McCracken County High School (MCHS) students excelled at the Kentucky Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) State Finals, held April 23, 2025, inside Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY. The Mustang team brought home multiple first-place trophies and impressive recognitions, showcasing their talent and creativity in various technology and media-related categories.
Senior Sofia Rinella had an outstanding performance, earning a first-place trophy in the Manipulated Image category for her piece titled Ambiguous. In addition, her tutorial video, Using QuickTime to Screen Record, placed second in the Tutorial Video category. Sofia also had the honor of presenting Mustang TV’s field trip to local elementary schools, where she showcased the program’s commitment to inspiring young minds in broadcast news across the state.
Senior Amelia Lundberg claimed first place in Digital Element Design for her creation, Angel Studios, demonstrating her strong design skills and innovative vision.
Junior Parker Leet secured first place in Digital Photography with his breathtaking photo titled Canadian Landscape, captured during his vacation in Canada.
As a team, Mustang TV News placed second in the Best Newscast category. After becoming finalists, they traveled to Lexington to present their work to a panel of judges, discussing the challenges and wins of bringing news production inside the school. Although the newscast team consists of many students, sophomore Nolen Patterson and seniors Ella Chuppe and Makenzie Wilcher presented during the final round.
Additionally, the MCHS Cinemania team placed in the top 8 in the state after competing in the challenging 72-hour filmmaking competition. The Cinemania team, consisting of Sofia Rinella, Mariane Puertollano, Nolen Patterson, Makenzie Wilcher, Ella Chuppe, Sabrina Stinson, Sydney Hughes, and Briana Hite, worked together to produce a creative 3-minute film with a variety of required elements. Mrs. Mary Bowden’s Musical Theater class made a special cameo in the film’s storyline. Out of 30 teams that signed up, 23 submitted entries, with only 8 advancing to the final round.
The McCracken County STLP team is coached by Media Arts teacher Kristy Griffith, with additional support from Mark Madison and Digital Art teacher Kayla Greene.
About STLP
The Kentucky Student Technology Leadership Program (STLP) is a statewide initiative designed to encourage students to use technology in creative ways. The program allows students to showcase their skills and innovations in areas such as digital photography, video production, web development, and more.