Hopi radio wins awards

By Independent Staff

GLENDALE, ARIZ. — Hopi High School radio students won nine broadcast awards recently during the Arizona Interscholastic Press Association (AIPA) convention at Arizona State University West.

Jackie David, a senior, won superior in the commentary division for a piece about Martin Luther King, Jr. Stan Bindell, radio teacher at Hopi High School, said he was proud of the radio broadcast students’ achievements.

“This was great for the students and for the radio program. I’m happy for the kids,” he said.

Bindell said he was particularly proud of David for getting the highest rating possible in the broadcast commentary division.

“Jackie reads extremely well. She has a good broadcasting voice,” he said.

Superior is the highest rating a student could get in any category. Bindell said this essentially gave David the state championship in the broadcast commentary category.

There was only one superior winner in each category.

The judges wrote that David’s commentary was interesting, well-researched, informative and that she did a good job of relating Dr. King’s struggles with her own life.

The Hopi High radio students perform the Hopi High Teen Show every Thursday during the school year. It is the only live remote Native American teen talk show in the nation. It is aired on KUYI, the Hopi community radio station. The Hopi High radio students also contribute news briefs to KINO radio station in Winslow.

Hopi High radio students Povi Lomayaoma, Austin Coochyamptewa and Paul Quamahongnewa received excellent ratings, which is the second highest rating given by the judges.

Bindell said this was a great achievement for each of the trio.

“I am proud of each of them, but more importantly I believe each of them will continue to be involved with radio,” he said.

Lomayaoma, a senior who is going to major in journalism at Ft. Lewis College, won the excellent rating in the newscast division for a story remembering Rydell Namoki, a Hopi High School cross country runner who died during the past school year.

The judges gave Lomayaoma high marks for good coverage of a difficult subject. One judge said it was a good eulogy and tribute. Two of the judges praised her delivery.

Coochyamptewa, a senior, won the excellent rating in the public service announcement area for an announcement about parenting classes.

The judges said Coochyamptewa had a smooth delivery and sounded professional. Coochyamptewa is considering a career in broadcast radio.

Quamahongnewa, a junior who hopes to major in sports broadcasting, received the excellent rating in the sports broadcasting area for play-by-play basketball coverage.
The judges praised Quamahongnewa for having a good radio voice and doing a good job for something that is hard to do live. He was also praised for doing an excellent job of pronouncing names.

The five honorable mentions went to Hopi High radio students Natasha Naha, Traci Talahytewa, Fran Sisto, Fawn Marie Lomakema and Jackie David.

Bindell said an honorable mention is equivalent to a third place finish at state and something each of these students should be proud that they attained.

Naha won in the newscast division for a story about Tommy Canyon getting elected to the Hopi Jr/Sr High School Governing Board. The judges praised Naha for good facts, good reporting and good delivery.

Talahytewa won in the feature division for a story about a student of the month award. The judges said Talahytewa read the script well and did a good job reporting.
Sisto, who plans to major in elementary education, won in the commentary division for a piece about life on the reservation. The judges praised Sisto for giving information that others wouldn’t know.

Lomakema won in the public service area for a piece about Northland Pioneer College. The judges praised Lomakema for being short and to the point with good information.

David, who plans to major in elementary education in college, grabbed the award in the feature category for a story about the Hopi High cooking class students who made gingerbread houses. The judges praised this piece as well-rounded including the use of good quotes. One judge wrote: “Well read, good information.”