“We have the best newspaper website and the best literary magazine in the state,” junior Brittany Cho said.

At the recent Florida Scholastic Press Association State convention held in Orlando, West Shore brought home two of the five “Sunshine Standout” (best of show) awards along with numerous other personal awards.

Cho, editor in chief of the “Alter Ego” literary magazine and managing editor of The Roar, was in tears when she learned the news.

“I can’t believe how far we’ve come,” she said. “A couple of years ago I wouldn’t have even dreamed that we could have reached this standard. It’s kind of unbelievable.”

Along with winning the “Sunshine Standard” award for westshoreroar.com and the literary magazine, The Roar print news magazine won fourth place in the state.

Senior Cole Alcock entered in a Feature Photography contest and won first place.

“I was so surprised when they called my name,” he said. “I didn’t enter the contest, [yearbook editor] Nikki [Gregory] did it for me so when they called my name, it was a shock. I was happy to accept the award.”

The winners of the other contestants can be seen below:

FSPA Sunshine Standout

Alter Ego– First Place: Literary Magazine

The Roar– First Place: Website

The Roar– Fourth Place: Newspaper/Newsmagazine

 Overall publication critique

All Florida:

Arcadia 2011

The Roar 2011-2012

 Individual All Florida winners

Micah Weber– Newspaper Feature

Sarah Day– Newspaper Feature

Sarah Day– Newspaper Feature

Felicia Solazzo–Newspaper Infographic

Aalekhya Tenali–Newspaper Sports Feature

Millie Rosasco, Maddie Dimond–Newspaper Infographics

Staff–Newspaper Front-Page Layout

 Individual Excellent winners

Carleigh Walter–Newspaper Front-Page Layout

Dana Brown–Newspaper Commentaries

Brittany Cho–Newspaper Feature

Sommer Hidy–Newspaper Sports Feature

Lesley Wright–Newspaper Commentaries

Jennifer Garrido–Newspaper Commentaries

Maddie Dimond–Newspaper Review

 Individual Honorable Mention winners

Sam Lack– Honorable Mention: Sports Commentary

Maddie Dimond– Honorable Mention Newspaper Review

Millie Rosasco–Honorable Mention Newspaper Feature

Millie Rosasco–Excellent Newspaper Review

Marley Butcher– Excellent Newspaper Review

 FSPA Carry-In

Cole Alcock– First Place: Sports Photography

Carleigh Walter–Second Place: Newspaper/Newsmagazine Sports

Carleigh Walter– Second Place: Newspaper/Newsmagazine Cover

Kelly Stokes– Third Place: Editorial Cartooning

 FSPA On-The-Spot

Carleigh Walter, Nikki Gregory(Arcadia)– First Place: Team Yearbook

Ciera Misner, Lauren Dietl– Third Place: Mixed Company

Carleigh Walter– Honorable Mention: Mixed Company