Palo Alto High School journalism and English teacher Esther Wojcicki has won the “excellence in teaching” award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the Palo Alto Weekly reports. Wojcicki received the Charles O’Malley Award for Excellence in Teaching, which is named after a director and benefactor of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and signifies “stellar achievement in the teaching of student journalists,” according to the association.

The award was presented March 18 at Columbia University’s conference on high school journalism in New York.

At the same conference, Palo Alto High School’s student newspaper, the Campanile, and student magazine, Verde, won a silver crowns, while the online website The Paly Voice received a gold crown.

The Berkeley High Jacket Online from Berkeley High School won a silver crown in the national competition.

Above, Esther Wojcicki, right, and the staff of the Palo Alto High School Campanile receive an award from C. Bruce Watterson, chair of Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Committee on Judging Practices. Photo by Rebecca Castillo, CSPA staff.