“And the Gold Star goes to Coppell Student Media!”

Resounding cheers from staff members follow the announcement, as The Sidekick senior editor-in-chief Sri Achanta goes to claim the award. Similar cheers soon followed for KCBY-TV’s own Star Award, claimed by KCBY-TV senior producer Rachel Chang

During the weekend of April 19-21, the annual Interscholastic League Press Conference Spring Convention was held at the University of Texas at Austin.

The hundreds of student journalists and advisers who attended ILPC crowded the halls of the center of UT, each and every one of them representing a Texas scholastic journalism program, be it a school newspaper, yearbook or television station. 

Coppell Student Media won a Gold Online News Star Award and the Bronze Newspaper Star Award was awarded to The Sidekick. KCBY-TV won an ILPC Broadcast Bronze Star Award.  

“We compete with 6A schools and typically all your 6A schools are high performing,” KCBY-TV adviser Irma Kennedy said. “[But] every year our program gets stronger and stronger.”

Though the program had won the Star Awards for online and print news at the 2025 ILPC Spring Convention, the staff continues to work on their content.

“That’s what it’s about, celebrating each other and being proud of your work,” The Sidekick advisor, Chase Wofford said. “We worked hard this year and it feels good to end the year with those kinds of recognitions.”

Along with the program itself winning awards, various staff members were also awarded for their individual achievements. 

In addition to individual awards, four Sidekick staff members also won Tops in Texas, awarded to top student journalists in Texas across 1A to 6A schools. The Sidekick comic editor Minori Kunte won for Computer Art and Student Art/Cartoon, The Sidekick staff designer Nrithya Mahesh won for Entertainment Feature, The Sidekick staff writer Marli Field won for Entertainment Review and The Sidekick staff writer Rhea Choudhary won for Feature Photo.

“I was so excited,” Kunte said. “I’m very proud of where I’ve gotten to, and I think I’m better as a journalist because of it.”

The Sidekick has also improved its performance and content both online and in print. This is especially true with the podcast section, according to the staff.  

“We have podcasts that are winning awards left and right, which we’ve never done in the past,” Achanta said “As for print, we’ve gone to more of a standardized format, and that has made our papers a lot more cohesive.”

KCBY-TV has worked on improving the flow of the show, and its success has increased as the staff and executives get settled into their routines.

“I felt really proud of all the work that this program has put in,” Chang said. “Not just leadership and exec, but everyone on staff is so dedicated, and it really takes the entire program to make a show.”

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