Plainfield High School-Central Campus senior wins state journalism title

Plainfield High School-Central Campus senior Anesa Nevzadi is a 2022 state champion journalist.

Nevzadi won first place in the Video News category at the Illinois High School Association state competition on April 22, 2022 in Normal.

“I didn’t believe it,” she said.

 

“I opened the webpage a few times and pressed view results 10 times before I told my family,” Nevzadi said.

Twenty students from PHSCC, Plainfield South, Plainfield North, and Plainfield East high schools participated in the state contest.

Each state competitor created a video about an electric truck company, Nevzadi said.

Nevzadi always has been interested in video and cameras, she said.

She plans to attend Columbia College this fall and major in film.

This is the first year Nevzadi took a journalism class, said PHSCC English teacher and journalism adviser Renee Nieckula.

“I am especially proud of Anesa because she was the only video news competitor at state who was competing solo,” Nieckula said.

Other teams had two or three members and used multiple cameras, she said.

“In spite of all the challenges she faced, she came out on top,” Nieckula said.

Nevzadi encouraged other students to not give up if they have a dream to compete at the state level.

“Don’t let anyone sway you, there is so much more that you can do,” Nevzadi said.

Other state finishers were:

Plainfield High School-Central Campus

  • Abby Timm, junior – Fourth place in Yearbook Copy Writing

Plainfield South High School

  • Richard Meyer, sophomore – Second place in Photo storytelling
  • Rachel Mackey, sophomore – Fourth place in Review Writing
  • Angelia Alvarado, sophomore – Sixth place in News Writing