These Columbus area students won a total of more than $19,000 at Page One Awards

Yahoo

23-04-2025

More than 200 outstanding high school seniors in the Chattahoochee Valley were celebrated Tuesday night at the 50th annual Page One Awards.
Winners and runners-up in 14 categories were announced at the Bill Heard Theatre of the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts in Columbus. All the nominees were invited on stage to be applauded for distinguishing themselves with excellence in education and community service.
The nominees are from public and private high schools in Muscogee, Harris, Chattahoochee, Marion, Russell and Lee counties, as well as Phenix City. Panels of judges, comprising more than 40 community leaders, evaluate the applications and interview the candidates.
Cash awards amounting to more than $19,000 were given to the winners ($1,000) and runners-up ($300) in each category. That brings this program's 50-year total to approximately $950,000.
Established by the Ledger-Enquirer in 1976, the Page One Awards have been produced since 2019 by the Columbus public relations firm Media, Marketing and More, which took on full responsibility to raise money for the event in recent years.
'We made a promise to Page One's legacy and to our community: to carry it proudly to its 50th year and beyond,' Marquette McKnight, CEO of Media, Marketing and More, told the RiverCenter audience, 'because we, like you, believe this celebration is part of the fabric of who we are as a community.'
This year's Page One Awards were funded by presenting sponsor Piedmont Columbus Regional, along with Aflac, Columbus State University, Columbus Technical College, FABArts, Ledger-Enquirer, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts and Media, Marketing and More.
As she described the Page One Awards selection process to the crowd, McKnight put the combined accomplishments of the nominees in perspective.
'These high school seniors belong to dozens of honor societies,' she said. 'They lead more than 400 clubs, organizations, community groups, faith communities and nonprofits. They are smart, creative and brave. They have part-time jobs. They serve their fellow students and our communities. They tutor. They volunteer. They organize. They right wrongs. They do good. . . . Our entire region is proud of you and better because you are a part of it.'
In an email to the Ledger-Enquirer, McKnight explained why the Page One Awards doesn't have a teacher category this year.
'As we approached the 50th Anniversary of the Page One Awards, our research into the archives was fascinating,' she said. 'The program's original intent was to honor outstanding high school seniors by making them 'Page One' news in the printed newspaper.
'After 50 amazing years, it remains the only program that recognizes high school students from throughout the Chattahoochee Valley, both public and private schools, showcasing the students' scholarship, character, leadership, and service. With that 50-year legacy in mind, we focused on the original intention — celebrating and recognizing these outstanding students.'
For example, the Ledger-Enquirer features the journalism winner here:
Columbus High School senior Megan Taylor has 'demonstrated passion, focus and persistence through her journalism activities,' Andy Luker, creative director for Media, Marketing and More, told the audience as he announced the winner of the Page One Awards journalism category.
Those activities include:
CHS yearbook editor and main photographer.
Cofounder of the CHS TikTok page, which has generated over 887,500 likes and millions of views.
Raised money via a website for CHS soccer team's new merchandise
Started a web page for CHS media center to showcase the opportunities it offers.
Founded social media account and created content for CHS track & field team, which she captains.
Cofounded social media account created content for CHS cross country.
Helped public relations team for CHS student council, where she is president, post advertisements online.
Managed social media for CHS National Honor Society chapter.
Contributed to her church's media program in a various roles, such as voice-over narration, editing, casting and production.
Founded and owns MeganTStudios, a photography business.
'Megan was able to translate her journalism efforts into tangible outcomes and benefits for the school,' Luker said, 'and those efforts have inspired her to study communications in college and pursue a career in the field.'
In her Page One Awards application, Megan wrote, 'My ability to connect with people through effective communication is a gift that transcends boundaries. … Brick by brick, I have laid a foundation for the road I want to follow.
'… I hope to use the skills I've acquired through journalism and media to inform others and spark discussions about important political and social issues. I want to make complex topics more accessible and engaging so people feel empowered to take action and create positive change in their communities.'
After she walked off the stage with her award, Megan told the Ledger-Enquirer, 'I'm so excited. I'm so blessed to have been given this opportunity. I was definitely surprised, but I'm very happy about it.'
After deciding among scholarship offers from Emory University, Auburn University and Louisiana, State University, Megan's dream job is to work on the CNBC television financial news and talk show 'Squawk Box,' where she could combine her love of journalism with economics.
'Money makes the world go around,' she said. 'You have to understand it to know how to use it.'
And now that she has won this award, Megan has another career goal: to succeed in journalism enough to be a Page One judge and present the journalism category winner's trophy so she can motivate future aspiring journalists.
'I'm so appreciative of this opportunity to spotlight the achievements of so many people and the amazing things that we're doing,' she said. '. . . I hope they continue to do this.'
Here are the winners of the 2025 Page One Awards, followed by the runners-up, in each category (with their high school in parentheses):
Art: Ava Chang (Brookstone), Jayden Williams (Shaw)
Athletics: Alexandria Lofton (Columbus), Kennedi Gardner (Rainey-McCullers)
Business: Ella Hudson (Brookstone), Caitlyn Jones (Shaw)
Citizenship: Krislene Mimy-Matthews (Shaw), William Randall (Columbus)
Career, Technical and Agricultural Education: Maia Puckett (Columbus), Armando Mendieta Hidalgo (Shaw)
Drama: Nivea Riley (Shaw), Ashton King (Carver)
English and literature: Ann Nguyen (Columbus), Latrece Drayton-Washington (Jordan)
Journalism: Megan Taylor (Columbus), Annie Gong (Calvary)
Mathematics: Nancy Schley (Brookstone), Michael Ramos Jr. (Columbus)
Music: Hyerim Sim (Northside), Seogyeom Kim (Columbus)
Scholarship: Alexandra Greenfield (Northside), Erin Williams (St. Anne-Pacelli)
Science: Moatapari Agbere (Chattahoochee County), Olivia Hwang (Columbus)
Social studies: Gene Yoon (Columbus), Lane Miller (Harris County)
World languages: Ava Valadi (Brookstone), Trayton Coleman (Columbus).