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Journalism award leaves teen ‘speechless’
5/9/2008 2:47 AM   0 comment(s) on this story E-mail this story to a friend

By ROB NOVITSenior writerOlivia McNeil didn’t join South Aiken High School’s newspaper staff until her senior year last fall, but she made the most of the opportunity.She served as business manager, wrote articles and took pictures.“She’s one of the most conscientious students I’ve ever had,” newspaper adviser Melissa Allgood said.Much to her surprise and appreciation, McNeil received the Sharon Jean Johnson Journalism Scholarship this week. In 2004 Karen and Carlos Garcia established the five-year award – $500 presented to a South Aiken senior annually – in honor of Johnson following her retirement.Johnson taught at South Aiken for 24 years and served as yearbook adviser the entire time. Her last editor was the Garcias’ son Michael, a recent Clemson University graduate.McNeil is also headed to Clemson as an engineering major.“The newspaper staff has been an awesome experience,” she said. “I got to know so much more about my school. This award is amazing. I’m just speechless.”The scholarship criteria usually calls for a minimum of two years experience with the school newspaper, yearbook or literary magazine. However, Allgood contacted the Garcias, asking them to consider McNeil.“She has been such a great business manager,” Allgood said. “She organized all the invoices for me and still wrote the same number of articles. Every day she would ask me what I needed her to do.”Johnson said she literally begged for the yearbook position when South Aiken opened its doors for the first time.“I got a chance to meet young people in ninth grade and watch them grow in the areas of leadership,” she said. “We worked shoulder to shoulder and I made so many friendships out of that.”Michael Garcia symbolized the process of a student emerging as a leader, said Johnson. He had the ability to work well with people and always got their input in working through any problems.His parents, said Johnson, “were so supportive. Their decision to honor me in this way is the epitome for me to hand that legacy down to other young people.”


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