Nikko's Burgers
The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade
Nikko's Burgers
The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade
Nikko's Burgers
The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade
Then-sophomore Nate Barksdale (front row, second from left) holds the ACCOLADE ST sign in the newspaper staff photo that appears in the 1991-1992 yearbook. Unbeknownst to Barksdale, he would eventually ignite an Accolade staff yearbook photo tradition that would last nearly a decade.

DID YOU ALSO KNOW? The Accolade once had its own street sign — why and where is it now?

Alice Chae, Social Media Team & Staff Reporter • February 20, 2025

As a continuing feature, The Accolade delves into the origins of Sunny Hills culture or landmarks. Alongside the feature on the journalism program’s 65th year of publishing, we take a look at our own...

Graduating as the top of her class, senior Tiffany Elnitiarta committed to New York University, where she will be majoring in media, culture and communications.

CLASS OF 2024 VALEDICTORIAN Q&A: Tiffany Elnitiarta

Gerald Han, Videographer • May 23, 2024

The Class of 2024 produced 39 valedictorians, and The Accolade interviewed each to reflect on their high school journeys and thoughts. This is a full version of the Q&A, of which the preview is included...

Accolade staff writers junior Kayden Kim (left) and sophomore Kevin Lee work on creating magazine layouts for The Accolade’s upcoming May senior issue during fourth period Tuesday, April 17, in Room 138. With the creation of an honors Advanced Journalism course starting next school year, Kim, Lee and their peers on staff can be eligible to earn honors credit for taking this elective if they become an editor.

Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Advanced Journalism students eligible to earn honors credit

Aiden Park, Opinion Editor • April 25, 2024

For the first time in Sunny Hills history, students enrolled in Advanced Journalism are eligible to earn honors credit starting in the 2024-2025 school year. “It was a long and arduous process to...

Helios adviser Lindsay Safe presents the National Scholastic Press Association Pacemaker award to her fourth-period yearbook class on Friday, April 12, in Room 62. The award is for the 2022-2023 yearbook titled, “Honestly Who Says We Can’t?” making this the publication’s third such Pacemaker plaque.

Helios wins third Pacemaker award; The Accolade also earns national recognition

Dareen Hagekhalil, Staff Reporter • April 24, 2024

Helios won its third national award for its 2022-2023 yearbook during a Kansas City journalism convention earlier this month. “I was shocked at that; it was definitely a pleasant surprise,” said...

To celebrate the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Crown finalist nomination, The Accolade adviser Tommy Li presents a plastic container of Ferrero Rocher chocolates as a treat for staff members during the fourth period Advanced Journalism class on Wednesday, Dec. 20. Li wanted those on staff to know that regardless of any national award The Accolade will receive on Friday, March 15, he sees them as Gold Crown winners.

The Accolade, Helios earn Crown finalist nominations for second straight year from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association

Susie Kim, Web Editor-in-Chief • February 9, 2024

While the Columbia Scholastic Press Association [CSPA] marks its 100th spring convention anniversary in New York next month, The Accolade staff hopes the award ceremony held there will lead to its first...

Juniors Olivia Ko (center) and Euree Kim stand near their chalk drawings during fourth period in Advanced Placement Environmental Sciences teacher Wesley Fairall’s class between the 80s and 100s buildings on Tuesday, Nov. 14, when the network outage first hit districtwide. While the class usually works digitally, Fairall adjusted to the lack of internet access with the activity.

A LOOK BACK: The Accolade reflects on how last November’s network outage — confirmed on Friday, Jan. 12, as a ransomware attack — impacted the SH campus

Alexxa Berumen and Seowon Han • January 12, 2024

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association recognized Helios for its 2021-2022 yearbook titled “It’s Time. We’re Ready, Are You?” as a Crown finalist Dec. 14, 2022. The organization nominated both the yearbook program and The Accolade as Crown finalists and plans to announce the Gold Crown winners at the New York Convention March 15-17.

The Accolade, Helios recognized as finalists for national journalism award

Jiwoo Han, Opinion Editor • February 22, 2023

Four could become The Accolade’s favorite number if it ends up earning a Gold Crown from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association [CSPA] next month at an awards ceremony in New York.  The journalism...

The Sunny Hills Helios yearbook program has earned its fourth Pacemaker finalist nomination by the National Scholastic Press Association [NSPA]. The latest recognition – posted on the NSPA website Dec. 16 during final exam week last semester – is based on the 2020-2021 annual titled, “Don’t Stop Now. You Haven’t Tried This.” The staff will find out whether it’s a Pacemaker winner during the NSPA’s convention April 7-9 in Los Angeles.

For the second time in three years, Helios named Pacemaker finalist for 2020-2021 yearbook

Susie Kim, Web Editor-in-Chief • February 4, 2022

This story was updated with new information on Feb. 7 at 3:20 p.m. Of the 29 Helios staff members during the 2020-2021 hybrid/distance learning school year, only three students attended school in person....

Though the 2020-2021 yearbook will not be distributed until late June or early July, Helios released an image of its front cover with the theme “Don’t Stop Now. You Haven’t Tried This.” on its Instagram account (@shhshelios) April 30.

Helios makes modifications to 2020-2021 yearbook after transition to online instruction

Minjeong Kim, Feature Editor • May 21, 2021

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided an unreliable event timeline, Helios staffers had to make a series of adjustments to how they produce content, causing it to be delayed for distribution...

A group of Accolade editors and journalism adviser Tommy Li (right) celebrate Tuesday, March 9, after school outside the 130s wing their recent accomplishments, winning Best of Show plaques for newspaper and online from the Saturday, Feb. 20, Orange County Journalism Education Association writeoffs contest as well as earning the program's second Silver Crown plaque last spring from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Because of coronavirus-related campus restrictions, Li and his editors wore masks and remained six feet apart.

The Accolade’s online website wins Best of Show for first time in Orange County writeoffs contest; newspaper also earns Best of Show plaque for fifth straight year

Nevya Patel, News Editor • March 11, 2021

For the first time since The Accolade revived its news website in the 2018-2019 school year, the program swept the Orange County Journalism Education Association [OCJEA] Best of Show categories for Newspaper...

For the second time in as many years, the Helios staff earned Crown finalist honors but must wait until March to find out whether or not it will repeat as a Gold Crown winner.

Yearbook named Crown finalist for second straight year

Kate Yang, Editor-in-Chief • December 9, 2020

For a second consecutive year, a national journalism organization named the Helios yearbook a Crown finalist -- the only program to receive the award in Orange County, and one of three programs in Southern...

Helios editor-in-chief senior Anika Madan (first row, second video window from left) captures a historic moment -- the first virtual yearbook camp sponsored by Herff Jones on July 25, the camp's first day. Traditionally held at California State University, Long Beach, the July 25-29 Yearbooks by the Beach offers publications students sessions ranging from staff bonding to theme brainstorming. A total of 23 of the 33 Helios yearbook staffers attended the event to prepare for the 2020-2021 annual's production, which now will take place during fifth instead of sixth period.

Yearbook class changes from sixth to fifth period to accommodate schedule conflicts

Alice Shin, Managing Editor • September 3, 2020

After three years of the award-winning Helios yearbook class being held during period six, it has switched back to fifth period this school year, joining other electives like the Associated Student Body...

Load More Stories
Donate to The Accolade
$775
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal