Editors and staff writers of El Camino’s newspaper program won seven honors at the state convention for the on-site awards ceremony on April 11.

The Union’s staff and advisers attended the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC) from April 9 to April 12, and was awarded the General Excellence honor as a print paper the night before, but took home different awards the night after.

Editor-in-chief Jessica Martinez took home the first place plaque for the copy editing competition and was awarded the JACC scholarship.

“I wasn’t expecting to win copy editing at all,” she said. “After they said honorable mentions, I pretty much thought I had no chance.”

“I arrived to the competition late,” she added. “But, obviously, I’m glad.”

The Union’s lone photographer in the feature photo competition, Amira Petrus, came up big on the night; as they announced her name for the first place finish, the slideshow skipped to her photo, which was met in awe by the audience as they applauded.

“Honestly I was shocked,” she said. “I wasn’t really expecting them to call me, I didn’t go in with high hopes.

Photo editor John Fordiani thought the workshops offered at the convention were “alright.”

Fordiani won a merritorious award for the Instagram Competition.

Martinez had some words for the staff about the awards.

“I was really proud because we have some new people here and a few of them did very well,” she said. “Everyone else was just excited for them.”

“In my first year, I didn’t win anything,” she added.