Headline Writing Invitational Meet A • 2016

Story 1 — Write: 2-line headline counting 20-26

After four school buses broke down last week, the district struck a temporary agree-
ment with the city to use the city buses for two months.
“All four buses have major issues and can’t be fixed overnight,” Principal Tess
Gonzalez said. “But our students still need transportation daily.”
The school district bus drivers will continue to drive the routes, using the city buses.
You are a copy editor
“The buses drive the same, but the city buses have air-conditioning,” bus driver Gil
for the Leaguetown
Sands said. “It definitely will be nice, especially in the afternoon.”
Press, the student
Sophomore River Brown said he wouldn’t mind riding in the city buses for the
newspaper of League-
rest of the year.
town High School. “They are really nice and much cooler,” he said. “Maybe the district could put air
conditioners in our buses while they are getting fixed.”
Write the headline as-
signed for each of the Story 2 — Write: 3-line headline with each line counting 10-17
given six stories. Use The cosmetology class is having a $5 special on manicures for the month of Febru-
the following system: ary. Students and staff can make appointments during lunch in Room 204.
all upper and lower The class offers appointments before and after school.
case letters, spaces, “The manicures take about 20 minutes each, so we can schedule about 10 a day,”
punctuation marks and senior Rashawn Gregg said. “We just bought a bunch of new spring colors. People will
symbols count as 1. have a lot of choices.”
Capitalize the first letter Normally, manicures cost $10. Tipping is not allowed.
of the first word of each “Even the regularly-priced manicure is a great deal,” science teacher Dolly Itzle said.
headline. You may use “The girls do an amazing job. I am always happy with my results.”
either upstyle (capitaliz-
ing the first letter of ev- Story 3 — Write: 1-line headline counting 24-32
ery word) or downstyle Counselor Nicki Flowers is starting an after-school yoga club for interested students.
(capitalizing the first let- The club is going to meet on Mondays and Thursdays starting Feb. 8.
ter of the first word and “Several students have talked to me about stress and how to handle it,” Flowers
the first letter of proper said. “Yoga is a great way to de-stress yourself. I am not a certified yoga teacher, but I
nouns only thereafter). have been doing yoga for more than 10 years.”
Remember that main Flowers said the club will explore the different types of yoga through both practice
headlines belong on the and study.
“I have several yoga CDs that will lead us through a yoga session,” she said.
top line and secondary
Junior Cassondra Sanders said she is looking forward to the first meeting.
headlines belong under
“I did yoga a few times with my stepmom, and it was peaceful and relaxing,” she said.
the main headline. You
have 45 minutes.

Do not write your name

or the name of your
school on this sheet or
your entry. Put your
number on your paper.
 2016 INVITATIONAL A HEADLINES • PAGE 2

Story 4 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 14-20 and a 2-line secondary headline with
each line counting 22-28
The school cafeteria just got a little smoother.
Well, smoothier.
Cafeteria manager Gail Hester added a smoothie bar to the cafeteria on Monday. Students can choose from 10
varieties of smoothies for under $2.50 each.
“It’s another healthy option for students,” Hester said. “We had hoped to have the smoothie stand open at the
beginning of the school year, but we were waiting on contracts so the costs would be low.”
Junior Hobart Reynolds said he’s bought a smoothie every day this week.
“It’s a great value,” he said. “I’ve tried three different kinds. So far my favorite is the strawberry kale smoothie.”
Hester said all of the fruits and vegetables are either organic or locally grown.
“That was very important to us,” she said. “It took us a bit longer to get this type of produce, but it’s definitely
worth it.”

Story 5 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 12-18 and a 2-line secondary headline with each
line counting 15-21
Instead of buying chocolates or flowers this Valentine’s Day, the Student Council is hoping to convince students
to make a heart donation instead.
From Feb. 8-12, the Student Council will be accepting donations for the American Heart Association. Students
who donate at least $5 will get a heart to post in the hall.
“Students can write their boyfriend or girlfriend’s name on the heart, and we will write the amount donated,”
Student Council president Chastidy Evans said. “It’s more romantic to give a donation that can help find a cure for
heart disease than to give flowers that will die in a day or two.”
The group hopes to raise $2,000 for the AHA.
“Last year when math teacher Gerardo Cortes died from a heart attack, the family asked for donations to the AHA
instead of flowers,” Evans said. “That got us thinking. We thought it would make for a great fundraiser.”

Story 6 — Write: 1-line headline counting 26-32

The teachers will be without a teacher’s lounge for the rest of the school year due to the fire this week. Apparently,
the coffee maker was left on overnight and sparked a small fire in the kitchenette of the lounge.
“Luckily, the fire didn’t spread further than the sink area,” Principal Tess Gonzalez said. “We will have to close
down the lounge so the district can repair the room.”
Gonzalez said she is going to set up a few tables in the copy room for teachers who don’t have a classroom or for
teachers who lose their classroom during their planning period.
“Because of overcrowding issues, we use almost every classroom every period of the day,” she said. “We don’t have
another room to open for teachers, but we are going to try to make the copy room as comfortable as possible. Unfor-
tunately, it’s just not that big.”
 2016 INVITATIONAL A HEADLINES • KEY PAGE 1

DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING THE CONTEST!

INVITATIONAL A • 2016
HEADLINE WRITING CONTEST TIPS AND SAMPLES
Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest
and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immedi-
ate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judges.

1. Headline writing is different than the other contests. It is suggested you pace yourself. You have about 7
1/2 minutes for each headline. Don’t watch the clock, but be aware of the time you are taking to complete a
headline. It is better to have four or five good headlines rather than six mediocre ones.

2. When writing the headline, first highlight or underline all the important words in the story. Then write a sen-
tence based on those highlighted words.

3. After you have your first sentence, go back and begin editing out words. If you have a multi-line headline,
separate the lines at a recommended area. This means you should not split phrases or ideas. Make sure all
types of phrases — noun, verb, adverbial, adjective and prepositional phrases especially — are on the same line.
Continue eliminating words until you get to a point where the headline fits. It may be necessary to re-write the
headline one or more times or to take a different approach before you get the key idea. Remember to eliminate
all unnecessary words such as article adjectives (a, an, the). In many cases a comma (,) can substitute for the
word “and.”

4. You may use a thesaurus or dictionary, either bound or electronic. You may write in block letters. You should
not be penalized for inconsistency in upstyle or downstyle.

5. Make sure you are within the prescribed count. Under no circumstances should you go over the maximum
count. Judges are instructed to disqualify any headline under and over the prescribed count.

6. Write headlines using active verbs in either present, future or present perfect tense. Follow the style of the
headline — if it is a fun story, write a fun headline; if it is a serious story, write a serious headline.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for creativity or cuteness.

8. Normally, the main headline is used to grab the reader’s attention. It is not necessary, although it is possible,
to have a verb in the main headline when you have a secondary headline. The secondary headline should do
one of two things: emphasize the significant aspects of the story or emphasize the unusual.

9. Please note that AP does not have a style dealing with headlines. Most newspapers create their own style;
so using numbers or spelling them out is acceptable either way as long as the writer is consistent.

The following are additional basic headline rules for you to follow:
• avoid starting the headline with a verb
• always use single quotes
• avoid using the same word twice in a headline
• use active verbs, not passive verbs
• try to write in present or future tense
• avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• do not end the headline with a period
 2016 INVITATIONAL A HEADLINES • KEY PAGE 2

STORY #1

District to use city buses 26

until repairs completed 23

STORY #2

Cosmetology class 17
hosts $5 special 16
on manicures 12

STORY #3

Counselor launches yoga club 28

STORY #4

A smooth start 14
Cafeteria opens drink bar 25
adding healthy lunch choice 27

STORY #5

Romancing a cure 16
Fundraiser to collect 21
for heart association 21

STORY #6

Staff lounge closed due to fire 31

 Headline Writing Invitational Meet B • 2016
Story 1 — Write: 2-line headline counting 20-26
Because of a computer error, students will have to revote for Student Council
officers next Friday during third period. More than 50 percent of the votes were lost
when the computer server crashed.
“We back up most everything on campus, but we didn’t think to back up the votes
because we only needed the count for a day or two,” technology director Rita Ybarra said.
You are a copy editor
Student Council sponsor Quita Prater said she will release a schedule by Wednesday
for the Leaguetown
for teachers so they know when to bring their class to the computer lab.
Press, the student
“We’ve learned our lesson,” Prater said. “Ms. Ybarra is going to back up the votes
newspaper of League-
after each class finishes.”
town High School. Sophomore Heather Hester said she is frustrated by the revote.
“I am running for treasurer, and I already took down all of my posters because I
Write the headline as- thought the election was over,” she said. “Now I am afraid people won’t vote for me.”
signed for each of the
given six stories. Use Story 2 — Write: 3-line headline with each line counting 10-17
the following system: After surveying students about classes for next year, Principal Ted Enos said the
all upper and lower course sheets will have more choices in March, including a computer graphics class
case letters, spaces, and an auto tech class.
punctuation marks and “Our electives were not meeting the needs of our students,” Enos said. “We will
symbols count as 1. not necessarily offer every class on the choice sheet, but if a new class has enough en-
Capitalize the first letter rollment, we will do our best to find a teacher for it.”
of the first word of each Junior Todd Lewis said he suggested an auto tech course on the survey.
headline. You may use “When my cousin was in high school he took an auto tech course, and now he’s
either upstyle (capitaliz- working as a part-time mechanic to pay for his college,” Lewis said. “He makes a lot
ing the first letter of ev- more money than working in the college library.”
ery word) or downstyle
(capitalizing the first let- Story 3 — Write: 2-line headline with each line counting 16-23
ter of the first word and Rather than holding one week-long fundraiser like selling candy or cookie dough,
the first letter of proper the freshman class opted to open a school store for the rest of the year. The store will
nouns only thereafter). sell school supplies like pens, paper, notebooks, etc., and it will open next week.
Remember that main “It was Ms. (Beverly) Cast’s idea,” freshman class president Shilo Tavertine said.
headlines belong on the “She said students always come to her class unprepared, so we think the store will be
a great fundraiser and a great service to the students.”
top line and secondary
The store will be in the old custodian closet near the front office and will be open
headlines belong under
from 7:30 to 8 a.m. and during both lunches.
the main headline. You
“We thought we might have issues getting people to work the store, but we have
have 45 minutes.
the entire month covered, and we didn’t have to beg,” Tavertine said.
Do not write your name
or the name of your
school on this sheet or
your entry. Put your
number on your paper.
 2016 INVITATIONAL B HEADLINES • PAGE 2

Story 4 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 13-19 and a 2-line secondary headline with
each line counting 18-24
When junior Heidi Shroot attended the Smitherton Barbecue Cook-off last weekend, she didn’t think it would
be a dangerous adventure for her and her boyfriend. But she was wrong.
Shroot was knocked out cold by a flying brisket.
When she awoke, she was surrounded by medical technicians who were trying to assess the damage.
“I didn’t see it coming at all,” she said. “One minute I was walking to another booth, and the next I was down on
the ground. I don’t remember being hit at all.”
Apparently, two men who were sharing a smoker started arguing over which brisket was theirs. One of the men
got so frustrated that he flung the brisket out of the smoker into the crowd of people.
“I saw something coming at us, and I tried to pull Heidi down,” her boyfriend senior Zach Lipon said. “But I
reacted too late. The brisket hit Heidi smack in the face.”
Shroot suffered a minor concussion and decided not to press charges against the meat flinger.
“The guy who threw the meat was so apologetic,” she said. “He offered to buy me a new shirt, and Zach and I can
eat at his restaurant for free all year.”

Story 5 — Write: 2-line headline with each line counting 18-24

Vandals defaced the outside of the school gym this past weekend, spray painting inappropriate words and comments
about head basketball coach Willie Nielson. School officials hope to have the brick walls cleaned by Tuesday afternoon.
“The police think they know who did the graffiti,” Principal Ted Enos said. “The outside security cameras got
good shots of all of the vandals.”
This is the second time the school has been vandalized this year. After the first time when windows were broken
and trash was dumped all over the front of the school, the school board voted to add security cameras to the outside
of the building.
“The district definitely made a good investment with the cameras,” Enos said.
Sophomore Rusty Herrod said he didn’t even know the school had outside security cameras.

Story 6 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 10-18 and a 1-line secondary headline with
counting 25-32
Two years ago Kierstan Russell and Madeline Witzel made history at the high school when they became the first
twins to teach here. Now, they are making history again.
Both Russell and Witzel are pregnant, and both are having twins.
“We are due within two weeks of each other, so we decided to get our sonograms on the same day,” Russell, a math
teacher, said. “I went in first with my husband and, when we came out, Madeline knew something was up. Our faces
gave us away.”
Russell announced she was having twins. Then Witzel went in for her sonogram.
“I couldn’t stop laughing when the nurse told my husband and I we were having twins, too,” Witzell, an English
teacher said.
The sisters celebrated that night with a huge dinner party with their friends and family.
“We waited until everyone sat down for dinner before making our big announcement,” Witzell said. “Then, Kier-
stan brought out a chalk board and wrote two plus two equals. My mom was the first to get it. She started screaming,
‘four, four! Two sets of twins!’”
 2016 INVITATIONAL B HEADLINES • KEY PAGE 1

DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING THE CONTEST!

INVITATIONAL B • 2016
HEADLINE WRITING CONTEST TIPS AND SAMPLES
Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest
and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immedi-
ate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judges.

1. Headline writing is different than the other contests. It is suggested you pace yourself. You have about 7
1/2 minutes for each headline. Don’t watch the clock, but be aware of the time you are taking to complete a
headline. It is better to have four or five good headlines rather than six mediocre ones.

2. When writing the headline, first highlight or underline all the important words in the story. Then write a sen-
tence based on those highlighted words.

3. After you have your first sentence, go back and begin editing out words. If you have a multi-line headline,
separate the lines at a recommended area. This means you should not split phrases or ideas. Make sure all
types of phrases — noun, verb, adverbial, adjective and prepositional phrases especially — are on the same line.
Continue eliminating words until you get to a point where the headline fits. It may be necessary to re-write the
headline one or more times or to take a different approach before you get the key idea. Remember to eliminate
all unnecessary words such as article adjectives (a, an, the). In many cases a comma (,) can substitute for the
word “and.”

4. You may use a thesaurus or dictionary, either bound or electronic. You may write in block letters. You should
not be penalized for inconsistency in upstyle or downstyle.

5. Make sure you are within the prescribed count. Under no circumstances should you go over the maximum
count. Judges are instructed to disqualify any headline under and over the prescribed count.

6. Write headlines using active verbs in either present, future or present perfect tense. Follow the style of the
headline — if it is a fun story, write a fun headline; if it is a serious story, write a serious headline.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for creativity or cuteness.

8. Normally, the main headline is used to grab the reader’s attention. It is not necessary, although it is possible,
to have a verb in the main headline when you have a secondary headline. The secondary headline should do
one of two things: emphasize the significant aspects of the story or emphasize the unusual.

9. Please note that AP does not have a style dealing with headlines. Most newspapers create their own style;
so using numbers or spelling them out is acceptable either way as long as the writer is consistent.

The following are additional basic headline rules for you to follow:
• avoid starting the headline with a verb
• always use single quotes
• avoid using the same word twice in a headline
• use active verbs, not passive verbs
• try to write in present or future tense
• avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• do not end the headline with a period
 2016 INVITATIONAL B HEADLINES • KEY PAGE 2

STORY #1

StuCo revote on Friday 22

due to computer crash 21

STORY #2

School to add 13
more electives 14
to choice sheets 16

STORY #3

Freshmen to open 16
school supply store 19

STORY #4

When cows fly 13

Thrown brisket knocks 21
sophomore out cold 18

STORY #5

Vandals deface gym, 19

cameras yield suspects 22

STORY #6

Double down 11
Twin teachers make history again 32
 Headline Writing District 1 Meet • 2016
Story 1 — Write: 2-line headline with each line counting 15-21
A long-awaited resurfacing project at the tennis courts will begin June 1. Crews will
repair cracks, level and smooth surfaces and improve drainage.
The project was originally scheduled to start Dec. 1, but inclement weather, both
rain and ice, delayed the work.
“We have played on substandard courts for more than a year now,” tennis coach
You are a copy editor Cole Jefferson said. “The delay was not the district’s fault, but this project should have
for the Leaguetown been started last summer.”
Press, the student Junior Jeff Kaden said the condition of the courts has affected the team.
newspaper of League- “It’s tough to practice when the ball hits one of our big cracks and goes wild,” he
town High School. Write said. “We practiced on city courts most of the year.”
the headline assigned
for each of the given six Story 2 — Write: 3-line headline with each line counting 10-18
stories. Use the follow- The Chevon Company named senior Luke Copler its grand prize winner of the
ing system: all upper 2016 Tito Tractor Restoration Competition. Copler won $10,000 and a trip to Louis-
and lower case letters, ville, Ky., for him and his family.
spaces, punctuation “I am stunned,” Copler said. “I spent the majority of my senior year working on my
marks and symbols grandpa’s 1957 tractor. It hadn’t worked since 1985. It was definitely a labor of love.”
count as 1. Capitalize More than 3,000 high school students entered the competition this year.
the first letter of the “Luke’s restoration was as close to perfect as I’ve seen,” contest director Colby Street
first word of each head- said. “He has a future in this field if he chooses to pursue it.”
line. You may use either Copler and his parents will fly to Louisville in June to receive his plaque and check.
upstyle (capitalizing Copler said his grandfather sparked his interest in tractors.
the first letter of every “When I was little, I used to spend hours with him as he worked on his tractors,”
word) or downstyle he said. “Grandpa always did his own repairs, so I learned almost everything from him.”
(capitalizing the first let-
Story 3 — Write: 2-line headline with each line counting 21-28
ter of the first word and
Class of 1985 Leaguetown graduate Charles Shaw has challenged seniors to design
the first letter of proper
and execute a senior project that focuses on school or community improvement. Shaw
nouns only thereafter).
will reward the top three projects with a $3,000 scholarship each.
Remember that main “I wanted to give back to my alma mater, and this seems like the perfect plan,” said
headlines belong on the Shaw, the owner and CEO of Shaw Engineering. “Not only can three students win,
top line and secondary but the community and school district wins, too.”
headlines belong under More than 100 seniors have signed up for the challenge. Senior Rashad Evans said
the main headline. You he is designing a project to improve community parks.
have 45 minutes. Do “I don’t want to give any of the details, but I am focused on the parks,” he said.
not write your name or “Even if I don’t win, this is a great thing to do. Mr. Shaw has seniors motivated to help.
the name of your school That’s pretty awesome.”
on this sheet or entry. Principal Alan Cummings said Shaw will announce the winners at graduation.
Put your number NOT “I wish we would have started this challenge in the fall, but I have been extremely
YOUR NAME on your impressed with the projects seniors are taking on,” Cummings said. “They are think-
paper. ing ‘big.’”
 2016 DISTRICT1 HEADLINES • PAGE 2

Story 4 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 12-19 and a 2-line secondary headline with
each line counting 18-24
Senior Richie Potter is never going to leave his car windows open during school again.
On Friday, when Richie jumped in his car to head home after school, he wasn’t alone.
“As soon as I started to pull out of my parking space, I felt a tiny hand on my shoulder,” Richie said. “I jumped
and screamed — which was exactly the wrong thing to do.”
The little hand, attached to a big raccoon, started scratching and slapping at Richie.
“I threw the car into park and jumped out,” he said. “I was screaming the entire time.”
Assistant Principal Sheryl Filler, who witnessed the scene, ran over to Richie and was able to coax the raccoon out
of the car into a large box.
“We wanted to have animal control check out the raccoon and place him where he needs to be,” she said.
After the raccoon was trapped, Richie and Filler went to the emergency room where Richie received his first round
of rabies shots.
“The raccoon looked fine, but the doctors and my parents were taking all precautions,” he said. “I could have
done without the shots, but I understand their point. One thing I am sure of — I will always close my car windows.”

Story 5 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 22-28 and a 1-line secondary headline counting
26-32
One Thing. Two Thing. Red Fish. Blue Fish.
Dr. Seuss is back. Or at least, he’s back in the hallways.
When students returned from the one-week spring break, they discovered newly-painted lockers. The traditional
blue lockers were painted with scenes from Dr. Seuss books. It was an Art Club surprise.
“The art students had the idea after seeing a video about students who painted murals throughout the school,”
art teacher Maribel Gomez said. “We got the go-ahead from the administrators and worked long crazy hours during
spring break to surprise everyone.”
Students were definitely surprised.
“Part of Thing One is on my locker,” senior Sydney Repo said. “I love it. The halls look so much different — better
different.”
Junior Cassie Yedder said the paintings have changed the mood in the hallways.
“Before, everyone would grumble in the hallways about classes and work and stuff like that,” she said. “How can
anyone be upset now when they have the Cat in the Hat looking right at them? Everyone seems so much happier.”

Story 6 — Write: 1-line headline counting 26-32

The Student Council is sponsoring a Walk-A-Thon Against Bullying next Friday at Bonner Park. The money raised
will be donated to 1-800-No Bully(ing), the national hotline for youths threatened by bullying.
Registration for the10K walk is $5 for those 18 and younger and $10 for 19 and older.
“We want to continue to bring awareness to this issue,” Student Council president Chloe Stamps said. “We also
want to be a part of the solution by helping the hotline.”
Stamps said they kept the registration cost low so more students could participate.
“Participants can always add a donation to their registration fee if they want,” Stamps said. “We are not going to
turn any money away.”
The hotline needs almost $1 million a year to provide services to youth across the nation.
“Donations keep us alive,” hotline director Trenton Stiles said. “Last year, we received more than 100,000 phone
calls from youth who needed help. I like to think a lot of young people are alive today because we were there to answer
their call. We were there to answer the call because of people like Chloe and the other council members.”
 Contestant’s Number

District 1 Meet • 2016

Headline Writing Entry Sheet
All letters (upper and lower case), numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and spaces count as one (1). Place one letter or other unit in the appropriate
spaces below. Remember to leave spaces between words. Note that the number of lines you are given on this sheet corresponds to the number of lines
required for each headline. Write your number on the upper right-hand corner of this sheet.

■ Headline Number 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

■ Headline Number 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

■ Headline Number 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 Contestant’s Number

■ Headline Number 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING THE CONTEST!
DISTRICT 1 • 2016
HEADLINE WRITING CONTEST TIPS AND SAMPLES
Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest
and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immedi-
ate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judges.

1. Headline writing is different than the other contests. It is suggested you pace yourself. You have about 7
1/2 minutes for each headline. Don’t watch the clock but be aware of the time you are taking to complete a
headline. It is better to have four or five good headlines rather than six mediocre ones.

2. When writing the headline, first highlight or underline all the important words in the story. Then write a sen-
tence based on those highlighted words.

3. After you have your first sentence, go back and begin editing out words. If you have a multi-line headline,
separate the lines at a recommended area. This means you should not split phrases or ideas. Make sure all
types of phrases — noun, verb, adverbial, adjective and prepositional phrases especially — are on the same line.
Continue eliminating words until you get to a point where the headline fits. It may be necessary to re-write the
headline one or more times or to take a different approach before you get the key idea. Remember to eliminate
all unnecessary words such as article adjectives (a, an, the). In many cases a comma (,) can substitute for the
word “and.”

4. You may use a thesaurus or dictionary, either bound or electronic. You should maintain consistency between
upstyle and downstyle. You may write in block letters.

5. Make sure you are within the prescribed count. Judges are instructed to disqualify any headline that is over
or under the prescribed count.

6. Write headlines using active verbs in either present, future or present perfect tense. Follow the style of the
headline — if it is a fun story, write a fun headline; consequently, if it is a serious story, write a serious headline.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for creativity or cuteness.

8. Normally, the main headline is used to grab the reader’s attention. It is not necessary, although it is possible,
to have a verb in the main headline when you have a secondary headline. The secondary headline should do
one of two things: emphasize the significant aspects of the story or emphasize the unusual.

9. Please note that AP does not have a style dealing with headlines. Most newspapers create their own style,
so using numbers or spelling them out is acceptable either way as long as the writer is consistent.

The following are additional basic headlines rules for you to follow:
• avoid starting the headline with a verb
• generally avoid using names
• always use single quotes
• avoid using the same word twice in a headline
• use active verbs, not passive verbs
• try to write in present or future tense
• avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• do not end the headline with a period
 2016 DISTRICT 1 HEADLINES • PAGE 2

STORY #1

Tennis court repairs 20

to begin June 1 15

STORY #2

Senior restores 15
1957 tractor, 13
wins $10,000 12

STORY #3

Seniors vie for scholarships 28

with service projects 21

STORY #4

Backseat bandit 15
Raccoon surprises senior 24
who left windows open 21

STORY #5

Just what the Dr. ordered 25

Locker art delights students 28

STORY #6

StuCo to host anti-bullying walk 32

 Headline Writing District 2 Meet • 2016
Story 1 — Write: 2-line headline with each line counting 20-26
The school will close two hours early Friday so the district can replace windows
broken during the hail storm last week. All buses will depart at 2:15 p.m.
“Replacing the windows is a loud process,” Principal Bill Yorbin said. “It was going
to be so disruptive that we decided to end the school day early.”
Yorbin said he expects the crew will finish within a few hours.
You are a copy editor “The district didn’t want to replace the windows on the weekend because it would
for the Leaguetown have had to pay overtime,” Yorbin said.
Press, the student Also, rain is in the forecast this weekend, he said.
newspaper of League- “Some of the windows have huge cracks,” Yorbin said. “If we don’t get them fixed
town High School. Write before this storm system moves in, then we will be replacing more than windows.”
the headline assigned The hail storm last month damaged 28 windows in the school.
for each of the given six
stories. Use the follow- Story 2 — Write: 3-line headline with each line counting 9-17
ing system: all upper The girls powderpuff flag football championship game has been moved from the
and lower case letters, practice football field to the stadium because of pre-ticket sales. The game will be at 2
spaces, punctuation p.m. Saturday.
marks and symbols “We have sold more than 200 tickets already,” Principal Bill Yorbin said. “The
count as 1. Capitalize bleachers on the practice field will only hold about 120 people.”
the first letter of the The seniors, named the Deadly Divas, will play the undefeated Junior Mints.
first word of each head- “It’s going to be an intense game,” Diva quarterback Shelly Pollard said. “The Mints
line. You may use either are fast, but we have better receivers.”
upstyle (capitalizing Junior Ethan Siles said he’s “pumped” that the principal moved the game.
the first letter of every “This is going to be a huge game,” Siles said. “The girls have been trash-talking all
word) or downstyle week, and everyone wants to go. I heard Coach [Fred] Ramsey is even hiring real referees.”
Tickets are $3 pre-game and $5 at the gate.
(capitalizing the first let-
ter of the first word and
Story 3 — Write: 1-line headline counting 26-32
the first letter of proper
To control the traffic jams after school, the school will open all four exits in the
nouns only thereafter).
student parking lot for the rest of the school year.
Remember that main “We thought if we only opened one exit at the end of the day, we could have a more
headlines belong on the uniform dismissal,” Principal Bill Yorbin said. “And it is uniform, but it’s too slow.”
top line and secondary To direct traffic, Yorbin said the administrators will be in the parking lot after
headlines belong under school each day.
the main headline. You “We are going to direct particular sections to particular exits,” he said. “We want
have 45 minutes. Do students to use the closest exits even if that’s not their preferred exit.”
not write your name or Senior Tommy Long said opening the exits is overdue.
the name of your school “Last week it took me 30 minutes just to leave the parking lot,” he said. “That’s
on this sheet or entry. insane. I never understood why we only opened up one exit.”
Put your number NOT
YOUR NAME on your
paper.
 2016 DISTRICT2 HEADLINES • PAGE 2
Story 4 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 12-19 and a 2-line secondary headline with
each line counting 18-24
To avoid the risk of being too risque, Mr. Leaguetown pageant officials have altered the swimsuit portion of next
week’s competition. All males may now wear grass hula skirts with their bathing suits.
“It’s definitely better this way,” senior Pete River said. “I felt naked during rehearsals, standing on stage in my
speedo. Plus, the hula skirt adds a little extra flair.”
Senior Robbie Benton said his mother is working on his hula skirt.
“When the officials told us last night that we could wear a skirt, I was so psyched,” he said. “But I don’t want a
regular, plain hula skirt. My mom is adding flowers and beads. It’s going to blow the judges away.”
The male participants will compete in three categories — formal wear, talent and bathing suit.
“My cousin won last year, so I have some family pressure to bring home the crown,” Benton said. “I plan to wear
his lucky garter.”

Story 5 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 14-21 and a 1-line secondary headline counting
26-32
Junior Kaitlyn Moss dreamed of seeing a humpback whale, but she never wanted to swim with one.
Somehow, Kaitlyn did both over spring break.
While she and her dad were kayaking at Moss Landing in California, a bay known for humpback whale viewing,
a whale landed on the front of their boat, toppling Kaitlyn and her dad into the water.
“We were kayaking so we could get a better view of the whales,” she said.
Neither Kaitlyn nor her father were hurt, but the pair had a difficult time climbing back into the kayak.
“The water was pretty rough after a second whale broke the surface, so we just hung onto the kayak and watched,”
she said. “It was the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.”
With her waterproof camera, Kaitlyn took pictures of the second whale surfacing.
“I would have been devastated if I hadn’t gotten any photos,” she said. “I didn’t get any photos of the first whale,
but some tourists on another boat shot video. They sent it to my dad last week. It’s wild. You can see my dad and me
fly into the air as the huge whale slammed our kayak.”

Story 6 — Write: 1-line headline counting 26-32

After participating in her church’s handbell musical group, sophomore Trudy Easten decided to start a club, and
in only one semester, it has grown to more than 20 participants. The club will have its first performance at 7 p.m.
Friday in the school auditorium. The concert is free.
“I am still amazed at how big our group grew and how talented our group is,” Easten said. “We are going to perform
nine songs Friday night. A few girls from choir are going to sing during our last song.”
Easten’s church, Graceline Church, donated two sets of bells to the group.
“Without the donation, I don’t think we could have the club,” Easten said. “Handbells cost about $1,000 per set.
Our bells are not fancy, but they have great sound.”
Junior Tamika Keys joined the group two months ago and will perform in two songs at the concert.
“I’ve never played an instrument, so I thought it would take a long time to learn,” she said. “But it didn’t. I love
the sounds of the bells. It’s so beautiful and soothing.”
 Contestant’s Number

District 2 Meet • 2016

Headline Writing Entry Sheet
All letters (upper and lower case), numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and spaces count as one (1). Place one letter or other unit in the appropriate
spaces below. Remember to leave spaces between words. Note that the number of lines you are given on this sheet corresponds to the number of lines
required for each headline. Write your number on the upper right-hand corner of this sheet.

■ Headline Number 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

■ Headline Number 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

■ Headline Number 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 Contestant’s Number

■ Headline Number 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING THE CONTEST!
DISTRICT 2 • 2016
HEADLINE WRITING CONTEST TIPS AND SAMPLES
Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest
and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immedi-
ate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judges.

1. Headline writing is different than the other contests. It is suggested you pace yourself. You have about 7
1/2 minutes for each headline. Don’t watch the clock but be aware of the time you are taking to complete a
headline. It is better to have four or five good headlines rather than six mediocre ones.

2. When writing the headline, first highlight or underline all the important words in the story. Then write a sen-
tence based on those highlighted words.

3. After you have your first sentence, go back and begin editing out words. If you have a multi-line headline,
separate the lines at a recommended area. This means you should not split phrases or ideas. Make sure all
types of phrases — noun, verb, adverbial, adjective and prepositional phrases especially — are on the same line.
Continue eliminating words until you get to a point where the headline fits. It may be necessary to re-write the
headline one or more times or to take a different approach before you get the key idea. Remember to eliminate
all unnecessary words such as article adjectives (a, an, the). In many cases a comma (,) can substitute for the
word “and.”

4. You may use a thesaurus or dictionary, either bound or electronic. You should maintain consistency between
upstyle and downstyle. You may write in block letters.

5. Make sure you are within the prescribed count. Judges are instructed to disqualify any headline that is over
or under the prescribed count.

6. Write headlines using active verbs in either present, future or present perfect tense. Follow the style of the
headline — if it is a fun story, write a fun headline; consequently, if it is a serious story, write a serious headline.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for creativity or cuteness.

8. Normally, the main headline is used to grab the reader’s attention. It is not necessary, although it is possible,
to have a verb in the main headline when you have a secondary headline. The secondary headline should do
one of two things: emphasize the significant aspects of the story or emphasize the unusual.

9. Please note that AP does not have a style dealing with headlines. Most newspapers create their own style,
so using numbers or spelling them out is acceptable either way as long as the writer is consistent.

The following are additional basic headlines rules for you to follow:
• avoid starting the headline with a verb
• generally avoid using names
• always use single quotes
• avoid using the same word twice in a headline
• use active verbs, not passive verbs
• try to write in present or future tense
• avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• do not end the headline with a period
 2016 DISTRICT 2 HEADLINES • PAGE 2

STORY #1

School to end early Friday 26

for window replacement 22

STORY #2

Powderpuff game 15
moved to stadium 16
due to big crowd 16

STORY #3

Four exits now open after school 32

STORY #4

Skirting the issue 18

Pageant makes changes 21
to swimsuit competition 23

STORY #5

Whale, hello there 18

Humpback topples junior into bay 32

STORY #6

Handbell concert set for Friday 31

 DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING THE CONTEST!
DISTRICT 2 • 2016
HEADLINE WRITING CONTEST TIPS AND SAMPLES
Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest
and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immedi-
ate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judges.

1. Headline writing is different than the other contests. It is suggested you pace yourself. You have about 7
1/2 minutes for each headline. Don’t watch the clock but be aware of the time you are taking to complete a
headline. It is better to have four or five good headlines rather than six mediocre ones.

2. When writing the headline, first highlight or underline all the important words in the story. Then write a sen-
tence based on those highlighted words.

3. After you have your first sentence, go back and begin editing out words. If you have a multi-line headline,
separate the lines at a recommended area. This means you should not split phrases or ideas. Make sure all
types of phrases — noun, verb, adverbial, adjective and prepositional phrases especially — are on the same line.
Continue eliminating words until you get to a point where the headline fits. It may be necessary to re-write the
headline one or more times or to take a different approach before you get the key idea. Remember to eliminate
all unnecessary words such as article adjectives (a, an, the). In many cases a comma (,) can substitute for the
word “and.”

4. You may use a thesaurus or dictionary, either bound or electronic. You should maintain consistency between
upstyle and downstyle. You may write in block letters.

5. Make sure you are within the prescribed count. Judges are instructed to disqualify any headline that is over
or under the prescribed count.

6. Write headlines using active verbs in either present, future or present perfect tense. Follow the style of the
headline — if it is a fun story, write a fun headline; consequently, if it is a serious story, write a serious headline.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for creativity or cuteness.

8. Normally, the main headline is used to grab the reader’s attention. It is not necessary, although it is possible,
to have a verb in the main headline when you have a secondary headline. The secondary headline should do
one of two things: emphasize the significant aspects of the story or emphasize the unusual.

9. Please note that AP does not have a style dealing with headlines. Most newspapers create their own style,
so using numbers or spelling them out is acceptable either way as long as the writer is consistent.

The following are additional basic headlines rules for you to follow:
• avoid starting the headline with a verb
• generally avoid using names
• always use single quotes
• avoid using the same word twice in a headline
• use active verbs, not passive verbs
• try to write in present or future tense
• avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• do not end the headline with a period
 2016 DISTRICT 2 HEADLINES • PAGE 2

STORY #1

School to end early Friday 26

for window replacement 22

STORY #2

Powderpuff game 15
moved to stadium 16
due to big crowd 16

STORY #3

Four exits now open after school 32

STORY #4

Skirting the issue 18

Pageant makes changes 21
to swimsuit competition 23

STORY #5

Whale, hello there 18

Humpback topples junior into bay 32

STORY #6

Handbell concert set for Friday 31

 Headline Writing Regional • 2016
Story 1 — Write: 2-line headline with each line counting 20-26
This month, four members of the marching band started a new club, Songs for
Smiles, to raise money for instruments for younger students who can’t afford to buy
them. The club’s first fundraising event will be at 7 p.m. Friday, April 29, in Joe’s Ge-
neric Coffee Shop on Main Street.
Admission will be free, but the club will accept donations.
You are a copy editor “We will play mostly a jazz set at Joe’s,” said club founder and junior Margaret
for the Leaguetown Walters. “As we play, one of our club members will pass around a donation jar.”
Press, the student Walters said the club has five other gigs set for the summer. The goal is to raise
newspaper of League- $1,000 to help five incoming freshmen purchase or rent instruments for the fall.
town High School. Write “We are a pretty rich school, and people forget that we have students here in need,”
the headline assigned Walters said. “If the band director hadn’t found me financial help, I would have never
for each of the given six been able to be in band. It’s time for me to pay it forward.”
stories. Use the follow-
ing system: all upper Story 2 — Write: 3-line headline with each line counting 10-17
and lower case letters, Due to the theft of equipment over the weekend, biology teacher Pace Jackman
spaces, punctuation postponed the April 28 Biology II field trip until mid-May. Assailants broke into the
marks and symbols school shed and stole nets and specimen jars.
count as 1. Capitalize “It’s kind of hard to believe that someone stole our biology supplies, but that’s
the first letter of the what happened,” Jackman said. “There wasn’t much resale value in that stuff, so I am
first word of each head- a little perplexed about the theft.”
line. You may use either Principal Lori Gonzalez said the school will replace the stolen items, but the field
upstyle (capitalizing trip is on hold until the supplies arrive.
the first letter of every “It’s kind of hard to collect specimens without nets and jars,” she said. “We are
word) or downstyle looking at May 13 for the field trip.”
Officer Stan Roller is investigating the theft and said the assailants also took fishing
(capitalizing the first let-
poles and wading gear that belonged to the Outdoor Club.
ter of the first word and
the first letter of proper
Story 3 — Write: 1-line headline counting 26-32
nouns only thereafter). The school will debut its new, bigger electronic marquee this Monday. Allen Elec-
Remember that main tronics donated the marquee after the old one was damaged in January by lightening.
headlines belong on the “We are so grateful to Allen Electronics,” Principal Lori Gonzalez said. “I never
top line and secondary realized how much our community relied on the marquee until it was gone.”
headlines belong under The new marquee will be approximately 30 percent bigger and display four more
the main headline. You lines of text for viewers.
have 45 minutes. Do “We will be able to get more information out to our community,” Gonzales said.
not write your name or “Plus, the new one is painted in our school colors, purple and silver. It’s quite beauti-
the name of your school ful for a marquee.”
on this sheet or entry. Logan Style, the owner of Allen Electronics, said he was happy to donate the marquee.
Put your number NOT
YOUR NAME on your
paper.
 2016 REGIONAL HEADLINES • PAGE 2
Story 4 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 12-19 and a 2-line secondary headline with
each line counting 18-24
As the leading basketball scorer for the state in 2016, junior Darryl Butters was named Athlete of the Year for the
school district. No surprise there. But it was a huge surprise for him when he was asked to train for free with former
Dallas Mavericks guard Steve Nash at his basketball summer camp.
“When my mom told me about the phone call from Steve Nash, I thought she was just messing with me,” Butters
said. “Then she started giving me all of the details, and I figured she must be telling the truth.”
Butters will attend Nash’s three-week camp in Dallas at Southern Methodist University in July.
“The camp costs like $2,500 a week,” Butters said. “I am on full scholarship. I couldn’t believe it. My mom would
never have been able to afford this. It’s a dream come true.”
The brochure for the camp describes it as “an elite training program where athletes will receive one-on-one instruc-
tion” from former professional players and college athletes.
“This is, by far, one of the best training programs in the nation,” varsity basketball coach Aaron Till said. “Play-
ers come from all over the United States, and it’s a huge application process. Athletes have to send videos, letters of
recommendation and more. Darryl doesn’t have to do any of that.”
Butters said he is “a little nervous” about attending.
“Steve Nash is my hero,” Butters said. “I like to think I play a little like him. He was ranked as one of the top players
in NBA league history in three-point shooting, free-throw shooting, total assists and assists per game.”

Story 5 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 14-21 and a 1-line secondary headline counting
26-32
After turning in his paperwork to retire at the end of the school year, math teacher Tyrone Jones did not expect
to see the cheerleading squad in the hallway ready to celebrate his 42-year teaching career with two cheers and a dance
to “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” by Silento.
And the cheerleaders certainly didn’t expect Jones, who is 75 years old, to join them.
But that’s what he did.
“My great nephew loves that song, and last Christmas he spent our entire visit teaching me the moves,” Jones said.
“My ‘stanky leg’ probably wasn’t as good as the cheerleaders, but I held my own.”
By the time the song was over, the hallways were filled with students and teachers.
“For an older guy, Mr. Jones can move,” junior Derrick Roads said.
Principal Lori Gonzalez alerted the cheerleaders to Jones’s retirement and asked them to plan the celebration for him.
“Ms. Gonzalez knew Mr. Jones was turning in his paperwork today,” cheerleader Veronica Bailey said. “And we
were ready. We had no idea Mr. Jones had ever even heard the song. Then he started dancing. It was wild.”
Gonzalez said the school will host a formal retirement party for Jones in late May.
“He knows he’s getting a retirement party, so I wanted to surprise him with something special today,” she said.
“But he was the one who surprised us.”

Story 6 — Write: 1-line headline counting 26-32

After a request from the senior class officers, Principal Lori Gonzalez agreed to allow senior Fiona Harris to sit on
stage during graduation and shake seniors’ hands after they receive their diploma.
Harris, a 21-year-old special education student with Down’s Syndrome, also will graduate this year.
“Every senior knows and loves Fiona,” senior class president Shelly Lockridge said. “And I think Fiona knows the
name of every senior. She’s certainly hugged most of us.”
Lockridge said the senior class officers came up with the idea after watching Fiona don the mascot costume for a
basketball game.
“I have never seen the crowd so pumped up during a girls’ basketball game,” Lockridge said. “The stands were
packed, and most people were there just to support Fiona.”
Harris’ parents, Marge and Bill Harris, said they were speechless when Gonzalez asked their permission.
“Fiona loves that school and every student in it,” Bill Harris said. “We knew students liked her, but we never
imagined they would give her such a huge honor. She was beyond thrilled when her mother and I told her the news.”
 Contestant’s Number

Regional Meet • 2016

Headline Writing Entry Sheet
All letters (upper and lower case), numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and spaces count as one (1). Place one letter or other unit in the appropriate
spaces below. Remember to leave spaces between words. Note that the number of lines you are given on this sheet corresponds to the number of lines
required for each headline. Write your number on the upper right-hand corner of this sheet.

■ Headline Number 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

■ Headline Number 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

■ Headline Number 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 Contestant’s Number

■ Headline Number 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING THE CONTEST!
REGIONAL • 2016
HEADLINE WRITING CONTEST TIPS AND SAMPLES
Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest
and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immedi-
ate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judges.

1. Headline writing is different than the other contests. It is suggested you pace yourself. You have about 7
1/2 minutes for each headline. Don’t watch the clock but be aware of the time you are taking to complete a
headline. It is better to have four or five good headlines rather than six mediocre ones.

2. When writing the headline, first highlight or underline all the important words in the story. Then write a sen-
tence based on those highlighted words.

3. After you have your first sentence, go back and begin editing out words. If you have a multi-line headline,
separate the lines at a recommended area. This means you should not split phrases or ideas. Make sure all
types of phrases — noun, verb, adverbial, adjective and prepositional phrases especially — are on the same line.
Continue eliminating words until you get to a point where the headline fits. It may be necessary to re-write the
headline one or more times or to take a different approach before you get the key idea. Remember to eliminate
all unnecessary words such as article adjectives (a, an, the). In many cases a comma (,) can substitute for the
word “and.”

4. You may use a thesaurus or dictionary, either bound or electronic. You should maintain consistency between
upstyle and downstyle. You may write in block letters.

5. Make sure you are within the prescribed count. Judges are instructed to disqualify any headline that is over
or under the prescribed count.

6. Write headlines using active verbs in either present, future or present perfect tense. Follow the style of the
headline — if it is a fun story, write a fun headline; consequently, if it is a serious story, write a serious headline.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for creativity or cuteness.

8. Normally, the main headline is used to grab the reader’s attention. It is not necessary, although it is possible,
to have a verb in the main headline when you have a secondary headline. The secondary headline should do
one of two things: emphasize the significant aspects of the story or emphasize the unusual.

9. Please note that AP does not have a style dealing with headlines. Most newspapers create their own style,
so using numbers or spelling them out is acceptable either way as long as the writer is consistent.

The following are additional basic headline rules for you to follow:
• avoid starting the headline with a verb
• generally avoid using names
• always use single quotes
• avoid using the same word twice in a headline
• use active verbs, not passive verbs
• try to write in present or future tense
• avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• do not end the headline with a period
 2016 REGIONAL HEADLINES • PAGE 2

STORY #1

Songs for Smiles to host 24

first fundraiser Friday 23

STORY #2

Theft delays 12
biology trip 12
until mid-May 13

STORY #3

Donated marquee to debut Monday 31

STORY #4

Nothing but Nash 16

Senior wins opportunity 23
to train with NBA star 22

STORY #5

One last dance 14

Jones whips into retirement 27

STORY #6

Senior receives graduation honor 32

 Headline Writing State Meet • 2016
Story 1 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 10-16 and a 2-line
secondary headline with each line counting 18-24
Harvard. Princeton. Yale. And the list goes on. Five more.
Valedictorian Iziah Quintana was accepted to all eight Ivy League universities,
and at Honor’s Day next week, he will finally announce which school he has selected.
“I never intended to apply to all eight, but each had a different draw,” Quintana
You are a copy editor said. “And I never thought I would be accepted to all of them. I was hoping I would
for the Leaguetown hear positively from one or two.”
Press, the student Quintana said making the decision was extremely tough.
newspaper of League- “All of them offered me a substantial amount of scholarship money, and I have
town High School. Write spoken to alumni from all of the eight schools,” he said. “My mom says I can’t make a
the headline assigned bad choice. I hope she’s right.”
for each of the given six Quintana said he hasn’t even told his parents which university he’s chosen.
stories. Use the follow- “They know I am leaning toward two schools,” he said. “They support my decision
ing system: all upper and think it will be fun to find out at the awards ceremony, too.”
and lower case letters,
spaces, punctuation Story 2 — Write: 3-line headline with each line counting 9-17
marks and symbols Four seniors advanced to the UIL State Academic Meet in journalism held at the
count as 1. Capitalize University of Texas at Austin. It is the first time the school has had a student advance
the first letter of the to state in journalism.
first word of each head- “We have a student competing in each of the four contests,” journalism coach
line. You may use either Bobbi Hawthorne said. “If they all place, it is quite possible they can win team, too.”
Senior Randy Vonder won third at regionals in headlines and hopes to do even
upstyle (capitalizing
better at the state meet.
the first letter of every
“I would love to bring home first or second,” he said. “I’ve been practicing all
word) or downstyle
week. My brain is pretty fried, but I think I have at least six more good headlines in it.”
(capitalizing the first let-
Hawthorne said she will stock up on gummy bears for the three-hour bus ride to
ter of the first word and Austin.
the first letter of proper “The team loves gummy bears and swears the bears are their writing muses,” Haw-
nouns only thereafter). thorne said. “All of the students were excellent writers before we started taking gummy
Remember that main bears to meets, but I definitely don’t want to mess with the team’s mojo.”
headlines belong on the
top line and secondary Story 3 — Write: 2-line headline with each line counting 18-24
headlines belong under Given the green light by her doctors yesterday, senior Allie Diamond will be able
the main headline. You to pitch at the UIL State Softball Tournament next week.
have 45 minutes. Do During the regional semifinal, the starting pitcher suffered a concussion when she
not write your name or was stealing second base. She was hit in the head by a wild throw.
the name of your school “I didn’t black out completely, but everything was really fuzzy for a few minutes,”
on this sheet or entry. Diamond said.
Put your number NOT Her doctor benched her for the regional game against West High School. The team
YOUR NAME on your won the game 4-0 without Diamond.
paper. “I may not have pitched, but I certainly cheered louder than anyone at the game,”
Diamond said. “It hurt not to play, but I knew the team could win without me.”
Varsity coach Jill Elkand said she is thrilled to have Diamond back for state.
“Not only is Allie an incredible pitcher, but she’s batting a .402 right now,” Elkand
said.
 2016 STATE HEADLINES • PAGE 2
Story 4 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 15-21 and a 2-line secondary headline with
each line counting 18-24
Advanced Placement history teacher Daniel Rowles promised his students a field trip if every student attended at
least one after school study session for the AP test.
They all did, so on Monday, Rowles will take them to the historic Oakfield Cemetery in Oakfield, Texas. It wasn’t
exactly the field trip the students were expecting.
“Mr. Rowles wouldn’t tell us where we would go,” junior Mandy Jimenez said. “He just promised a really cool field
trip. I thought he was kidding when he announced that it was to a cemetery.”
Rowles said the Oakfield Cemetery is “a really cool field trip.”
“I mean, people are dying to get in there,” he chuckled. “Seriously, though, the cemetery has so much history to
share. We are going to have a special tour of the grounds, and our tour guide will talk about the architecture, the burial
practices and even the reason for so many deaths in one particular year.”
Junior Marcy Bruffle said she wasn’t excited when she first heard about the field trip, but now the idea is growing
on her.
“It’s a really old cemetery,” she said. “Some of the headstones date back to the 1800s. If I can get over the creepi-
ness of being in a cemetery, I think I will actually learn a lot.”

Story 5 — Write: 1-line main headline counting 10-16 and a 1-line secondary headline counting
26-32
With construction on the student parking lot beginning Monday, crew chief Stan Soler thought he was prepared.
His crew worked all weekend putting up signs to redirect student traffic around the construction.
“We are working on the exit, so we had to move all traffic to our new exit,” Soler said. “We put up 10 temporary
signs to ensure clear instructions.”
His plan was flawless until the final sign. Students were directed to go right out of the new parking lot exit instead
of left. A right turn sent all of the cars into a dead end.
“It was a nightmare once we realized what was going on,” he said. “We had more than 30 student cars stuck in this
dead end, and more were headed the same way.”
Soler said his construction crew quickly turned into traffic cops.
“We had every crew member helping get the students out,” he said.
Junior Gage Draper said he was one of the first cars to follow the sign to the dead end.
“Everyone pretty much followed me out,” he said. “Then, there were so many cars I couldn’t turn around to try
to get out. It was crazy.”

Story 6 — Write: 1-line headline counting 26-32

After enduring two rattlesnake bites while on a jog in Trail Creek Park, science teacher Natalie Pho appears to
be on the mend. Pho was moved from the Intensive Care Unit at Leaguetown Hospital to a regular room last night.
“The doctors say her recovery is quite remarkable, and we hope to have her home in a few days,” Bruce Pho, her
husband, said.
Mr. Pho said his wife was jogging her usual 10-mile route when a cyclist lost control and forced her into the high
grass. As soon as she ran into the grass, she said she felt two quick pricks and then searing pain in her right calf.
“She started screaming, and the cyclist rushed over to help,” her husband said. “The guy called for an ambulance,
and Natalie had an anti-venom shot within 15 minutes of the bites.”
Dr. Shai Tsur said he administered four more anti-venom shots after she arrived at the hospital.
“We feared she might lose part of her leg,” Dr. Tsur said. “Both bites were severe. Mrs. Pho has made a remarkable
recovery, and I believe she will be 100 percent in a month or two.”
Dr. Tsur said a quick recovery is unusual for rattlesnake bite victims.
“Often our patients have long roads to recovery,” he said. “And at times, we’ve had to amputate limbs. Mrs. Pho
is very lucky, indeed.”
 DO NOT DISTRIBUTE TO STUDENTS BEFORE OR DURING THE CONTEST!
State• 2016
Headline Writing Contest Tips and Samples
Contest Director: Give one copy to each judge to use during critique/judging. Also, staple one copy of the contest
and one copy of the contest tips to each student’s returned entry. The purpose of the tips is to provide immedi-
ate feedback to students. However, it is not meant to replace written comments from the judges.

1. Headline writing is different than the other contests. It is suggested you pace yourself. You have about 7
1/2 minutes for each headline. Don’t watch the clock but be aware of the time you are taking to complete a
headline. It is better to have four or five good headlines rather than six mediocre ones.

2. When writing the headline, first highlight or underline all the important words in the story. Then write a sen-
tence based on those highlighted words.

3. After you have your first sentence, go back and begin editing out words. If you have a multi-line headline,
separate the lines at a recommended area. This means you should not split phrases or ideas. Make sure all
types of phrases — noun, verb, adverbial, adjective and prepositional phrases especially ­— are on the same line.
Continue eliminating words until you get to a point where the headline fits. It may be necessary to re-write the
headline one or more times or to take a different approach before you get the key idea. Remember to eliminate
all unnecessary words such as article adjectives (a, an, the). In many cases a comma (,) can substitute for the
word “and.”

4. You may use a thesaurus or dictionary, either bound or electronic. You should maintain consistency between
upstyle and downstyle. You may write in block letters.

5. Make sure you are within the prescribed count. Judges are instructed to disqualify any headline that is over
or under the prescribed count.

6. Write headlines using active verbs in either present, future or present perfect tense. Follow the style of the
headline — if it is a fun story, write a fun headline; consequently, if it is a serious story, write a serious headline.

7. Do not sacrifice accuracy for creativity or cuteness.

8. Normally, the main headline is used to grab the reader’s attention. It is not necessary, although it is possible,
to have a verb in the main headline when you have a secondary headline. The secondary headline should do
one of two things: emphasize the significant aspects of the story or emphasize the unusual.

9. Please note that AP does not have a style dealing with headlines. Most newspapers create their own style,
so using numbers or spelling them out is acceptable either way as long as the writer is consistent.

The following are additional basic headlines rules for you to follow:
• avoid starting the headline with a verb
• generally avoid using names
• always use single quotes
• avoid using the same word twice in a headline
• use active verbs, not passive verbs
• try to write in present or future tense
• avoid unfamiliar abbreviations
• do not end the headline with a period
 2016 STATE HEADLINES • PAGE 2

 STORY #1

No bad choice 13
Valedictorian to reveal 23
Ivy League selection 20

 STORY #2

Seniors advance 15
in journalism, 14
make LHS history 16

 STORY #3

Doctor releases Diamond 23

to play in state tourney 24

 STORY #4

A trip to die for 17

AP history class to tour 24
Oakfield Cemetery Monday 24

 STORY #5

Left is right 13
Awry traffic sign causes jam 28

 STORY #6

Pho recovering after snake bites 32

 Contestant’s Number

State Meet • 2016

Headline Writing Entry Sheet
All letters (upper and lower case), numbers, punctuation marks, symbols and spaces count as one (1). Place one letter or other unit in the appropriate
spaces below. Remember to leave spaces between words. Note that the number of lines you are given on this sheet corresponds to the number of lines
required for each headline. Write your number on the upper right-hand corner of this sheet.

■ Headline Number 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

■ Headline Number 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 Contestant’s Number

■ Headline Number 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 5
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

main headline

secondary headline

■ Headline Number 6
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
 2016 Headline State Champions
1A  HEADLINE   Isaac Segura, Gorman HS

Story  1:  
Eight  in  all  
Every  Ivy  League  accepts  
senior;no  decision  yet  

Story  2:  
Seniors  advance  
in  journalism,  
to  go  to  state  

Story  3:  
Doctors  release  senior  
after  mild  concussion  

Story  4:  
Rowling  in  his  grave  
Teacher  awards  students  
with  trip  to  cemetery  

Story  5:  
End  of  the  line  
Crew  causes  traffic  for  students  

Story  6:  
Teacher  survives  snake  attack  

2A  HEADLINE   Tanner Keeton, West Texas HS

Story  1:  
Above  And  Beyond  
Valedictorian  To  Reveal  
Ivy-­‐League  Selection  

Story  2:  
Four  Students  
Advance  To  State  
In  Journalism  UIL  

Story  3:  
Senior  Released  To  Pitch  
In  State  Tournament  

Story  4:  
Death  By  Studying  
Teacher  Takes  Students  
On  Cemetery  Field  Trip  

Story  5:  
Wrong  Directions  
School  Misguides  Student  Traffic  

Story  6:  
Teacher  Recovers  From  Snake  Bite  

3A  HEADLINE   Avery Caddell, Paradise HS

Story  1:  
‘Iziah’  Genius?  
Valedictorian  To  Decide  
On  Ivy  League  School  

Story  2:  
Seniors  Make  
School  History,  
Qualify  For  State  

Story  3:  
Injured  Senior  Recovers,  
Will  Pitch  At  State  

Story  4:  
Killer  Surprise  
Teacher  Rewards  Students  
With  Cemetery  Field  Trip  

Story  5:  
A  Bad  Sign  
Students  Directed  to  Dead  End  

Story  6:  
Teacher  Survives  Two  Snake  Bites  

4A  HEADLINE   Alyssa Chavez, Connally HS

Story  1:  
Top  honors  
Senior  to  announce  
chosen  Ivy  League  school  
Story  2:  
4  seniors  advance  
to  UIL  state  meet,  
for  journalism  

Story  3:  
Doctors  allow  for  senior  
to  pitch  at  UIL  state  

Story  4:  
A  trip  to  die  for  
AP  students  to  visit  
cemetery,  learn  history  

Story  5:  
Flawed  de-­‐sign  
Crew  helps  cars  sent  to  dead  end  

Story  6:  
Pho  to  recover  from  snake  bites  

5A  HEADLINE   Leslie Puente, Roma HS

Story  1:  
Ivy  Draft  Day  
Valedictorian  selects  
school  at  honor’s  day  

Story  2:  
Four  seniors  head  
to  UIL  State  meet  
in  journalism  

Story  3:  
Senior  pitcher  cleared  
just  in  time  for  state  

Story  4:  
Six  Feet  Under!  
AP  History  students  
tour  Oakfield  Cemetery  

Story  5:  
Wrong  Turn  
Sign  mishap  gets  students  stuck  
Story  6:  
Teacher  recovers  from  snakebites  

6A  HEADLINE   John Thornton Lindsey, Montgomery HS

Story  1:  
Green  with  Ivy  
Valedictorian  accepted  
by  entire  Ivy  League  

Story  2:  
Journalism  team  
heads  to  State  
for  first  time  

Story  3:  
Softball  player  returns  
after  concussion  scare  

Story  4:  
Creeping  Excitement  
Class  to  take  trip  
to  historic  cemetery  

Story  5:  
Right  is  Wrong  
Parking  sign  mishap  creates  jam  

Story  6:  
Teacher  heals  from  snake  bite