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St. Olaf student receives Courage in Journalism Award

By Kari VanDerVeen
November 29, 2007

St. Olaf student Eric Sheforgen '11 recently was rewarded for his efforts to fight the censorship of his high school newspaper with the 2007 Courage in Journalism Award. Sheforgen, a graduate of St. Francis High School and former editor of the school's newspaper, received $5,000 as part of the award.

The Courage in Student Journalism Awards are presented each year to a student journalist and faculty member who have demonstrated exceptional determination and support for student press freedom, despite resistance or difficult circumstances.

In January, Sheforgen told the principal of St. Francis High School that he planned to run a photograph from a recent school play that showed the simulated destruction of an American flag. The photograph was to accompany an article about the school's decision to remove the photograph from the Performing Arts Center for fear of offending visitors.

Blue box
The principal told Sheforgen that he could not reprint the photograph and halted the production of the newspaper until the issue could be resolved. Fearing they might jeopardize the future of the newspaper if they didn't comply with the principal's demands, the newspaper staff members sent the issue to press without the photo. In place of the original article and image, Sheforgen ran a story detailing the restrictions placed on the paper with a blue box where the photograph would have gone.

His story gained national media attention, and Sheforgen became an impromptu spokesperson for the First Amendment rights of high school students. Negotiations with school officials resulted in a new process of editorial review for the newspaper that will allow for increased communication between students and administration.

The Courage in Student Journalism Awards are presented by the Newseum, the Student Press Law Center and the National Scholastic Press Association.

"We went through so much last year, so it was nice to be honored and recognized for the work we did," Sheforgen told the St. Paul Pioneer Press about winning the award. "Good things come back to people who fight for a good cause."

Contact Kari VanDerVeen at 507-786-3970 or vanderve@stolaf.edu.