Five members of North’s media team won fourth place at a journalism contest at the Kansas State Fair in September. The team had one day at the fair to conduct interviews, take photos, write stories and create a four-page newsletter.

The entries were judged by media professionals, and the team was notified last week that they had placed fourth in a field of 24. The third-place entry from Kapaun was awarded just two more points than North’s entry

Team members were Carina Barron, Karla Cardenas-Pasten, April Draut, Tate Miller and Rosalia Salazar.

“This year was the least stressful year,” said Senior April Draut, who has competed with North’s team three times. “It was different for me this year, because I have been on the video team in the past. This was the first time I was doing print. It was really fun because I felt like I learned a lot, too. I actually had to do research on the topic I was writing about.” Draut had North’s “Agriculture” assignment – the fair’s Boer Goat Show. She interviewed people who were showing their goats, took photos and conducted research about the Boer Goat, before writing her story and designing the page.

This was Cardenas-Pasten’s first experience at the fair. “It was a unique experience. I didn’t just create memories, but I was part of a team that was also experiencing the same thing. I was able to get first-hand experience on what reporting and journalism really are. Being able to interview different people, looking for stories, trying to get good quotes – it really helped me grow as a writer,” she said.