![The sophomores were recognized on the field instead of walking across the stage during their doubleheader. They received their diplomas and a picture of themselves playing during their career at Seward. [Pictured left to right are Dylan Day, Reed Thomas, Jase Schneider, Mason Martinez, Gannon Hardin, Brody Boisvert, and Zach Walker]](https://crusadernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/WEBDSC_0275-900x454.jpg)
![Marcos Montoya takes a break from working on his personal health from working at the gym. He says “That’s [the gym] my second home, basically. I’m there more than I am at my own house.”](https://crusadernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/web1UpCloseMarcos1-1200x800.jpg)
2021-22 staff wins 4th consecutive All-Kansas
The Crusader News spring 2022 staff poses with the All-Kansas award. It is the fourth consecutive naming of SCCC for the top honor in the state for college media. The staff included Front Row: Melvin Lee, Jessica Madrigal, Dani Arellano, Brianna Rich. Back Row: Megan Berg, Laura Gillespie and Reece Hay. Not pictured: Ashanti Thompson.
It was a year of “firsts” as many things went back to normal this school year after two years of COVID-19. Halfway through the year, masks were no longer required in classes. Many in-person activities returned to campus, providing stories for Crusader to cover.
The 2021-22 staff produced many “one-of-a-kind” stories that called for change/action on campus. One showed how accessible campus was for physically, visually and hearing impaired students. Another pointed out the need for food labels in the campus cafeteria for those with food allergies. The real excitement came when the new college president resigned after only one month on the job and a former president, Brad Bennett, was hired 72-hours later.
These stories helped Crusader staff win the All-Kansas award for two-year schools for the fourth consecutive year. Staff members also won more than 70 individual awards at the Kansas Collegiate Media conference. Laura Gillespie, editor, was named first runner-up in the two-year Journalist of the Year contest while Megan Berg, Features Editor, was second runner-up.
The Fall 2021 staff placed sixth in the nation for Best of Show at the National Collegiate Media Conference. The national event was held virtually.
Click on the photos to view the full gallery from 2021-22:
For the fourth year in a row Crusader receives the All-Kansas award for spring and fall of 2021. Pictured left to right are Laura Gillespie, Brianna Rich, Jessica Madrigal, Dani Arellano and Seyun Park.
The Crusader News spring 2022 staff poses with the All-Kansas award. It is the fourth consecutive naming of SCCC for the top honor in the state for college media. The staff included Front Row: Melvin Lee, Jessica Madrigal, Dani Arellano, Brianna Rich. Back Row: Megan Berg, Laura Gillespie and Reece Hay. Not pictured: Ashanti Thompson.
Jessica Madrigal shakes hands with Bill McGlothing, retired SCCC English teacher. The Crusader staff have nicknamed McGlothing, "Facebook Bill," because he gives them constructive comments on their articles. The staff was eager to meet him face-to-face.
Crusader class poses with the new Louie the Saint bobble heads for the SCCC public relations department.
Brianna Rich, photo editor, gets some tips on sports photography from Phil Lee, a former sports editor.
Spring 2022 Crusader staff: Maddy Garrison, Brianna Rich, Dani Arellano, Jessica Madrigal, Sara Lock, Ashanti Thompson, Laura Gillespie and Megan Berg
Laura Gillespie speaks to a group of high school seniors about Crusader, encouraging them to join the club next year.
Melvin Le, copy editor, learns how about AP style and how to edit stories from Crusader's managing editor Laura Gillespie.
Dani Arellano supervises the first interview of the semester for freshman Ashanti Thompson. Veteran Crusader staff took out new members to learn how to interview.
Crusader solved the murder mystery as part of the going away party for their advisor, Sue Sprenkle. Those who solved it were Brianna Rich, Dani Arellano, Reece Hay, Maddy Garrison, Ashanti Thompson, Megan Berg and Laura Gillespie.
Sara Lock, super sophomore from Oklahoma City, learns how to load a story into the Crusader drive. Laura Gillespie, editor and freshman from Hugoton, mentors the new staff member during class.
Reece Hay, freshman from Liberal, records an interview while new Crusader staff member Jessica Madrigal, sophomore from Spearman, Texas, writes down notes. Hay mentored Madrigal on how to conduct an interview.
Staff picture day wouldn't be "picture day" without a lot of goofing for the camera. The spring 2022 staff hams it up.
There's a murder in the Crusader lab. For the Fall semester final, students tried to figure out "whodunnit." Each student portrayed a character but had no idea who the murderer was until the end.
Ruby Thornton dresses up like a palm reader for the Crusader fall final. Her character was accused of the fictional murder but was released at the last second.
Dani Arellano reads the script for her character in the Crusader murder mystery final. Each person read a script and was allowed to ask questions on their quest to find out who the murderer was.
Mauricio Gonzalez and Laura Gillespie dress up as Italian mobsters for the Crusader Fall semester final. Staff participated in a murder mystery dinner.
Crusader staff plays "Dog Bites Man" during class. The game helps teach the basics of headlines.
Megan Berg, freshman from Sublette, looks through her cards to see if she has everything she needs to write a headline. The staff played "Dog Bites Man."
Brooke Katen, Mauri Gonzalez and Dani Arellano trade cards. They were all looking for "verbs" to add to their headlines.
Reece Hay, freshman from Liberal, slices into a pumpkin. Crusader staff carved pumpkins for a "photo shoot."
Crusader staffed carved pumpkins to use for a Halloween story.
Tracing a pattern on the pumpkin is the first step in making a "pretty pumpkin," according to Ruby Thornton. The sophomore from Elkhart helped prepare pumpkins for a Halloween story.
Saskia Vogelzang, super sophomore from The Netherlands, digs into a plate of tacos. She had never been to a taco truck before the class assignment.
Crusader staff took a "taco truck" tour as part of writing a food review. Reece Hay, freshman from Liberal, digs in to taste test a taco.
Bowling backwards and through the legs challenges Kylie Regier, freshman from Liberal. As a way to celebrate the end of the virtual National Collegiate Media Conference, staff went out to eat and bowled.
Crusader staff cheers on bowlers during the fall party. To celebrate the end of the virtual National Collegiate Conference, staff went bowling and ate together.
Reece Hay bowls "normal" during the Crusader fall party. It was one of the few frames staff members bowled the correct way. After the first few frames, a challenge was added.
Mauri Gonzalez, super sophomore from Argentina, closes his eyes to bowl. It was just one challenge at the fall staff party.
All of the awards that Crusader News earned was from Spring and Fall of 2021. The Crusader spring and fall 2021 staff members are Brooke Katen, Dani Arellano, Victoria Martins, Ruby Thornton, Megan Berg, Kylie Regier, Reece Hay, William Swanson and Mauricio Gonzalez. Not pictured: Saskia Vogelzang, Mary Ramirez, Ana Brangioni, Gracie Gillespie, Brianna Rich, Andrea Espinoza, Monalisa Chakraborty, Maddie Garrison, Raven Staten, Maria Coronado, Destiny Vasquez, Logan Scruggs, Krisi Anderson and Brooklynn Bauer.
Crusader staff learns the basics of interviewing in the second class of the semester. Students practiced on each other and found out "little known" facts.
Competing to put together the best storyboard, Mauricio Gonzalez and Ana Brangioni work as a team. The pair put their pictures in the best order for a story and won that round of the competition.
Using only the pictures given to them, each team must piece together a story and come up with their own transitions between the pictures. Stories often end up being a little crazy since you have no idea what pictures you'll get in the draw.
The target was big but it was still hard for students to hit the bulls eye with the Kansas wind. Ana Brangioni took a break from doing social media posts about the event to join the fun.
Dani Arellano takes time from filming the kick off event for Hispanic Heritage Month to give the soccer target a try. Students could win prizes and Arellano wanted that gift certificate.
Kylie Regier practices using the mic and adjusting the audio settings during Crusader class. The freshman from Liberal did her first video about local athletes choosing to stay home.
Megan Berg interviews Wade Lyon in her first "on camera" experience for Crusader News. The freshman from Sublette is a multi-media reporter.
Mary Ramirez fans herself and pants trying to cool herself off from the fire she just ate. Ramirez snagged third place in this year’s jalapeño contest at the student union. The sophomore represented Crusader News in the contest.
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Teresa Wehmeier • May 25, 2022 at 11:51 am
Congratulations! Well done.