The North Carolina Scholastic Media Association has announced Green Hope High School journalist Peggy Chen as the 2025 Rachel Rivers-Coffey North Carolina High School Journalist of the Year.
Chen is the editor-in-chief of the Green Hope High school newspaper, The Green Hope Falcon. Her portfolio included opinion and feature pieces, focused on telling the stories of others.
Alternates for Journalist of the Year are Teresa Fang of the North Carolina School of Science and Math in Durham, Sophie King of Athens Drive Magnet High in Raleigh and Ella Ogburn of First Flight High in Kill Devil Hills.
Fang is the editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, The Stentorian. King is the co-editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper, Athens Oracle. Ogburn is the co-editor-in-chief of her school’s newsmagazine, Nighthawk News Magazine.
Recognizing the strength of portfolios submitted this year, certificates of special recognition will also be distributed to Sadie Irby of Riverside High in Durham, Andy Bowman of North Buncombe High in Weaverville and Kat Gregg of First Flight High in Kill Devil Hills.
Since 2001, the North Carolina Press Foundation (NCPF) has funded the annual scholarship award in memory of Rachel Rivers-Coffey, former N.C. Press Association president.
NCPF will award a $3,000 scholarship to Chen. The three alternates will each receive $1,000.
The foundation will also award the winners’ journalism programs. The Journalist of the Year’s program will receive $500. The three alternates’ programs will each receive $250.
The Rivers-Coffey state scholarships and awards will be presented June 16-18 during the N.C. Scholastic Media Institute, a summer journalism workshop open to students and teachers across the state.
Chen will now represent the state in the National High School Journalist of the Year scholarship competition. Winners will be announced in April at the National High School Journalism Convention in Seattle.
https://ncsma.unc.edu/ncsma-news/