Offitzer Honored as New Jersey Journalist of the Year

Senior Adam Offitzer, a co-editor-in-chief of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High's "The Fanscotian" newspaper, was recently named the New Jersey High School Journalist of the Year by the Garden State Scholastic Press Association (GSSPA) and the winner of the New Jersey Press Association's Bernard Kilgore Memorial Scholarship, an award of $5,000.

Offitzer was recognized for his achievements at the New Jersey Press Night dinner held at the Marriott Hotel in Trenton in April, along with professional journalists from around the state who won awards for their work in local newspapers.

Winning the NJ Journalist of the Year award automatically entered Offitzer in the Journalism Education Association's national Journalist of the Year contest. He is only the third young journalist in SP-F High history to earn the distinction.

In addition, Offitzer's column in The Fanscotian, Up and Adam, won first-place honors from GSSPA. He was also selected to attend the Free Spirit Journalism Conference in Washington D.C., a week-long event in which one high school journalist from each state had a chance to explore possible careers in journalism.

"It's nice to know it's not just me who thinks I'm a decent writer. Winning these awards reassures me that I can have a successful career in journalism, despite what others say," Offitzer said.

In the fall he will be attending the University of Maryland, where he will major in journalism.