complete list of awards:

News Writing: Robbie Chamberlain, third place and honorable mention; and Carrington Davis, honorable mention.
Feature Writing: Andrew Gausch, first place; and Roya Porshahidy, third place.
In-Depth News Reporting: Robbie Chamberlain, second and third place.
Investigative Reporting: Carrington Davis, first place; and Robbie Chamberlain and Nahian Suhaimee, honorable mention.
Column: Sky Tucker, first and third place and honorable mention.
News photography: Robbie Chamberlain, first place.
Feature Photography: Robbie Chamberlain, third place.
Sports Photography: Robbie Chamberlain, first and third place.
Political/Editorial Cartoon: Emi Smajic, first and second place.
Nonpolitical/Editorial Cartoon: Chloe Ogier, first place and honorable mention.
Story Illustration: Emi Smajic, first place and second place; and Chloe Ogier, third place.
Photo Page: Makaylin Flier and Andrew Gausch, first place; Robbie Chamberlain and Clayton Hornberger, second place; Robbie Chamberlain and Andrew Gausch, honorable mention.
Feature Page: Roya Porshahidy and Liam Harris, first place.
Website: The Scene staff, second place.
Sweepstakes: The Scene staff, second place.
Best Overall Newspaper: The Scene staff, first place.

Spring Issue 1 is on newsstands now! Read about the return of Forest Park's theater program, how students are navigating the new world of legal w**d and two hawks that have taken up residence at the health sciences building. Campus Chatter asks "What is your favorite movie?" Editor Robbie Chamberlain makes his case against social media. Also, we have pics of this semester's Club Expo. Pick up a print copy or visit our website at thescenefp.com.

Fall Issue 2 is on newsstands now! Or visit our website at thescenefp.com. Read about vending machine woes and student attempts to reduce stress with meditation. Campus Chatter asks, "What's your favorite thing about Forest Park?" Photographers cover Halloween festivities. Columns, comics and more!

Spring Issue 3 on newsstands now! Or visit our website at thescenefp.com. Read about STLCC efforts to fight the rising cost of textbooks and new opportunities for students interested in gardening. Our photographers also captured two cultural celebrations on campus.

The Scene wins Best in State

The student newspaper at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park made history on April 12 at the Missouri College Media Convention.

The Scene won the Best in State award in the Missouri College Media Association’s annual contest, beating out newspapers at four-year universities in the upper three divisions for the first time in the MCMA leader’s memory.

“When they first called out (the winner), I was shocked,” said Carrington Davis, who became The Scene’s editor this spring. “It was surreal. It was really exciting.”

Staff and advisers traveled to the convention at University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. They came home with the Avis Meyer Perpetual Cup trophy, which is now proudly displayed in their West Wing office.

The Best in State award is named for Avis Meyer, longtime St. Louis University journalism professor and former St. Louis Post-Dispatch copy editor and feature writer.

The Scene competes in Division 4, which is made up of community colleges in Missouri. It won first place in the Best Overall Newspaper category and second place in the Sweepstakes category, as well as 29 individual awards, for work that appeared in print and online during the 2024 calendar year.

“The best thing about our staff is its grit,” Davis said. “We push through, and whether we have 10 people or three people, we still get the paper out, which I think is really admirable.”

Jimmy Mowery scored two shutouts in the MCMA contest, winning first, second and third place in the Nonpolitical/Entertainment Cartoon category and Story Illustration category.

A bittersweet part of The Scene’s contest showing was that it won three awards (News Writing, Photo Page and Website) with the help of the late Mason Dare, the staff’s former business manager, who died in January at age 23.

Here are the individual MCMA awards:

News Writing: Precious Kenney, second place; Rowan Behm, Coffee Clark and Mason Dare, third place; and Rowan Behm, honorable mention.

Feature Writing: Precious Kenney, second place.

In-Depth Reporting: Rowan Behm, second place; and Precious Kenney, third place.

Investigative Reporting: Rowan Behm, second place.

News photography: Coffee Clark, first place.

Feature Photography: Alexander Hernandez, first place; and Rowan Behm, second place.

Column: Coffee Clark, first and second place; and Sky Tucker, third place.

Entertainment Review: Markell Tompkins, first and third place.

Political/Editorial Cartoon: Jimmy Mowery, first place.

Nonpolitical/Entertainment Cartoon: Jimmy Mowery, first, second and third place.

Story Illustration: Jimmy Mowery, first, second and third place.

Photo Page: Sky Tucker and Rowan Behm, third place; Rowan Behm and Alexander Hernandez, honorable mention; and Rowan Behm and Mason Dare, honorable mention.

Feature Page: Rowan Behm and Elias Potts, second place; and Carrington Davis, honorable mention.

Website: Mason Dare and Jayda Griffin, second place.

Video: Rowan Behm, first place.