Awards and Achievements

2022-2023

Colorado Student Media Association (CSMA)

• First Place Best of Show
• First Place In-Depth Sports Coverage – “The End of an Era is Just the Beginning” by Claire Bauer
• First Place Editorial Cartoon – “Don’t Diss Your Dream Job” by Ally Kelley
• Second Place Alternative Coverage Treatment – “Dare to Share Your Hair: What You Need to Know” by River Brown
• Second Place Lifestyle Coverage – “Combatting the Cloud” by River Brown
• Second Place Critical Review – “Do or Donut: the Best Donut in the Neighborhood” by River Brown
• Second Place Staff Editorial – “The Issue of Weighting Courses” by the Rock staff
• Third Place State Photographer of the Year – Claire Bauer
• Honorable Mention News Feature – “Blanketed in Kindness” by Gabe Mascitti
• Honorable Mention Online Breaking News Coverage – “BREAKING: Educational Assistant Jerome Price and Family Face Tragedy” by Grace Uhrain, Claire Bauer
• Honorable Mention Lifestyle News Feature – “Burning Through Burnout” by Eila Liu
• Honorable Mention News Feature Photo and Caption – “Cowgirl’s Revenge” by Claire Bauer
• Honorable Mention Commentary – “A Low Chance of Global Disaster is Much Too High” by Andi Mack
• Honorable Mention Photo Essay – “The End of an Era is Just the Beginning” by Claire Bauer
• Honorable Mention Sports Action Photo and Caption – “Fight for the Ball” by Abigail Wood

Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA)

• Gold Crown for Student Work on Hybrid News

Continental League Journalism Conference

• “Tools for Teams” Session Presentational Speakers – Claire Bauer, Grace Uhrain

Journalism Education Association (JEA)

• 2022 H. L. Hall National Yearbook Adviser of the Year – Kristi Rathbun
• 2023 First Amendment Press Freedom Award

National Student Press Association (NSPA)

• First Class Rating for Website
• Fall 2022 Clips & Clicks First Place Broadcast News Story – “Emma’s Recovery: Journey to Congress” by guest contributors Ella Daniel and Sam Record
• Fall 2022 Clips & Clicks Honorable Mention Sports Photo – “In Full Swing” by Claire Bauer
• Fall 2022 Clips & Clicks Honorable Mention Feature Story – “Burning Through Burnout” by Eila Liu
• Spring 2023 Best of Show First Place Broadcast Feature Story – “Emma’s Recovery: Journey to Congress” by guest contributors Ella Daniel and Sam Record
• Spring 2023 Best of Show First Place Sports Photo – “Connected” by Claire Bauer
• Spring 2023 Best of Show Second Place Sports Photo – “Defeat” by Claire Bauer
• Spring 2023 Best of Show Eighth Place Feature Photo – “Battling for the Chair” by Blake Cartwright
• Spring 2023 Best of Show Ninth Place Sports Photo – “Getting Pinned” by Claire Bauer
• Spring 2023 National High School Journalism Convention Presentational Speaker – Claire Bauer
• Leadership Awards: Claire Bauer, River Brown, Andi Mack, Avalon Nielsen, Audrey Rea, Grace Uhrain, Abigail Wood

Student News Online (SNO)

• Best of SNO – “C’mon Now, Just Tune In” by Olivia Cadwell
• Best of SNO – “‘We Are Just Like You:’ Unified Basketball Takes on Counselors in Annual Game” by Grace Uhrain
• Best of SNO – “24 Years Later: The Lasting Impacts of a Tragedy” by Elsa Swanson and Elly Brooks
• Excellence in Writing Badge – the Rock staff

Youth Journalism International (YJI)

• First Amendment Award – the Rock staff

Other

• Kidizenship Snap Your Solution National Top Ten – Claire Bauer

2021-2022

Colorado Student Media Association (CSMA)

• Award of Commendation Hybrid News
• Dorothy Greer Scholarship Winner – Kira Zizzo
• Photographer of the Year – Kira Zizzo
• Reporter of the Year – Kira Zizzo 
• Journalist of the Year – Kira Zizzo
• First Place Staff Editorial (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Less Talking, More Action” by the Rock staff
• First Place Personality Profile (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “His Vision for Valor” by Kira Zizzo
• First Place Environmental Portrait (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “His Vision for Valor” by Kira Zizzo
• First Place Lifestyle Coverage (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Elephant in the Room Podcast” by Kira Zizzo
• First Place Sports Action Photo and Caption (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800)) – “Eyes on the Prize” by Kira Zizzo
• First Place Single Page Design (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “The Comeback Kicks” by Ben England, Olivia Barrett
• Second Place Editorial Cartoon (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Overwhelmed” by Sam Jacot
• Second Place Photo Essay (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “School Board Division Leads to Community Action” by Kira Zizzo
• Second Place Podcast (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “RC Update” by Matthew Fink and Jack Gianetto
• Second Place Sports Reaction Photo and Caption (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Floored by Frustration” by Kira Zizzo
• Third Place Online Breaking News Coverage (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “BREAKING: Mask Mandate Will Be Enforced In Schools” by Claire Bauer
• Third Place In-Depth News Coverage (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “DCSD School Board Division Coverage” by Kira Zizzo, Claire Bauer, Grace Uhrain
• Third Place News Feature (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Walkout Unmasks Tensions Among Students” by Kira Zizzo
• Honorable Mention Column (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Inside the Stats” by Kishan Vahalia
• Honorable Mention Critical Review (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “A Coffee Review, Espresso-ly for You” by Kendall Foxworth and Lola Boushelle
• Honorable Mention In-Depth Sports Coverage (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Springing Into Spring Sports” by Ben England, Olivia Barrett, Peter Leensvaart
• Honorable Mention Sports Feature (Print News/Online Class III – over 1,800) – “Playoffs? We Talking About Playoffs?” by Ben England, Peter Leensvaart

Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA)

• Silver Crown for Student Work on Digital News

Continental League Journalism Conference

• First Place Layout: Website Layout – the Rock staff
• First Place Newspaper Writing: Feature Writing – Matthew Fink
• First Place Newspaper Writing: Sports Writing – Peter Leensvaart
• First Place Newspaper Writing: Sports Writing – Ben England

National Student Press Association (NSPA)

• Second Place 2022 Digital Podcast of the Year – Kira Zizzo
• Fifth Place 2022 Multimedia News Story of the Year – Grace Uhrain
• Honorable Mention 2022 Feature Photo of the Year – Claire Bauer
• Honorable Mention 2022 Best Use of Social Media Promotion – the Rock staff
• Honor Roll: Claire Bauer, Benjamin England, Matthew Fink, Kendall Foxworth, Jack Gianetto, Madison Loucks, Grace Uhrain, Abigail Wood, Kira Zizzo

Student News Online (SNO)

• Best of SNO – “Walkout Unmasks Tensions Among Students” by Kira Zizzo
• Best of SNO – “School Board Division Leads to Community Action” by Kira Zizzo

Other

• Balfour Great Shot 2nd place – Kira Zizzo

2020-2021

Colorado Student Media Association (CSMA)

• Best In-Depth Coverage – “What You Need to Know: Coronavirus” by Amanda Brauchler and Kira Zizzo
• Designer of the Year – Amanda Brauchler

National Student Press Association (NSPA)

• Finalist – “RC Update: Andy Abner” by Matthew Fink and Jack Gianetto

Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA)

• Silver Crown recipient for High School Digital News
• Silver Crown for High School Hybrid General Magazine 

Student News Online (SNO)

• Best of SNO – “The True Value of Gamestop” by Matthew Fink
• Best of SNO – “The Band Tee Epidemic” by Luka Owen and Ben England
• Best of SNO – “Flipping Chips: How Poker has Become a Class of ‘21 Pastime” by Luka Owen
• Best of SNO – “Graduation Demonstration: Students Show Solidarity with the Black Lives Matter Movement” by Kira Zizzo
• Best of SNO – “UPDATE: What you need to know about Colorado’s wildfires” by Maddy Merritt
• Best of SNO – “Students Make a Statement: Taking the Anti-Trump Narrative to the Streets” by Kira Zizzo

2019-2020

Colorado Student Media Association (CSMA)

• Second Place Best of Show Award for 5A Print News

Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA)

• Gold Medalist Certificate 

Student News Online (SNO)

• Best of SNO – “How Do You Choose to Remember Kobe Bryant” by Amanda Brauchler
• Best of SNO – “A Slam Dunk for SSN Programs: The First Annual Unified Basketball Game Recap” by Emily Wilson
• Best of SNO – “An Outbreak of Racism Follows the Spread of Coronavirus” by Kira Zizzo 
• Best of SNO – “Students and Staff Shed Hair in Support of Those In Need” by Kira Zizzo

2018-2019

Colorado Student Media Association (CSMA)

• First Place 5A Print News

Student News Online (SNO)

• Best of SNO – “We Will…We Will…Block You: Homecoming Game Recap” by Kira Zizzo
• Best of SNO – “One of the Guys” by Ben England

2017-2018

Colorado Student Media Association (CSMA)

• Award of Commendation Print News

Please note that at this time this list only includes awards dating back to the 2017-2018 school year and may not be fully complete. If you have any questions or would like to know more, please email [email protected].