The Ways of a Winner

      Idaho’s top Student Journalist this year is a student from Madison High School. Senior Hunter Ericksen applied for this distinguished award and won.

     “I’ve been doing journalism since I was in 10th grade. Mrs. Stanford said that there was a competition going on, so I entered because I’ve been doing yearbook and lots of Journalism classes,” Ericksen said. 

      The Idaho’s Journalist of the Year award is a big win for Ericksen, but this isn’t the end. Erickson has plans for what comes after Idaho’s Journalist of the Year. 

       “After this, I submit my application at the national level so I will compete nationally for national journalist of the year,” Ericksen said.

       For Ericksen, it’s a one out of fifty chance that he wins National Journalist of the Year, but even without that, he still has had other amazing competitions. 

       “I did a couple of competitions over my years. One that I did was put on by Civic Group. It was a photography competition and I submitted a pretty good photo called ‘Threading the Needle’,” Ericksen said. 

        After his time spent in Photography and as EIC in Yearbook, he is ready to pass the torch to the next editors and is proud of what he has been able to accomplish. 

       “I’ve been able to bond with and just create an amazing team as well as making foundations for the future. I’m glad to hand over the reins,” Ericksen said. 

       His future is full and it still has room for more. Erickson is ready to leave behind journalism, even though his knowledge of it may still be a part of whatever is next. 

      “Even though you might feel as though it’s not necessarily applicable, it definitely is. Interviewing people is just people skills and photography is just having an eye on what’s going on around you,” Ericksen said.