Schools

Novi High Student's Article Published in USA Today

Junior Matthew Hawkins won a contest to interview Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland.

Novi High School newspaper editor Matthew Hawkins can include writing for USA Today on his resume.

Hawkins, 16, junior at Novi High School, was chosen as one of more than 60 school representatives for the Detroit Red Wings High School Journliast Day in February 2012.

"We got to go to Joe Louis Arena and see the players practice," he said.

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The students were asked to write about their day. Hawkins' piece won. His prize: an interview with Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland.

"I learned how to read when I was 4 by reading about the Red Wings in the paper," he said.

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Hawkins knows everything about the Red Wings and plays himself for Novi Wild prep hockey, which won the state championship. He said he was worried he wouldn't get to meet Holland because of the NHL lock out.

However, USA Today sports writer Kevin Allen arranged the interview on April 1.

"I didn't know I'd get to sit with him one-on-one for 30 minutes," he said. "He seemed plenty happy to talk to a high school kid."

After his interview, Allen told him he had 45 minutes to write the story. Hawkins hustled to the media room at Joe Louis to meet his deadline.

"It seems tough to write in such a short time. But you get a little rush," he said.

Hawkins said he didn't expect his story to go live on USA Today's website. He checked the NHL site, as he does regularly, and saw a headline that looked like what he wrote about. He clicked it and there was his byline on the story, he said.

>>Read Hawkins' article from his interview with Holland here. The Detroit Free Press also picked up his story. See it here.

"My mom and dad think it's pretty cool," he said.

He said he and his parents, John and Lynn Hawkins, printed multiple copies of the story to guarantee they'd never lose it. They also have copies of his original story, published in the March 2012 issue of Novi High School's The Wildcat ROAR, which won him the contest.

Hawkins started writing for the school paper as a sophomore. He moved from staff writer to sports editor, taking the place of Taylor DesOrmeau, a 2012 graduate of Novi High School and freshman at Central Michigan University.

DesOrmeau said he got to accompany Hawkins as a chaperon during his trip to visit the Red Wings because he was 18. Hawkins carefully prepared his article for the contest and DesOrmeau helped him edit it, he said.

"When the letter came in that he was the first prize to win the USA Today trip, we were surprised because he was only a sophomore," he said.

>>Read Hawkins' winning article here.

Meeting Holland wasn't the end to Hawkins' great day. He attended a Red Wings press conference and got noticed by head coach Mike Babcock. Babcock saw Hawkins was new and said, "You get the first question."

He said he would wait and Babcock said, "That means you're nervous."

Hawkins said the day taught him more about editing. He isn't sure that he'll continue with journalism in college but is keeping his options open.

"It's nice to get my foot in the door," he said. "I'll work for anybody who lets me work for them."


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