The Journalism Education Association has awarded AHS with the First Amendment Press Freedom Award. This honor is awarded annually by the JEA to a handful of schools across the nation. The award recognizes a school’s respect for First Amendment rights through student media, specifically focusing on press freedom.

To be considered for the award, there is a rigorous questionnaire that must be completed by multiple people, such as student editors, administrators and others involved in programs like yearbook and journalism.

“Each publication advisor and editor in chief filled out a questionnaire on whether or not we’ve been censored in publication,” said A-blast Editor in Chief Charles Simpson.

AHS publications are fair and unbiased because of the schools respect of the First Amendment. School administration demands little censorship of the publications of the school.

“We can make any video we want, and have the freedom to film students about mostly any topic we want,” said A-blast and yearbook videographer Greg Nielsen.

It is this freedom of speech that helps the A-blast to be a nationally recognized journalism program.

“I think the best students want to know that they can write about what they want, which comes from within,” said Journalism Teacher Alan Weintraut. “Freedom of the press is second nature to freedom of thought.”

The First Amendment Press Freedom Award is a great accomplishment for the entire AHS student media and faculty. It clearly shows in the students work that AHS strongly supports Freedom of the Press.