By Hector Flores
When Schwartz joined her high school newspaper, the Vanguard, these lessons made her a probing reporter, columnist and editor. As a testament to her endeavor to bring issues to light and discussion, Mallory was presented with the Hank Logeman/News 12 Long Island High School Journalism Award by the Long Island Press Club on June 8.
Bob Lipper, president of the LIPC, said the award was created to honor journalist Hank Logeman, a reporter for United Press International who influenced many of Long Island's successful journalists. "The award was designed to promote high school journalism on Long Island," Lipper said. "Mallory was given the award because the judges were impressed by her passion for journalism."
The award, a $2,000 scholarship, is funded by News 12 and Newsday and is presented to a high school student each year.
Schwartz¹s parents credited their daughter's passion for reading for her accomplishment. "When Mallory told us she won the award, we were very proud, and we knew how hard she worked for the [high school] paper," said Naomi, a music educator. "I give her the credit. We read to her as a small child and she took up reading for pleasure. She could have resisted it, but she embraced it. We hope we had something to do with her award, but we give her the credit."
Richard Heller, AP literature teacher at Clarke and Schwartz¹s journalism adviser, said, "The award is a big deal and great prestige." Heller added that this wasn¹t the first time Schwartz had been honored by a media organization. "The Adelphi Press named her 'best reporter' and the Vanguard the Œbest newspaper,¹" he said. "The Vanguard has also been named 'first overall paper' by the American Scholastic Press Association. She is very proud of that."
For Schwartz, the Logeman Award is the culmination of four years of hard work for the high school newspaper. "I joined the paper in ninth grade," she said. "My sister [Liza] was in the paper, and I always liked writing and reading. It seemed like a good club to join and meet new people."
Schwartz did more than make new friends she gradually rose up the ranks of the journalism club. She was named editor in her junior year, a position normally reserved for seniors. As a senior she was named editor in chief, and tackled issues that attracted the attention of the LIPC. She took on the contract negotiations between the East Meadow School District and the East Meadow Teachers Association, and sought to explain the contract dispute to her fellow students.
"My teachers have been in contract negotiations for the last two years," Schwartz said. "I interviewed the superintendent of the East Meadow School District, the head of the teachers¹ union and some of the members of the teachers¹ union and Board of Education. I saw how difficult it was to come to an agreement that would keep costs down for taxpayers and pay teachers a comparable, fair salary."
Schwartz¹s series on the negotiations garnered positive feedback from both the teachers and the school district. "I kept my own personal opinions out and tried to present the facts," she said.
She added that one of her biggest influences is New York Times Columnist Nicholas Kristoff. "A lot of his columns are about human rights issues," Schwartz said. "To cover these atrocities and bring them to the public is a great accomplishment, and that is what I've tried to do. To bring issues to light through my stories and columns, and that is the heart of journalism."
Comments about this story? HFlores@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 283.
