MMI Preparatory School’s Head of School, Mrs. Theresa Long, is proud to announce that Maia Laverty ’28 has been named a regional winner in Yearbook Sports Writing in the Pennsylvania School Press Association (PSPA) Student Journalism Competition. As a result of her outstanding work, Maia will advance to the PSPA State Finals on March 16 at Penn State University.

Maia earned her regional distinction recently after competing in October, when Academic Dean Mrs. Jennifer Novotney’s Creative Writing class traveled to Bloomsburg University to participate in a PSPA Regional Competition. During the event, students heard from professional journalist guest speakers before completing a timed writing assignment based on prompts designed for yearbook and literary magazine submissions. Student entries from each regional competition are not immediately scored. Instead, submissions from all eight PSPA regional competitions across Pennsylvania are evaluated together, with select students chosen to advance to the State Level. Maia’s sports writing stood out among competitors statewide, earning her a place in the finals.

“These competitions closely reflect authentic journalism experiences,” said Mrs. Novotney. “Students are asked to respond to real prompts under time constraints, apply a strong journalistic voice, and write with clarity and purpose. Maia’s success is a testament to the writing skills our students are developing at MMI, and their ability to rise to a rigorous academic challenge.”

The PSPA Student Journalism Competition is one of the most respected scholastic journalism programs in the state, designed to encourage excellence in student writing, reporting, and publication.

“We are incredibly proud of Maia and all of our students who represented MMI through this competition,” said Mrs. Long. “Their dedication, creativity, and confidence reflect the strength of our academic programs and the passion our students bring to their work. Maia’s achievement is a moment of true MMI pride.”