8 US Students Inducted Into International Journalism Society

Eight Benjamin students were inducted into the inaugural chapter of the Quill and Scroll Society the afternoon of February 3 during an informal ceremony in Benjamin Hall. The School was granted a charter to establish the International Honorary Society for High School Journalists. 

The organization was founded in 1926 at the University of Iowa “for the purpose of encouraging and recognizing individual student achievement in journalism and scholastic publication,” according to the organization’s website. Since its inception, more than 11,300 high schools in all 50 states have joined the Society.

Benjamin juniors and seniors were selected from all three branches of media arts at the Upper School: newspaper, yearbook, and broadcast production. The eight inaugural members were nominated by their advisors and required to be in the top third of their class, have at least three semesters of journalism experience, and hold a leadership role. 

Inductees heard remarks from keynote speaker and Chief Development Officer Juan Carlos Fanjul '93, a former Emmy-award winning journalist, who stressed the importance of continuing to ask the important questions regardless of what field students ultimately pursue. 

Chapter advisor Dr. John Peruggia said he was thrilled to bring the new multimedia organization to Benjamin. 

“We hope this new charter will entice students to try to use their voices more in the community and draw them to media arts,” said Peruggia. 

Peruggia joins Director of Multimedia Productions Ken Archer and Director of the Learning Commons/yearbook advisor Kristen Hewitt as the chapter’s advisors. 

Congratulations to the organization’s founding members.

Gerald Bissell

Catherine Civitella

Tvisha Goel

Evan Liberman
Sophia Liporace

Charles Spungin

Sydney Steinger

Tyler Taplett