The Indiana High School Press Association has named the Cathedral student newspaper website, Irishconnection.net, a 2021 Hoosier Star winner, one of only four in the state.

The Megaphone website was the only Hoosier Star winner in the Division II category for schools with enrollments between 1,001 and 2,000. Three other student newspaper websites – Carmel, Center Grove and Southport – were named winners in the large school division (four-grade enrollment greater than 2,001).

The IHSPA provides the opportunity for an annual critique as a way for student newspaper staffs to gain detailed feedback about their publication. Judges provide specific comments on a number of important topics in order for staffs to use this evaluation as a way to measure progress, discuss strengths and weaknesses and set goals for improvement, according to Ryan Gunterman, the executive director of the press association, which is based at Franklin College.

All student media outlets achieving a “superior” or “excellent” rankings based on the initial evaluation are considered finalists. The four winners of the 2021 Hoosier Star Award were selected based on a second round of judging.

Ashlynn Bakemeyer ’22 and Nicholas Rodecap ’22 serve as the co-editors in chief of the Megaphone, and Liam Eifert ’23 is the managing editor.