The UIL announced that the Cypress Falls High School newspaper, the Wingspan, and yearbook, the Golden Eagle, will both receive the Lone Star Award at the 2010 Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) Spring Convention.

The Lone Star Award was created to honor staffs that have proven themselves as leaders of scholastic journalism in Texas.
To earn the honor, Cypress Falls earned the “Award of Distinguished Merit” for each of the past 10 years. In addition, the journalism staffs earned a “Star” award in at least six of those years.

In the last 10 years, the Golden Eagle yearbook earned 11 Awards of Distinguished Merit, was nominated 11 times for a “Star” award—including 2010—and won nine “Star” awards. Meanwhile, the Wingspan newspaper earned nine Awards of Distinguished Merit, was nominated eight times for a “Star” award and won seven “Star” awards.

“Starting almost 10 years ago, my students set a goal of earning the ‘Award of Distinguished Merit’ every year for both the newspaper and yearbook,” said Lisa Van Etta, Cypress Falls publications adviser. “They then raised the bar even higher by working towards a ‘Star’ nomination and winning. The fact that they have been able to achieve their goal every year speaks for itself.

“I am speechless that both publications are being honored with the Lone Star Award from the ILPC. It’s an honor that I share with all those students who have made it possible over the last 10 years. Without them, the award would have been impossible to achieve. It’s really their award, not mine, and not the school’s, but theirs, for raising the bar of excellence and reaching beyond and above it.”