Elphin student wins award for feature on war in Ukraine
Vikoriia Sydorova from Elphin Community College won silver at the Young Journalist Ireland awards, run by NewsBrands Ireland. Pic: Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography
An Elphin student has won an award for a feature on the war in Ukraine.
Vikoriia Sydorova from Elphin Community College won silver at the Young Journalist Ireland awards, run by NewsBrands Ireland. The winners of the awards were announced at a ceremony last week in the Aviva Stadium.
The awards celebrate the outstanding work of secondary school students across the country. Prizes were awarded across five categories, features, opinion, sports journalism, photojournalism, and school newspaper.
Vikoriia won silver in the features category. The judges described her piece as “a powerful first-person account of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its devastating impact on ordinary lives. Told with raw honesty, this piece brings readers directly into the fear, confusion, and heartbreak of war—starting from the disbelief of the night before the invasion to the air raid sirens, missile strikes, forced displacement, and ultimately, the painful but hopeful path to refuge in Ireland.
“What the author captures so beautifully is the contrast between horror and hope—how amidst the destruction, gardens are still planted, laughter still echoes in backyards, and dreams still find space to exist. This story reminds us that behind every headline is a human being, a family, a life interrupted but not broken.”
Now in its 13th year and formerly known as Press Pass, the Young Journalist Ireland programme reaches over 10,000 Transition Year students annually. The initiative is designed to build media literacy skills, foster critical thinking, and inspire the next generation of journalists. Students learn to assess sources, identify misinformation, and create their own journalism, guided by professional journalists and editors.
Elphin Community College said that it was immensely proud of Vikoriia and congratulated her on this exceptional achievement. “Her success is an inspiration to fellow students and highlights the power of youth voices in shaping tomorrow’s media landscape,” said a spokesperson.
